DOI: https://doi.org/10.48160/18517072re58.227

The scientific community in support of the SDG: the

case of São Paulo Research Foundation

Thais Aparecida Dibbern*

Milena Pavan Serafim**

Abstract

This paper aims to present how the scientific community has been adopting the 17

Sustainable Development Goals agenda, with special emphasis on the case of the São

Paulo Research Foundation. The research was carried out based on bibliographic

reviews and access to data published by the funding agency itself. The following results

are highlighted: previously to the launch of Agenda 2030, the agency already

presented several projects that incorporated the theme of sustainable development;

over the years, it was possible to observe a significant growth in relation to the granting

of scholarships linked to SDG and sustainable development issues, as well as a

significant quantitative grow on cooperation agreements and partnerships on those

matters; other types of contributions from the agency could be observed, such as with

the public sector and with companies.

* Departamento de Política Científica e Tecnológica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas. E-mail:

dibbern.thais@gmail.com

** Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas. E-mail:

milenaps@unicamp.br

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 2

Keywords

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS – SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY – FAPESP – BRAZIL

Introduction

The aim of this paper is to present how the scientific community has been adopting the

17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda, focusing on the Fundação de

Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (São Paulo Research Foundation –

FAPESP/Brazil). According to Dinu and Posch “the SDG represent a paradigm newly

introduced in 2015, and therefore there does not exist extensive literature related to

the SDG in the context of universities” (Dinu and Posch, 2019: 12), as well as within the

role performed by research funding agencies (Dibbern, 2023). Therefore, it is expected

to contribute to the recent debates on how these research funding agencies, in

particular FAPESP, are adopting this global development agenda, considering their

support for research.

In general, the methodological procedures were based on exploratory activities

of bibliographic review on the topic addressed, access to documents and reports

developed by the International Scientific Associations that deal with the SDG and their

relationship with the Higher Education Institutions (HEI), as well as by consulting the

FAPESP Virtual Library database, where it is possible to obtain information about all the

scholarships and grants that the agency has financed and is financing. The data linked

to the "FAPESP and the Sustainable Development Goals" portal were also analyzed in

this study. As a form of organization, in addition to this introduction and final

considerations, the paper presents three main parts: the first concerns the panorama

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 3

of the emergence of the SDG as a global research agenda. The second part of this

paper aims to contextualize the debate on how the scientific community can

collaborate with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, according to the bibliographic

literature. The third part of the paper focuses on the presentation of how FAPESP has

included the SDG into its research agenda. It is important to highlight that the case of

FAPESP was chosen due to its importance with respect to the Brazilian science and

technology system, its role and influence in relation to the other agencies in the system,

as well as its institutional autonomy regarding the Government of São Paulo. As can

be seen in the table below, FAPESP’s budget is larger than that of the national agency,

the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq, which

adds to the importance of its work not just for the Brazilian case, but also for the Latin

American one.

Table 1. Budget of main Brazilian R&D funding agencies

Brazilian main R&D funding agencies

Budget (R$)

2020

2021

2022

CAPES (Ministry of Education/Presidency of the Brazilian

Republic)

3,08

billions

3,01

billions

3,84

billions

CNPq (Ministry of Science, Technology, and

Innovations/Presidency of the Brazilian Republic)

1,37

billions

1,23

billions

1,32

billions

FAPESP (São Paulo) 1,44

billions

1,78

billions

1,85

billions

Source: Author’s elaboration according to the Portal da Transparência (Brazil).

In this study, we propose that the adoption of these goals can be justified by

considering two factors. First, we hypothesize that the influence of foreign funding

agencies on FAPESP plays a significant role. Second, we attribute the adoption of these

goals to an internal movement within FAPESP led by the professors and researchers

who are part of the Foundation. The theoretical framework of the Latin American

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 4

perspective of Social Studies in Science and Technology and the Geopolitics of

Knowledge are used in the data analysis.

An overview on SDG

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), approved in September 2015 by the

United Nations Heads of State and Government, present a series of goals aimed to

guide decision making in the fifteen-year period (2015-2030). These announce the

scale and ambition of a new global agenda based on the balance between four

dimensions: economic, social, environmental, and institutional (Sachs, 2012). Among

its various interconnected topics, the SDG aim to combat hunger and poverty; promoting

inclusive and equitable education; gender equality; full employment and decent work;

access to water and sanitation; among others (UN, 2016).

