Programa Federal Equipar Ciencia (2022-2023): ¿una novedad institucional para la desconcentración territorial de la inversión pública?

Abstract

The federalisation of science and technology (S&T) in Argentina has gained momentum with the enactment of Law 27.614/2021 and the implementation, since 2022, of a ministerial budgetary programme for this purpose. This article seeks to assess the territorial impact of Equipar Ciencia, one of the instruments associated with this funding. For this purpose, we analyse provincial data from the three main phases of allocation (June 2022-June 2023) and discuss the results in light of official statements and technical aspects of this and other science policy instruments. The provincial distribution of Equipar is consistent with a logic of positive discrimination, taking into account the inequalities of origin and favouring the approval of a significant part of the applications from less developed provinces, as opposed to what happens with the scientific projects of the I+D+i Agency or the entry of researchers to CONICET. This dissociation does not facilitate a coherent policy of territorial deconcentration of public investment. Among the different institutional resistances, the federalisation funds and Equipar continue to be managed in a centralised manner.