Saltar para o conteúdo principal

FCCNFCT Digital Services

Access the national information on scientific and technological funding in Portugal

Activity Funded

Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy

Unidade de Investigação em Governança, Competitividade e Políticas Públicas

Reference
UIDB/04058/2020
Project Start Date
2020-01-01
Project End Date
2024-12-31
Principal Investigator
Funding Program
Concurso de avaliação no âmbito do Programa Plurianual de Financiamento de Unidades de I&D (2017/2018) - Financiamento Base

Abstract

10.2 Summary in English for general dissemination purposes The RU works on applied social sciences, complementing a multidisciplinary approach with a multi-dimensional perspective. As a multidisciplinary unit, GOVCOPP combines the scientific inputs of such varied subjects as economics, management, operational research, sociology, geography and political sciences. Though interested in the development of theory and in the advance of basic knowledge, the RU is mainly directed to help public and private decision-makers to solve complex problems with an evidence-based foresight perspective. The Strategic Plan (SP) submitted in 2013, and approved for the period 2015-2020, was divided in two programmes: The Region of the Future and the Regional Decision Support System. The first aimed at the convergence of a diversified research dynamics into a theoretical synthesis envisaging the governance of an environmental sustainable and inclusive region with a knowledge based economic system driven by innovation. The second programme was directed to create and permanently update a database and models supporting evidence-based decision-making both for public authorities and for private organisations. The SP for 2018-22 will conclude the previous one, developing 8 initiatives. 1. FORUM-CENTRO: The synthesis of multiple partial contributions developed in the last 3 years into a comprehensive concept of the Region of the Future will be made in a planning compendium to be produced by the ongoing SPLACH project and applied to the Region Centro by the Integrated Programme CeNTER. 2. STOP (STrategic OPtions): The GOVCOPP behavioural economics laboratory (BELEM) will study the constraints and motivations underlying the formation of opinions and preferences concerning future strategic scenario. 3. ACE (Auditing and Consulting for Enterprises): GOVCOPP researchers working in Polytechnic Schools will start a programme to support regional SMEs. 4. DECISION-MAKING LAB: This will systematically accumulate information and methodologies that link decision-making to evidence. It will be supported by the RU's expertise in areas such as demographic and economic growth models and forecasts, territorial planning, evaluation of energy policies, housing hedonic models, operational research applied to manufacturing and logistics. 5. Creation of a biennial International Conference on Political Trends and Territorial Governance, adding to the 4 international conferences already organised. 6. Creation of an internal structure aimed at reinforcing the unit’s international presence and hiring of a researcher responsible for it. 7. GOVCOPP intends to offer 20 PhD scholarships for the 2019-22 period, distributed by the 8 Programmes connected to the unit. These will generate work contributing to the GOVCOPP's research agenda, either by directly cooperating with ongoing projects or by opening new fields of research. 8. The Activity Plan above described requires the reinforcement of the unit by hiring 4 full-time researchers, one per group. 10.3 Summary in English for evaluation The RU works on applied social sciences, complementing a multidisciplinary approach with a multi-dimensional perspective. As a multidisciplinary unit, GOVCOPP combines the scientific inputs of such varied subjects as economics, management, operational research, sociology, geography and political sciences. The multi-dimensional perspective guides the study of complex problems by combining multiple insights into coherent syntheses, placing the interplay of economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability and social cohesion as the main scope of public policy and the driver of good governance. Though interested in the development of theory and in the advance of basic knowledge, GOVCOPP is mainly directed to help public and private decision-makers to solve complex problems with an evidence-based foresight perspective. Addressing a very diverse set of subjects, GOVCOPP gains coherence by focusing on territorial contexts and on the technical support to agents anchored to specific territories. The RU creates, apply and diffuses scientific knowledge concerning: - Governance structures and practices, at different territorial scales; - Public policies directed to territorial planning and, in particular, to the provision of general interest services and basic infrastructure; - Efficiency fostered by