Therefore, it is a question of continuing the commitments incorporated in the 8

Millennium Development Goals (MDG) launched in 2000 that, despite not having

reached their fullness, contributed to the resolution of some social problems, especially

in the context of developing countries (Sachs, 2012). However, this new global agenda

differs from the previous one. The MDG were originally developed by the OECD in 1996

as part of its development strategy for the 21st Century. These ended up being

integrated into the UN agenda and, after an “iterated distillation, extracted from a wide

array of global processes, with many actions involved over several years” (McArthur,

2014: 6), were approved by the Heads of State and Government under the so-called

“United Nations Millennium Summit”. In words of McArthur, the MDG constitute

themselves as the “world's first explicit development partnership framework between

developed and developing countries” (McArthur, 2014: 20), having as one of its main

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 5

objectives the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger in the world. Guimarães and

Ferreira (2020) argue that the intergovernmental actions in favor of human

development during the beginning of the 21st Century, had as base guidelines the MDG,

whose focus was on the provision of basic services such as access to sanitation water

and drinking water, in addition to the fight against extreme poverty, especially in the

context of developing countries.

Even though the SDG are based on some successes achieved through the MDG,

the new global agenda stands out for the inclusion of new priority areas such as climate

change, sustainable consumption, and innovation. As well as through SDG 17, which

requires the participation of several actors through the establishment of collaborative

partnerships between countries and other stakeholders, this specific SDG seeks to

promote partnerships between developed and developing countries, considering

reducing disparities between them, the implementation of strategies that range from

information sharing and technology transfer, even opportunities for research

development (Addo-Atuah et al., 2020). Among the actors called to contribute, some

groups stand out: Non-Governmental Organizations; local authorities; unions; women,

children, and youth; enterprise and industry and the scientific and technological

community.

The goals demand an advance in access to technology, as well as scientific

knowledge, aiming at the sharing of ideas and global research partnerships in several

areas of knowledge. In other words, SDG 17 refers to an important objective in the

context of consolidating global partnerships that aim to contribute to the achievement

of other objectives (Addo-Atuah et al., 2020), especially concerning the scope of

education. In this regard, it is also possible to point out some changes that occurred in

relation to the previous agenda, such as secondary and higher education, which, unlike

the MDG, ended up gaining greater notoriety in the 2030 Agenda.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 6

On the subject of HEI, the role attributed to universities, research centers and

laboratories, as well as research funding agencies is highlighted. This issue will be

further addressed in topic 3 of this paper, however, it is possible to pose the following

beforehand: in addition to the contributions made by such actors in relation to the SDG,

the opposite is also evident, that is, the contributions of the SDG to these institutions.

Such contributions, as presented by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network

(SDSN) Australia/Pacific (2017), may be due to the establishment of new partnerships,

access to new internal and external financing within the scope of financing agencies,

as well as through the capture of demand for education associated with the SDG and

demonstration of the social impact of universities on society (SDSN Australia/Pacific,

2017).

According to the literature, a university and research center and, by extension, a

research funding agency that incorporates the SDG as a guideline, tends to

problematize the inequalities present in society to train professionals capable of

reasoning critically, preparing them to participate in the economy and contribute to the

public good (Leal Filho et al., 2017). Thus, these institutions perform research and seek

to produce new knowledge, in view of their sharing with the external community,

contributing directly to their locality. In this regard, Leal Filho et al. (2017) shows that

several universities around the world are trying to transform their institutional structures

in line with the SDG, considering the proposal of new curricular and pedagogical

approaches, the establishment of new collaborations with other Higher Education

Institutions and research funding agencies, in addition to the implementation of good

practices of co-existence between the internal and external communities of these

institutions.

Note that the idea of the SDG gained rapid worldwide relevance due to the growing

urgency for sustainable development and, although the definitions of this term still vary

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 7

in the academic sphere, it encompasses a triple approach to human well-being that

the 193 UN Nation-States aim to aim (Sachs, 2012). However, even though many

stakeholders are committed to reaching them (UN, 2016) and the SDG share a global

approach and dimension, the political strategy for its implementation has national

emphasis, and it is up to each country to determine its priorities, forms of financing,

evaluation and monitoring of results. Then, “by not presenting strong global

governance and financing proposals that effectively support national governments,

Agenda 2030 deals with the risk that the SDG will be unevenly met throughout the world,

with some not even achieving partial results” (Moreira et al., 2019: 23).

Among the critical perspectives on the SDG, we highlight the production of De

Menezes (2020), Gómez Gil (2018), Persson, Weitz and Nilsson (2016) and Schneider

et al. (2019).

When performing a critical review, Gómez Gil (2018) argues that the complex

architecture, the technical limitations, and criticism by the international community, end

up projecting some limitations to achieve the objectives of this new global agenda.

