Brazil's endangered postgraduate system

Authors:
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Over the past decade, Brazilian scientists have faced a dramatic reduction in financial support ([ 1 ][1]–[ 3 ][2]). In 2017, the Ministry of Science and Technology had a budget of only 2.8 billion reais, the equivalent of US$700 million ([ 4 ][3]), the lowest in the past 14 years ([ 5 ][4]). Dwindling funding affects a crucial population in Brazil's scientific system: students working toward master's and Ph.D. degrees. Brazil's postgraduate system plays a pivotal role in scientific output. A major portion of scientific research takes place in publicly funded universities, and most scientific publications are driven by postgraduate programs ([ 6 ][5], [ 7 ][6]). Brazil's 6303 master's and Ph.D. programs ([ 8 ][7]) are primarily funded by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), a governmental agency within the Ministry of Education ([ 9 ][8]). The CAPES budget has plunged from the equivalent of US$1.9 billion in 2015 to the equivalent of US$1 billion in 2018 ([ 10 ][9]). The budget for 2019 projects an additional cut of nearly 40% ([ 11 ][10]). The funding cuts will likely translate into a substantial drop in federal grants, postdoctoral fellowships, support for international collaborations, and student scholarships. As student support falls, scientific output will likely decrease as well. Brazil's scientific enterprise cannot function without qualified human resources, who will in turn strengthen social and economic development. Despite the polarized political atmosphere, Brazil must implement a strategic plan to improve the quality of science and innovation by investing in the postgraduate system. 1. [↵][11]1. E. Gibney , Nature 526, 16 (2015). [OpenUrl][12] 2. 1. C. Angelo , Nature 533, 19 (2016). [OpenUrl][13] 3. [↵][14]1. F. Marquez , “Funding in crisis,” Revista Pesquisa FAPESP 256, 1 (2017). [OpenUrl][15] 4. [↵][16]1. C. Angelo , Nature 10.1038/nature.2017.21766 (2017). 5. [↵][17]Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações e Comunicações, Recursos Aplicados—Governo Federal (2018); [www.mctic.gov.br/mctic/opencms/indicadores/detalhe/recursos\_aplicados/governo\_federal/2\_2\_4.html][18] [in Portuguese]. 6. [↵][19]1. A. F. Helene, 2. P. L. Ribeiro , Scientometrics 89, 677 (2011). [OpenUrl][20] 7. [↵][21]1. E. A. Oliveira et al ., Scientometrics 90, 429 (2011). [OpenUrl][22] 8. [↵][23]Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Ministério da Educação, “Avaliação quadrienal em números” (2017); [www.ucs.br/site/midia/arquivos/Avalia%C3%A7%C3%A3o\_Quadrienal\_em_n%C3%BAmeros.pdf][24] [in Portuguese]. 9. [↵][25]Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Plano nacional de pós-graduação (PNPG) 2011-2020 (2010); [www.capes.gov.br/plano-nacional-de-pos-graduacao][26] [in Portuguese]. 10. [↵][27]Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), “Budget—Evolution in Reais” (2018); [www.capes.gov.br/orcamento-evolucao-em-reais][28] [in Portuguese]. 11. [↵][29]1. A. C. Moreno , “Quase 200 mil bolsistas da Capes podem ficar sem bolsa se orçamento de 2019 sofrer corte, diz conselho,” globo.com (2018); [in Portuguese]. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-3 [3]: #ref-4 [4]: #ref-5 [5]: #ref-6 [6]: #ref-7 [7]: #ref-8 [8]: #ref-9 [9]: #ref-10 [10]: #ref-11 [11]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [12]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DNature%26rft.volume%253D526%26rft.spage%253D16%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [13]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DNature%26rft.volume%253D533%26rft.spage%253D19%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [14]: #xref-ref-3-1 "View reference 3 in text" [15]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DRevista%2BPesquisa%2BFAPESP%26rft.volume%253D256%26rft.spage%253D1%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [16]: #xref-ref-4-1 "View reference 4 in text" [17]: #xref-ref-5-1 "View reference 5 in text" [18]: http://www.mctic.gov.br/mctic/opencms/indicadores/detalhe/recursos_aplicados/governo_federal/2_2_4.html [19]: #xref-ref-6-1 "View reference 6 in text" [20]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScientometrics%26rft.volume%253D89%26rft.spage%253D677%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [21]: #xref-ref-7-1 "View reference 7 in text" [22]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScientometrics%26rft.volume%253D90%26rft.spage%253D429%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [23]: #xref-ref-8-1 "View reference 8 in text" [24]: http://www.ucs.br/site/midia/arquivos/Avalia%C3%A7%C3%A3o_Quadrienal_em_n%C3%BAmeros.pdf [25]: #xref-ref-9-1 "View reference 9 in text" [26]: http://www.capes.gov.br/plano-nacional-de-pos-graduacao [27]: #xref-ref-10-1 "View reference 10 in text" [28]: http://www.capes.gov.br/orcamento-evolucao-em-reais [29]: #xref-ref-11-1 "View reference 11 in text"