FAPESP invests more in scientific research

FAPESP’s financial outlays to support scientific and technological research increased 14.8% in 2010, compared to the previous year. With outlays of R$ 780.03 million in 2010 alone, the São Paulo Research Foundation maintained the upward curve in support to research, which grew 69% in the last decade.

By Jussara Mangini

Agência FAPESP – FAPESP’s financial outlays to support scientific and technological research increased 14.8% in 2010, compared to the previous year. With outlays of R$ 780.03 million in 2010 alone, the São Paulo Research Foundation maintained the upward curve in support to research, which grew 69% in the last decade. These data are part of the 2010 Activities Report released by FAPESP on September 14, 2011, along with an exhibition of reproductions of works by artist Anita Malfatti, which illustrate the book.

The outlays are result of 17% higher revenue than in 2009 and which totaled R$ 860 million. The revenue corresponds to transferral of 1% of the São Paulo State Treasury’s collections – in accordance with the State Constitution, and which in 2010 reached R$ 754,697,237, along with other revenue totaling R$ 105,373, 726. FAPESP’s operating costs accounted for only 4.79% of revenue, below the 5% limit as determined by the Foundation’s statutes.

In 2010, FAPESP broke records in two areas: the number of new projects (11,155) and the number of ongoing scholarships/fellowships (10,824). Of the total earmarked for research, 36% went to human resource training/education, 56% to academic research and 8% to applications. For each of these areas of focus, FAPESP increased the amount invested by 16%, 15% and 14%, respectively.

The resources earmarked for FAPESP’s Regular Line, involving Regular Research Awards and Fellowships, the main pillars of human resources training and support to academic research, rose 13% from 2009 to 2010. FAPESP approved an average 6% increase in funding in order to preserve buying power of recipients and provide greater incentive for quality work.

The greatest number of projects contracted in 2010 were Scientific Initiation grants (2,468), followed by Master’s fellowships (1,492). Considering the annual evolution of requests and fellowship contracts in Brazil and abroad in the 2001-2010 period, there was a 20.5% increase in requests and 53.5% increase in contracts. In 2010, FAPESP received 10,418 requests and made 6,195 awards.

In the last 10 years, the number of requests for Research Awards climbed 17.5%, while awards increased 26.3%. In 2010, FAPESP received 5,723 requests and signed 3,920 contracts under this funding line.
In the Special Programs line, where outlays grew 29%, awards under the Program for Research Infrastructure deserve special attention. The R$ 63.26 million spent last year on this area represented a 63.52% increase.

“With the inescapable limitation on resources to meet all the justified and necessary ambitions of the vibrant São Paulo scientific community, giving these resources for the maximum possible application is part of our efforts toward sustainability. This is why FAPESP has given special attention to the Multi-user Equipment Program,” explains Celso Lafer, president of FAPESP in the preface to the Activities Report.    

The Foundation also supports acquisition of books for research and for utilization at public libraries. In 2010, more than R$ 33 million were earmarked through the FAP-Books program, which allowed for acquisition of approximately 165,000 titles  that will update the archive of São Paulo libraries and institutions of higher education and research.

Also under the Special Programs, outlays to the Young Investigators program were significant, reaching R$ 24.51 million, reaffirming the institution’s interest in developing new scientific leadership.
Among the Research for Technological Innovation  programs, the fact that FAPESP practically doubled outlays for the Research Partnership for Technological Innovation – which leapt from R$ 9.8 million in 2009 to R$ 18.1 million in 2010 – reaffirms the Foundation’s incentive for joint scientific production between companies and academia.  

The volume of resources flowing into the Research Program on Global Climate Change, which is slated to receive R$ 100 million in 10 years, increased 152%. Outlays to the Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) also increased 112%, and for BIOTA-FAPESP, up 68.7%.

Internationalization

In 2010, FAPESP advanced its policy to promote international exchange of researchers and knowledge. “In order for excellent scientific research to continue to be sustainable in Brazil, a good level of resources comparable to any other international center is indispensable. For this reason, more than one third of FAPESP’s outlays are focused on human resource training, both in Brazil and abroad. After all, in a world that is integrated into the age of globalization, this is an imperious necessity for the progress of science in every country,” highlights Lafer.

Examples of FAPESP’s efforts to promote researcher exchange are international cooperation agreements and the São Paulo School of Advanced Sciences (EPSCA).  In 2010, FAPESP signed agreements with the University of Surrey (United Kingdom), the BE-Basic Consortium (Holland) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnicas (Conicet – Argentina). FAPESP also launched calls with diverse higher education and research agencies and institutions from countries with which the Foundation has agreements.

In the year, FAPESP held seven high level scientific meetings with the participation of renowned and highly visible researchers, including Nobel Laureates, under the auspices of EPSCA. Seven schools were selected through calls for proposals in 2009 and another five were selected in 2010 to be held in 2011. The EPSCA covered topics such as climate change, human genetics, ecological networks, modern challenges in quantum matter and superconductivity, among others. In addition to these events, another 1,271 projects supported under new research awards and fellowships were characterized as scientific exchange, including many in the United States (265), Europe (203) and Latin America and the Caribbean (101).

Historically, the Health area has been the leader in the number of research proposals presented and approved by FAPESP because of the strong tradition in São Paulo State. In 2010, the area received 27.6% of outlays.  As is traditional, the greatest volume of projects was presented by researchers from Universidade de São Paulo (45.7%), followed by Universidade Estadual de Campinas (14.4%) and Universidade Estadual Paulista (13.4%).

2010 Activities Report: www.fapesp.br/publicacoes/relat2009_completo.pdf

Anita Malfatti Exhibition

As it has in the past five years, FAPESP pays tribute to a São Paulo artist to illustrate its Activities Report and holds an exhibition with reproductions of published works. The launch of the 2010 Activities Report was held on September 14 at FAPESP’s headquarters with the opening of an exhibition of Anita Malfatti’s works. The exhibition is open to the public until December 16, 2011. An on-line version is at: www.fapesp.br/publicacoes/anita/index.html.