Thus, the author presents that several scientific institutions and development

organizations criticize it for its numerous objectives, since many of the goals are seen

as ambitious, in addition to the problems related to the viability of the approved

indicators. Despite this, the author recognizes that its innovative element refers to its

universal character that overlaps and reinforces each other through a multilevel

performance in local, regional, national, and global spaces.

Another element addressed concerns the problem of the lack and quality of basic

data for monitoring the implementation of this agenda in most of the poorest countries.

Similarly, Persson, Weitz and Nilsson (2016) adds that due to the low level of obligation

and the lack of specific enforcement and compliance mechanisms, efforts to monitor

and evaluate the implementation of the SDG become critical elements considering the

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 8

conservation of the credibility of the agenda and the commitments assumed, resulting

in little effort to achieve them.

In the perspective of Schneider et al. (2019), although the 2030 Agenda

represents a universal vision regarding sustainability, it needs to be explored critically,

especially in relation to the dynamics of power, values and perspectives involved in its

development process. “Key questions about whose voices were influential in the

formulation of the 2030 Agenda, whose perspectives were taken into account, and who

stands to win or to lose are as urgent as they are complex” (Schneider et al., 2019:

1598).

De Menezes (2020) highlights the fragile aspects of some goals and targets of

the agenda, as is the case of knowledge and technology transfer, especially those

listed in SDG 17. The author considers that such goals are “exhortatory, which proclaim,

in a generic way, the need to foster international cooperation” (De Menezes, 2020: 12,

own translation). Such transfers, however, should be analyzed with caution, in view of

the "miracles" promised from a linear view of scientific progress. This linear view must

be deconstructed in view of the Social Studies of Science and Technology (Conde and

Araújo-Jorge, 2003; Dagnino, Thomas and Davyt, 1996).

Corroborating such criticisms, we add an issue: several SDG are at odds with each

other. This means that to achieve a specific goal, for example, achieving strong GDP

growth, we will have a negative impact on terms of environmental preservation.

Therefore, because it is a hegemonic agenda, the SDG do not share an approach that

transcends the current economic model. The agenda preserves a kind of "socio-

technical gatopardism", that is, despite addressing issues such as the reduction of

inequalities, there is no thought of changing the current productive and financial system

(Dibbern, 2023).

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 9

In addition, we also add the issue concerning the specifics of each region of the

globe. The socioeconomic problems experienced by Latin American countries, for

example, differ from those of the Global North countries. Therefore, the question is

whether a global development agenda incorporates the particularities of each region.

Or, considering the theoretical framework of the STS field, it is up to Latin American

countries, for example, to create their own development agenda.

However, despite the criticisms exposed, the SDG agenda has become globally

diffused as strategic north for various stakeholders, including the scientific community.

Therefore, studying how this agenda has been adopted by various actors becomes

important, to precisely understand their motivations, particularities, and behavior.

SDG and the scientific community

As discussed in the previous section, 2030 Agenda demands the participation of

several stakeholders, with a view to establish partnerships and collaborations. One of

these actors refers to the scientific community, which is represented by universities,

research centers and laboratories, in addition to research funding agencies. This

community is called to contribute to the development of new ideas and information in

the context of solving global problems, being necessary and beneficial to the

establishment of new scientific cooperation (Schmalzbauer, and Visbeck, 2016).

Regarding the promotion and production of new research, the SDG demand the

following: SDG 2.a, 3.b, 7.a and 12.a point to the need for the development of research

and scientific contributions over sustainable agriculture, vaccine development and

sustainable production and consumption issues; SDG 14.3, 14.4, 14.5 and 14.a,

indicate the need for new scientific contributions to address fisheries management and

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 10

ocean treatment; SDG 9.5 demands the improvement of scientific research, in order to

update the technological capabilities of various industrial sectors in the world,

especially in developing countries; SDG 9.b demands supporting development of

research and innovation in developing countries, providing an environment favorable

to industrial diversification and adding value to commodities; other SDG can also be

highlighted as SDG 17.6, which refers to the establishment of regional and international

cooperation in the scope of access to science, technology and innovation; as well as

SDG 17.8 that aimed to operationalize “the Technology Bank and the training

mechanism in science, technology and innovation for the least developed countries by

2017, and to increase the use of training technologies” (UN, 2016).

The SDSN Australia/Pacific Report presents collaboration with regard to how such

a community can contribute to these Goals. According to this document, although

teaching, research, governance, and external engagement are addressed separately,

they are directly interconnected (SDSN Australia/Pacific, 2017). The SDG, therefore,

represent a great opportunity to create, strengthen and reveal the links that exist

between them, being an approach to be integrated by the entire scientific community,

especially universities, considering a better involvement with this global research

agenda.

