Gobernanza y autonomía relativa en los sistemas públicos de investigación. El caso del Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de la Argentina (1983-1989)

Abstract

The aim of the master’s thesis is to contribute to the discussion on the role of research councils within public research systems (PRS), taking Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) as a case study. This approach is guided by the following research question: What changes in internal governance altered the composition and the relative autonomy of the actors involved in CONICET and its links with other institutions of Argentina’s PRS during the period 1983–1989?

The choice of the 1980s responds to the fact that this decade represents a key historical moment, marked by the recovery of institutional order and the initiation of a process of intervention, normalization, and democratization of the main institutions in the science and technology sector. The new democratic government transformed the former Sub-Secretariat of Science and Technology of the military regime—previously under the Office of Planning of the Presidency—into the Secretariat of Science and Technology (SECYT), placed under the authority of the Ministry of Education and Justice. At the same time, national universities and CONICET were intervened with the objective of restoring institutional normality.

Throughout the thesis, changes in CONICET’s internal governance between late 1983 and 1989 are analyzed, as well as their implications for the relative autonomy of key actors and for the Council’s relationship with other institutions of the PRS, with particular attention to SECYT and public universities. CONICET was selected as a case study due to its historical role in shaping Argentina’s PRS from 1958 to the present. It has been a central institution in the formulation, promotion, and execution of scientific policies. Moreover, the existence of a researcher career regulated by a Statute and Civil Service Ranking since 1973 makes CONICET a distinctive case in international comparative terms.

Since its creation, CONICET has fostered internationally standardized scientific practices and strengthened domestic research capacities, reinforcing its legitimacy and contributing to the accumulation of scientific capital. The thesis concludes that, within a broader process of democratization of public institutions during the 1980s, actors associated with a bureaucratic culture—primarily oriented toward administration, coordination, planning, and efficient resource organization—were strengthened under the CONICET Board that operated between 1984 and 1989. This Board, chaired by Carlos Abeledo, framed its actions within a broader trend of institutional recovery and democratization that characterized Argentina’s PRS during the decade.

New operational parameters were introduced to enhance transparency in governance. The most significant instrument in this regard was the creation of Research and Development Projects (PID) and Annual Research Projects (PIA) through competitive calls, initially funded by national treasury resources and later by a BID–CONICET II loan. These policies reduced the autonomy of institute directors and institute committees, while increasing the authority and relative autonomy of researchers in the Scientific and Technological Researcher Career (CIC), public university researchers, and advisory committees responsible for project evaluation. These changes were driven by the growing use of academic criteria—such as publication in indexed journals—in the allocation of research funding and postgraduate fellowships.

Methodologically, the thesis is based on a triangulation strategy, relying primarily on qualitative data. The main data collection techniques included semi-structured interviews with key actors from the 1980s and documentary analysis of official reports, institutional records, meeting minutes, legislation, and statistical data. Data collection and analysis were conducted simultaneously in order to achieve theoretical saturation of the core concepts guiding the study.