The Latin American University Research and Doctoral Support (LAURDS) is a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

LAURDS Project ambition is to develop a roadmap for embedding a research strategy, culture and doctoral training and support as part of the institutional activities to improve the quality and sustainability of innovation and new knowledge contributing to the economic and societal growth of the Latin American region.

In order to enhance and support the development of new knowledge the sustainability of contributions of the University sector to the society and economy of Latin America, the project aims to develop the rigour, quality and transferability of Doctoral provision by building the capability and capacity for Doctoral supervision skills and Doctoral student training in Latin American Universities.

LAURDS aim is to build the capacity of Latin American Universities to develop their research culture and construct focused, relevant and meaningful research strategies which support the need for innovation and new knowledge in the economy. This will underpin the growth of the knowledge economy in Latin America by professionalising the research activity, environment and infrastructure of Universities which underpin the requirements for sustainability and innovation.

 Research strategy

Why a research strategy is necessary to engage a long term vision of research in the University?

The research activity in a University can be oriented by different organisational, political, social and academic motivations. However, in order to encompass the efforts of all the stakeholders to achieve the expected impact of research, a strategy must be developed and deployed. The first step to advance in this way consists of understanding the relevance of having a research strategy and how this can help articulate adequately infrastructure, resources and motivations of researchers with the University’s mission, vision and values and the expectations of a globalised knowledge society.

Research culture

What is the ideal of research culture for Latin American Universities?

The research culture is only one of the characteristics of the University environment. However, it is a fundamental element to achieve sustainability in the research activity. Leadership, guidance, support, assistance, adequate resources and incentives are only some of the required elements to build, promote and maintain a really established research culture in which researchers can be called to contribute with the organisational purposes without ignoring their own motivations. An effective research culture cannot be imposed, cannot be enforced because it is embedded in the research community and its individuals.

Indeed, research culture is a prerequisite for a proliferation of creativity, innovations and research curiosity. As a kind of organisational sub-culture, it takes time to evolve and mature. There are many different facets that contribute to the development of research culture at the University and it’s a good thing to identify them. LAURDS Project develops tools in order to understand what gap exists between the current research culture and an effective research culture.