SDSN Australia/Pacific also presents an overview of the main contributions that

this community can make in relation to the SDG. The first one refers to the teaching and

learning dimension. Therefore, because it is one of the foundations of the SDG, quality

education produces significant benefits in relation to sustainable development for

individuals, communities, and countries. Thus, considering undergraduate, graduate,

professional education, distance education, extracurricular activities, and student

movements, they play an important role in the implementation of the SDG. The second

contribution mentioned concerns research development. This contemplates the role to

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 11

be played by research centers and laboratories, as well as research funding agencies,

since they constitute themselves as institutions capable of implementing the SDG

through their funding notices and institutional research agenda, considering the

objectives and goals mentioned at the beginning of this section. Thus, the academic

community, through its research capacity, has a relevant role regarding the production

of knowledge, solutions, and innovations, constituting itself as a key element to

address and implement the SDG.

As for the third contribution, the dimensions of governance and organizational

operations within universities, development centers and agencies are emphasized. In

this case, the impact related to the incorporation of the SDG in relation to their sphere

of operational influence is observed. In other words, it recognizes the impact on the

plan of the internal community within the university and agency, and externally. The

report presents the possibility of aligning the governance structures of these institutions

and their operational policies with the objectives and goals of the SDG. Such alignment

can be accomplished through a mapping in relation to the strategies, policies and

indicators present in university reports, assessing the level of congruence in relation to

the SDG, as well as through their incorporation in the organizational reports of

universities and funding agencies. Finally, the dimension of external leadership stands

out, with a view to strengthening the engagement and participation of actors internal

and external to the university in the SDG plan. In addition, such a community can also

contribute toward facilitating dialogue and intersectoral actions, as well as contribute

to the monitoring and development of public policies in the defense of sustainable

development and in the implementation of the SDG (SDSN Australia/Pacific, 2017).

As related, it can be said that the scientific community is called upon to be

involved with the 2030 Agenda at different levels of action: through the identification of

what the university and research centers and, by extension, the funding agencies come

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 12

developing to contribute to the SDG; by recognizing the importance and usefulness of

the SDG in conducting teaching, research, governance and extension activities as a

general strategy to be incorporated; and, through the integration of the SDG into

institutional governance structures (SDSN Australia/Pacific, 2017). As such, this

community has the role of assisting in translating such a global agenda into practical

agendas to be implemented at national and local levels (Salvia et al., 2019).

Reaffirming these elements, Owens (2017) adds about the existence of two main

areas in which this community can work together between governments and other HEI

and agencies that promote research and development, they are: through public

investment in research and development, as well as through the establishment of new

collaborative and coordination partnerships between such actors. These areas, in turn,

can be implemented through regional cooperation, because “regional networks help

governments to understand how other countries in a similar situation have responded

and to guide them in their next steps” (Owens, 2017: 418), which can be a starting

point for public policy makers (ICSU, 2017).

Therefore, a new global research agenda is already being incorporated through

collaborations between national and international funding agencies, as well as

between scientific associations and higher education institutions. That is, it concerns

“a common agenda [which] opens the door to more partnerships and different points

of view on education and training” (Akkari, 2017: 941), illustrating the growing influence

on the part of international organizations in the scope of national public policies on

education and other areas of knowledge (Dibbern and Serafim, 2021).

Leal Filho et al. (2017) adds that, as it is a matter of global concern, several

initiatives on the SDG have emerged within the scientific community from different areas

of knowledge, such as the educational platform “SDG Academy”, which offers online

courses on the SDG; the initiatives of the “International Science Council”, which

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 13

coordinates international actions on issues of great academic importance present in

the SDG; the actions developed by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network,

which aim to promote projects that integrate the SDG, and the Paris Agreement on

Climate Change, through education, research and analysis of public policies; among

others.

In the context of Latin America and the Caribbean, the actions and activities

carried out within the framework of the Economic Commission for Latin America and

the Caribbean (ECLAC) stand out. ECLAC has played an important role in the creation

and coordination of the “Foro de los Países de América Latina y el Caribe sobre el

Desarrollo Sostenible”, as a regional mechanism for monitoring and tracking the

implementation of the 2030 Agenda; in addition to participating in the “High Level

Political Forum”, an intergovernmental mechanism that meets annually –at Ministerial

level– within the Economic and Social Council and, every four years –at the level of

Heads of State– within the scope of the UN General Assembly. The next section of the

article presents the FAPESP case study.

