Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I) Promotion: mapping public policy to combat the Covid-19 pandemic at state level

Abstract:

This study explores state and federal district policies to promote Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I) and to combat Covid-19 during the pandemic. One hundred and eighteen ST&I programs were mapped in the 27 Brazilian federative units. Most of the programs (71%) were implemented at the state and federal district level. The others included collaborations between these and the federal (19%), international (8%) or regional (2%) levels of government. We identified only two instruments that we considered to be innovative in the context of Brazilian ST&I policy. First, the State Secretariat of Innovation, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul created the “Inova RS Program” through an Authority and Treasury instrument. The program operated on regulations elaborated by funding agencies and involved transfers of financial resources between government, institutions, individuals, companies, and other types of organizations. Second, the State Secretariat for Economic Development, Science and Technology of the State of São Paulo created an Authority and Nodality instrument called the “IdeiaGov Program”. In this case, the government defined procedures and organized information to ensure access by part of the population to the decision-making processes and to allow greater social control over public management. This program did not, however, involve the transfer of public resources. The study found that these new instruments were aligned with the research themes proposed by the World Health Organization.

Keywords:
covid-19; policy instruments; science, technology, and innovation (ST&I); state policies