La gestión de la investigación en educación superior en Iberoamérica

This contribution reviews aspects of research management in universities, focusing on the most institutional and organizational aspects. It therefore considers the existing political priorities, the institutional frameworks that try to promote them and the organizational and management processes that make them possible. Underlying this approach is the recognition of management as a key process for the success of policies dedicated to promoting research. The 39 participating specialists contribute their vision, shaped by their practice as researchers, members of different universities and knowledgeable about the systems for promoting research in their context, on the reality of research management in twelve Latin American countries. And they do so from a common framework, which allows them to review aspects related to: a) the higher education system and the general organization of research in the corresponding country; b) the management of research in higher education institutions; c) some significant experiences; and d) reflections, challenges and proposals for improvement. The contributions, which respect the different writing styles of the authors, do not seek to x-ray the subject at a theoretical level as much as to present the most significant aspects of each reality and the proposals that are made in this regard. The orientation is clearly organizational, if we consider that a common part of all the contributions has to do with the policies and practices that govern the management of research, although it cannot always be separated from human resources policies or the promotion of innovation and socio-economic change. Its realization is linked to the VII Annual Meeting of the RedAGE, held from July 7 to 9 in Panama City. There, the representatives of the member organizations selected the theme and agreed on the structure of the contributions. In this case, the focus on research management had the double sense of addressing a little-studied topic and influencing the management processes of the university. Thus, a fundamental purpose of the Red AGE is covered again, which is to promote the exchange of experiences, the promotion of knowledge on administration and educational management and reflection on the practice of management. The ultimate goal is to improve the functioning of organizations focused on training processes (and, through them, of educational systems), ensuring that they are of quality and an instrument for professional and social change.