Although such initiatives in higher education context are important, we cannon

disregard the criticisms indicated in the previous section. Although the goals and

targets that make up the SDG agenda are highly scientific and technological in nature

–going beyond the dimensions of public administration–, it is necessary to be careful

with their impasses and problems related to the economic and environmental

dimension (Alves and Fernandes, 2020; De Menezes, 2020; Dibbern, 2023; Galvão

and de Menezes, 2020).

The case of the São Paulo Research Foundation

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 14

The case study to be presented in this paper refers to the Fundação de Amparo à

Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (São Paulo Research Foundation – FAPESP). For

that, a bibliographic review was performed on its institutionalization and roles. In

addition, as a methodological part of the study, exploratory research was carried out

within the scope of the FAPESP Virtual Library in relation to the grants and scholarships

provided by this institutional website, being related to the major topic of sustainable

development, as well as those referring explicitly to the SDG.It is important to highlight

that researchers funded by FAPESP have been conducted research on this major theme

even before the launch of the SDG agenda. Therefore, this study has identified a series

of research projects funded by the agency that focus on this theme before 2015.As an

example, we can mention the case of the three main strategic programs of FAPESP, as

shown in the table below:

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 15

Table 2. FAPESP's Programs

Programs Released

Year Aims

Total

scholarships

and grants

(concluded and

in progress)

Research Program in

Characterization,

Conservation,

Restoration and

Sustainable Use of

Biodiversity – BIOTA

1999

Its purpose is to map and analyze

biodiversity, including fauna, flora and

microorganisms, but also to evaluate the

possibilities of sustainable exploitation of

plants or animals with economic

potential and to subsidize the

formulation of conservation policies for

forest remnants. The projects are

developed under the responsibility of a

Principal Researcher linked to higher

education and research institutions in

the State of São Paulo. The selection is

peer reviewed.

347

Bioenergy Research

Program – BIOEN 2008

Supports research and development

activities, using academic and industrial

laboratories to promote the

advancement of knowledge and its

application in areas related to the

production of Bioenergy in Brazil. The

projects are developed under the

responsibility of a Principal Researcher

linked to higher education and research

institutions in the State of São Paulo.

The selection is peer reviewed.

293

FAPESP Research

Program on Global

Climate Change –

PFPMCG

2008

It aims to advance knowledge on this

topic. The program's research results

are expected to assist in scientifically

informed decision making with respect to

risk assessments and mitigation and

adaptation strategies. The projects are

developed under the responsibility of a

Principal Researcher linked to higher

education and research institutions in

the State of São Paulo. The selection is

peer reviewed.

158

Source: Author’s elaboration according to FAPESP (2022a).

To identify the grants and scholarships, we used the terms: "SDG", "Sustainable

Development Goals" and "Global Goals" as keywords, and from these, we performed

a filter in relation to the results found.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 16

Figure 1. Research design

Source: Own elaboration.

Therefore, before the presentation of the results, a brief context related to the history

of FAPESP is exposed. Formally created in 1960 by means of Law No. 5,918, October

18th, 1960, the São Paulo Research Foundation started operating only in 1962, through

Decree Law No. 40,132, of May 23rd, 1962 (ALESP, 1947). Within the scope of the law

that institutes it, the purpose of the Foundation refers precisely to the “support for

scientific research” in its birthplace (São Paulo State), showing by its competence

domain the strategic role and the importance of such a Brazilian development agency

within the scope of the national S&T Policy, as well as regarding to its potential in the

establishment of new collaborations and cooperation between national and

international researchers.

Lafer (2015) states that the promotion carried out by the Foundation assess three

main objectives: the advancement of scientific knowledge; applied research; support

for research infrastructure. The first objective is related to the offer of regular

scholarships and assistance with a view to train human resources, in addition to

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 17

thematic projects and various programs. The second refers to the financing of research

with great potential for application, as well as of economic and social interest, being

developed through projects such as Pesquisa Inovativa em Pequenas Empresas

(Innovative Research in Small Companies – PIPE). In the case of the third objective,

resources allocation is foreseen to provide adequate infrastructure for carrying out

research, such as modernization of laboratories and internet access.

Specifically, in relation to the offer of scholarships, the Foundation classifies as

follows: scholarships in the country, which can be: Scientific Initiation, Master's,

Doctorate, Direct Doctorate, Post-Doctorate, Technical Training, Public Education,

Scientific Journalism, Participation in Course and Young Researcher; and scholarships

abroad, such as: Research Internship Scholarship Abroad and Research Scholarship

Abroad. Associated with these types of scholarships, the policy of public notices and

calls made by the funding agency stands out, being these periodically called for wide

competition, which may include research projects, projects for training courses and/or

training of human resources, scholarships studies in the country and abroad,

publishing and publication of journals, that is, contemplating various financing

mechanisms provided by the Foundation.