innovation in individual firms, concerning management and industrial engineering; - Sustainable economic efficiency related to systemic regional processes and promoted by policies aimed at supporting entrepreneurship and at strengthening the ties linking learning and research to production; - Decision support systems providing decision-makers with objective and rigorous information; - Future studies and foresight techniques. GOVCOPP was created in 2008 and obtained the classification of Excellent in the evaluation exercise of 2013. This marked the recognition of GOVCOPP as a high level RU, reflected in the growth of overall financial support obtained by its researchers (encompassing research projects, knowledge transfer, fellowships, inter alia) from 620 k€ in 2013 to 1550 k€ in 2017. The Strategic Plan (SP) submitted in 2013, for the period 2015-20, was divided in two programmes: The Region of the Future and the Regional Decision Support System. The first aimed at the convergence of a diversified research dynamics into a theoretical synthesis envisaging the governance of an environmental sustainable and inclusive region with a knowledge based economic system driven by innovation. This synthesis, rather than being produced in an isolated academic island, is intended to result from an intense interaction with society, seen as the agent of change and the final destination of the research results. The second programme was directed to create and permanently update a database and a set of models to support evidence-based decision-making both for public authorities and for private organisations. The SP for the period 2018-22 aims to conclude the previous Plan, taking into consideration the changes in the external context, overcoming internal constraints and weaknesses and creating conditions to reinforce the role of GOVCOPP as a leading research institution combining social sciences, territorial analysis and policy-making. Other objectives, common to all research groups and activities, are the reinforcement of GOVCOPP's national and international recognition; supporting researchers in the beginning of their scientific career; and the professionalization of RU's scientific staff. In particular, the Plan will develop the following 8 initiatives. 1. FORUM-CENTRO: The synthesis of multiple partial contributions developed in the last 3 years into a comprehensive concept of the Region of the Future will be made in a planning compendium to be produced by the ongoing SPLACH project and applied to the Region Centro by the Integrated Programme CeNTER. This synthesis will be the starting point for a foresight exercise based on future scenarios for Centro, using multi-criteria participative techniques developed in recent projects. 2. STOP (STrategic OPtions): The GOVCOPP behavioural economics laboratory (BELEM) will study the constraints and motivations underlying the formation of opinions and preferences concerning future strategic scenario, in FORUM-CENTRO and other participative exercises. 3. ACE (Auditing and Consulting for Enterprises): GOVCOPP researchers working in Polytechnic Schools will start a programme to support regional SMEs. 4. DECISION-MAKING LAB: This will systematically accumulate information and methodologies that link decision-making to evidence. It will be supported by the RU's expertise in areas such as demographic and economic growth models and forecasts, territorial planning, evaluation of energy policies, housing hedonic models, operational research applied to manufacturing and logistics. 5. Creation of a biennial International Conference on Political Trends and Territorial Governance, adding to the 4 international conferences already organised. 6. Creation of an internal structure aimed at reinforcing the unit’s international presence. This will focus on anticipating research opportunities as well as cooperation with international bodies, including the Brussels office of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities, a network to which the UA belongs. A researcher, working directly with the RU coordinator, with good knowledge about the unit's activities and public relations skills, will be responsible for the networking activities. 7. GOVCOPP intends to offer 20 PhD scholarships for the 2019-22 period, distributed by the 8 Programmes connected to the unit. These will generate work contributing to GOVCOPP's research agenda, either by directly cooperating with ongoing projects or by opening new fields of research. 8. The Activity Plan above described requires the reinforcement of the unit by hiring, in addition to the researcher mentioned above, 4 full-time researchers, one per group.

Institutions

Main Institutions

  • Universidade de Aveiro Unidade de Investigação em Governança Competitividade e Políticas Públicas (GOVCOPP)
  • Universidade de Aveiro (UA)

Funding 1.449.375,00 €

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Portugal

1.449.375,00 €