Employment, research performance and decentralization: The experience and perspectives of doctorate holders in Brazil

This paper presents the main findings of the evaluation of a research program for early-career doctorate holders in Brazil. The Sao Paulo State Research Foundation implemented the Young Investigator Award Program in 1996. At that time the number of PhDs was growing in Brazil, and doctorate holders, PhD programs and research jobs were concentrated in Sao Paulo State. The evaluation focused on the program’s performance in terms of its contribution to the creation of job opportunities and research conditions for highly qualified young researchers, especially in emerging research institutions. Surveys were conducted among young investigators who received grants from the program and host institutions. The data was analyzed using descriptive and multivariate statistics. The evaluation study found that the program achieved its main objectives, although decentralization of research to private institutions and/or regional institutions outside the axis of excellence was limited. The policy implications of the findings are also discussed.

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