This policy, however, can be spontaneous or induced demand. The first ones

refer to the submission of research projects of different levels and modalities sent

spontaneously, that is, at any time of the year, covering all areas of knowledge. In other

words, it is about offering the researcher the possibility of choosing and proposing the

theme to be researched, which can be free or delimited in thematic axes. The second

type of demand concerns projects submitted in response to specific notices and calls,

therefore, thematic lines, resources and defined execution time are determined. As

discussed above, the allocation of such grants will be analyzed within the scope of this

paper, with special emphasis on those that explicitly refer to the SDG.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 18

It should be noted that, as attested by Lafer (2015), FAPESP has been going

through a process of constant internationalization recently. This process is carried out

through agreements with similar entities –such as HEI and other development

agencies– around the world, constituting itself as “an answer to the challenge of the

importance for the advancement of knowledge, the potential for interaction between

researchers national and foreign”, as well as its insertion into the “new molds on the

agenda of the world agenda” of research (Lafer, 2015: 8-9). In this sense, within the

scope of the results presented below, an increase in this interaction with international

institutions over the years can be seen, at least in the field of research related to

sustainable development and the SDG.

Before presenting the results obtained, it should be noted that FAPESP had already

financed projects addressing the topic of sustainable development and the

sustainability issues, even before SDG approval, thus, demonstrating engagement in

funding research related to the theme (see Table 2). These initiatives developed by

FAPESP show its commitment to issues related to sustainability and sustainable

development, with an internal movement of support from the professor-researchers

that compose the Foundation.

From this context, we will present the results obtained by consulting the

institutional portal of the FAPESP Virtual Library, carried out in October-December 2020.

On the Virtual Library portal, all scholarships financed by the institution are available

with the following data available: year start of the grant award; area of knowledge; line

of support; agreement or agreement signed –if any–; linked institution; partner

institution –if any–; and partner company –if any. In addition, it is also possible to

identify the location of the research, if it was performed through a cooperation

agreement with institutions abroad and, by extension, the main continents that carry

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 19

out this type of partnership with the Foundation, with a view to the theme researched

in this paper.

It was possible to identify a total of 2,107 research grants and scholarships

awarded between the period 1992 to 2020, which included at least one of the keywords

or terms provided at the beginning of this section. Corresponding 0,82% of all research

supported by the agency, this value represents a low number of research studies and

projects funded by the agency concerning this topic, even though the agency has the

aforementioned strategic programs. It is important to emphasize that the agency funds

research in all areas and fields of knowledge.

The Graph 1 shows the total number of grants and scholarships identified

according to the year in which they started. These, in turn, refer specifically to those

who presented one or more words or key terms from our consultation to the previously

indicated database. The increase in funded research over the years is related to the

growing significance of the theme, particularly concerning environmental issues,

climate change, and sustainability, especially from the year 2000 onwards. In 2008,

there was a notable initial increase in the funding of these research projects, which

gained further momentum over the subsequent years. 2016 also stands out for the

increase in the number of scholarships and grants awarded specifically on this theme.

Our hypothesis for this issue refers to the approval of the SDG as a guide to be reached

by different actors, as well as in relation to the number of agreements and cooperation

established between FAPESP and other institutions abroad in the same period.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 20

Graph 1. Total scholarships and grants per year, according to the consulted

keywords

Source: Own elaboration.

Other elements can also be exposed in relation to the data collection performed, such

as the data provided by Graph 2, showing the list of scholarships and grants provided

by FAPESP according to the areas of knowledge. Therefore, we use the FAPESP’S

classification of areas: Agrarian Sciences, Biological Sciences, Health Sciences,

Exacts and Earth Sciences, Human Sciences, Applied Social Sciences, Engineering,

Interdisciplinary and, Linguistics, Letters and Arts. Thus, as can be seen in the figure

indicated, the areas that stand out most in terms of the award of grants and

358 8 8

28 26 30 25 21 33 28 34 38 49 53

90 84 77

121

116

124

100

160

167

193

228

158

0230 0

-2

-5 -4

-5

6411 4

-6 -7

-30

-24

26 35

-70

-100

-50

100

150

200

250

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Number of scholarchips/grants

Year

Number of scholarhips and grants Total Increase/Decrease

Lineal (Number of scholarhips and grants)

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 21

scholarships in relation to sustainable development and SDG, refer to Exacts and Earth

Sciences, Agrarian Sciences, and Engineering.

Graph 2. Total scholarships and grants provided by major area of knowledge,

according to the keywords consulted

Source: Own elaboration.

