Research management is a crucial activity to ensure the success of researchers' efforts. When there is an organizational structure that supports the connections between the educational and research institution and other members of academia and society, with support for data collection and processing, the entire effort of knowledge production becomes more efficient, consistent, and relevant.
At Insper, this effort involves at least two internal organizations: the Research Support Office and the Center for Data and AI. Together, these two structures bring to the forefront a series of efforts to ensure Brazilian research keeps pace with the level of organization and governance of the leading countries in the northern hemisphere.
This effort was recently rewarded: the Brazilian institution and its partner, the University of Aberdeen, were selected for a research management program by The British Academy, the national British academy supporting humanities and social sciences. Its program to strengthen research management capacity (ODA) selected 17 projects in 2024.
The proposal by Insper and its European partners aims to improve research management capacity and transform support for sustainable and equitable international collaborations in data science between Brazil and Scotland. For this, the research office will focus on contracts and financial aspects, while the Center for Data and AI will focus on infrastructure and scientific data governance.
Announced in March 2025, The British Academy's list of grantees includes proposals from institutions in Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as institutions based in the United Kingdom. The aim of the call, as stated by the institution, is to achieve sustainable transformation at the institutional level concerning research production.
“It is expected that the awards involve significant time dedicated to dialogue and communication between the organizations involved, so that ties can be built and strengthened, working methods can be adapted, and best practices can be achieved by all those involved in supporting future research projects,” points out the British academy on its website. The proposal is to “overcome the systemic barriers of cross-border work and incorporate the resulting best practices into institutions to support sustained and equitable international research collaboration.”
In the case of Insper, the selected proposal aims to enhance research management capacity and transform support for sustainable, equitable, and data science collaborations between Brazil and Scotland. The discussions will include integrated actions with the Brazilian Association of Research Managers (BRAMA).
“We work to professionalize research based on management practices. Our area is entirely dedicated to supporting professors in the presentation and conduction of projects,” says Vanessa Boarati, Associate Director of the Research Support Office at Insper. “The initiative places us in a position to share challenges and successful experiences with researchers across Brazil, with support from BRAMA.”
As Juliana Juk, a research management consultant at the office, points out, the initiative approved by The British Academy is based on the principle that there is no point in investing in research if there is not adequate management. “In this specific project, the office works on two fronts: the financial resource management and the focus on legal aspects and contract formation. With the leadership of Insper and the University of Aberdeen, we will seek other institutions, Brazilian and British, willing to share experiences and build knowledge in these two areas.” The organizational and technical research management framework will be presented through an article collaboratively created between the two institutions, while the Center for Data and AI will conduct workshops to address scientific data infrastructure and governance.
As for the partnership with the Scottish institution, it results from the work of the Center for Data and AI. In the second semester of 2023, the University of Aberdeen welcomed Insper to visit the Grampian Safe Haven (DaSH), one of the five trusted research environments in that country. In September 2024, it was Insper's turn to host in São Paulo Katie Wilde, Director of Digital Research at the University of Aberdeen, and Sharon Gordon, research coordinator.
The interaction and joint actions are part of Insper's effort to lead efforts aimed at advancing research data management practices in Brazil, as explained by Suelane Fontes, who oversees the center's technical coordination.
“We look outward, to the main trends abroad, seeking synergies and ways to improve data management work, based on consolidated architectures and the consolidation of a safe environment for conducting research,” she says. The project approved by The British Academy expands the reach of this effort, she states. “The initiative will bear fruit and should yield various relevant publications. We propose the design and implementation of an international standard framework for scientific data management.”