Multidimensional evaluation of a program for early-career researcher in Brazil - the Young Investigator in Emerging Centers program

Abstract

São Paulo Research Foundation, FAPESP, has implemented an award program as a way to develop new research centers and to provide more opportunity to recent doctors, or productive doctors without regular job position, the "Young Investigator in Emerging Centers" (YIEC). This paper intends to present main results from an external evaluation of this program, covering a period from 1996 to 2006. Results found in this evaluation evidence that YIEC has reached some of targets, mainly concerning the research activity in private institutions. This program was a very important instrument to create the basic infrastructure for research activities in this type of HI opening new opportunities to recent doctors. The creation and improvement of research groups out of the excellence axe also should be highlighted, since it is one of the main goals. In general, the impact in institutions could be considered expressive, since that even new graduation courses were created, and the impact in post-graduation programs was expressive, improving and creating new disciplines and courses.