At Table 1, funding lines provided by FAPESP with regard to the investigated subject are

also highlighted. Regarding research grants, it is evident that Regular Grant (296),

Organization of Scientific Meetings (122) and Innovative Research in Small

Companies (120) stand out. Regarding scholarships in the country, the attribution of

Scientific Initiations (355), the Qualification/Technical Training Program (191), Master's

(187), Doctorate (127) and Postdoctoral (171) stands out. Finally, in terms of

scholarships abroad, research grants (43), Post-Doctorate (28) and Doctorate (25) are

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 22

noteworthy. Therefore, a total of 1,256 scholarships are declared in the country and

abroad and 851 research grants were provided between 1992 and 2020, considering

the theme addressed here.

Specifically, in relation to the awarding of grants by promotion line and area of

knowledge, the Agrarian Sciences, Engineering and Exact and Earth Sciences stand

out again (see Table 3). As for the other areas, only Linguistics, Languages and Arts

did not present any scholarship granted in relation to the theme, since the only

assignment mentioned in the consultation was a research grant.

Table 3. Scholarship’s allocation by promotion line and area of knowledge,

regarding to the keywords consulted

Lines of support

Area of Knowledge

Agrarian Sciences

Biological Sciences

Health Sciences

Exact and Earth

Sciences

Humanities

Applied Social

Sciences

Engineering

Interdisciplinary

Linguistics,

Languages and Arts

Total

Scholarships in Brazil

Support for Young

Researchers 1 2 - 2 2 - - - - 7 0,5

Doctorate degree 28 20 2 18 1

8 15 24 2 - 12

7 10,1

Directed

Doctorate 3 4 6 3 7 1 - 24 1,9

Scientific

research 65 43 6 44 4

4 74 64 15 - 35

5 28,2

Master's degree 31 21 9 24 3

3 35 28 6 - 18

7 14,8

Innovative

Research in Small

Business – PIPE

23 12 4 6 - 1 19 4 - 69 5,4

Post doctoral 34 20 2 46 1

1 13 30 15 - 17

1 13,6

BIOTA Program –

Support for Young

Researchers

- 1 - - - - - - - 1 0,07

Training Program

– Technical

Training

55 25 20 41 5 11 23 11 - 19

1 15,2

ESCIENCE 1 - - - - - - - - 1 0,07

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 23

Program - Small

Business

Scientific

Journalism

Program

- - - 1 - 2 - 1 - 4 0,3

Scholarships abroad

Research

Internship –

Doctorate

6 6 - 6 3 2 2 - - 25 1,9

Research

Internship – Direct

Doctorate

1 - - - - 2 1 - - 4 0,3

Research

Internship –

Scientific Initiation

1 1 - - 2 2 3 - - 9 0,7

Research

Internship –

Master

2 2 - 2 2 1 - - - 9 0,7

Research

Internship –

Postdoctoral

6 4 - 5 - - 8 5 - 28 2,2

New Frontiers - - - - - 1 - - - 1 0,07

Search 8 3 1 7 5 9 8 2 43 3,4

Total 265 164 44 208

171

217

62 0 1,2

56 100

Source: Own elaboration.

Regarding the cooperation agreements and agreements signed between FAPESP and

other institutions, that is, regarding the induced demands, these ended up expanding

quantitatively over the years as pointed out by Lafer (2015). Corroborating this

concern, Graph 3 presents a scenario for the growth of such agreements, especially

from 2015 onwards, in relation to the theme discussed here. For this result, we again

attribute the hypothesis regarding the approval of the SDG, which encourages the

establishment of partnerships and collaborations between different institutions and

actors.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 24

Graph 3. Signed agreements by FAPESP per year, according to the consulted

keywords

Source: Own elabortation.

Among the 327 agreements and covenants signed in the aforementioned period, and

related to the subject in question, the projects financed with the Belmont Forum stand

out (94), reinforcing the results obtained by Dibbern and Serafim (2022); other

agreements with Brazilian funding agencies can also be observed, such as the case

of the Coordinação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Coordination

for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel – CAPES) linked to the Ministry of

Education (47); the Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (Financier of Studies and

Projects – FINEP) of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations (33); and, the

Institutos Nacionais de Ciência e Tecnologia-CNPq (National Institutes of Science and

Technology-National Council for Scientific and Technological Development – INCT-

CNPq), linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations (20). These

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 25

agencies, along with FAPESP, constitute the main institutions that finance scientific

research within the Brazilian science and technology system. Other agreements can

also be visualized, which are established with national and international research

institutions1. Regarding the relationship between such cooperation

agreements/partnerships and the areas of knowledge, the main areas remain between

the Exact and Earth Sciences (85), Engineering (51) and Agrarian Sciences (49),

1 Such as: GlaxoSmithKline (9); CNPq/Brazil (8); Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (7); Ministêrio de

Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação – MCTI/Brazil (7); Foundation for Science and Technology (6); Vale S.A.,

Fapespa and Fapemig (6); FINEP/Brazil (5); 4 results each: BBSRC, United Kingdom

Research&Innovation – UKRI, Newton Fund; Shell Group; British Council, CONFAP, Newton Fund; 3

results each: BE-Basic Foundation; CONFAP, Newton Fund, ESRC, UKRI; CONFAP, Newton Fund, UK

Academies; ESRC, UKRI, Dutch Organization for Scientific Research; German Federal Ministry of

Education and Research; 2 results each: French National Research Agency; Australian Technology

Network of Universities; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, UKRI; National

Commission for Scientific and Technological Research; Alberta, Laval, Dalhousie and Ottawa

Consortium; Fundação SEADE (2); Global Environment Facility; Imperial College, United Kingdom;

Koppert Brazil; Medical Research Council, UKRI, Newton Fund; Newton Fund; Government Secretariat

of the State of São Paulo; Secretariat of the Environment; Texas A&M University; 1 result each: Agilent

Technologies Laboratory: Chemical Analysis, Lyfe Sciences and Diagnostics; BBSRC, UKRI, National

Council for State Research Support Foundations, Newton Fund; British Council, Newton Fund; National

Commission for Scientific and Technological Research, Concytec, Conicet, NERC, UKRI, Newton Fund;

Concytec; CONFAP, Newton Fund; CONFAP, Newton Fund, EPSRC, UKRI; CONFAP; Newton Fund, NERC,

UKRI; CSIC; DAAD; Innovation Fund Denmark; IUPAC; Microsoft Research; National Research Foundation,

South Africa; NERC, UKRI, Newton Fund; NWO; Network of Italian Universities; Trans-Atlantic Platform for

the Social Sciences and Humanities; Horizon 2020-EU; Universidad de la Frontera; Universidad de

Magallanes; University of Illinois; University of Manchester; University of Melbourne; University of

Nottingham; University of Queensland; University of Surrey; University of Texas; University of Warwick;

VITAE, Support for Culture, Education and Social Promotion; No agreements declared = 1780 results.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 26

followed by the Biological Sciences (48), Applied Social Sciences (30), Interdisciplinary

(29), Human Sciences (18), Health Sciences (16) and, Linguistics, Languages and Arts

(1).

About the place where the research was carried out, 123 scholarships and grants

were carried out at institutions abroad, such as: 76 in European countries; 38 on the

American continent, especially in North America; 5 in countries in Oceania; 2 in Asia

and 2 in the African continent. The other 1984 scholarships and grants supported by

FAPESP were developed within the scope of the Brazilian State, especially in the State

of São Paulo, which shows a greater amount of grants and scholarships linked to the

Universidade de São Paulo (University of São Paulo – USP; 676), Universidade do

Estado de São Paulo (São Paulo State University – UNESP; 441) and the Universidade

Estadual de Campinas (State University of Campinas – Unicamp; 216). Other HEI can

also be highlighted, as is the case of the Universidade Federal de São Carlos (Federal

University of São Carlos; 141), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Federal University

of São Paulo; 28) and the Fundação Getúlio Vargas (Getúlio Vargas Foundation; 20).

Also noteworthy are the grants and assistance linked to the Ministries of the Presidency

of the Republic and Secretariats of the State of São Paulo, as is the case of the Ministry

of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications and the Secretariat of

Agriculture and Supply. In other words, it is possible to observe that in addition to the

theme of the SDG and sustainable development incorporating the Foundation's

research agenda, these are also present in the political agenda at the federal and state

levels.

Other data presented in the scope of the study is the identification of companies

linked to the grants and scholarships provided. In this sense, there are the following:

135 scholarships/grants have links with private companies; of these, the companies

most involved are “4tree Agroflorestal Ltda”, “BG E&P Brasil Ltda”, “Chemyunion

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 27

Química Ltda” and “Decoy Tecnologia em Prague Control Ltda”, among others. Other

companies are alsodeclared, such as “Accert Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento em

Química e Biotecnologia Ltda” and “Água da Mata Desenvolvimento Sustentável Ltda”.

It should be noted that the area of knowledge with which they are associated refers to

Agrarian Sciences, Engineering, Biological Sciences, Exact and Earth Sciences,

Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary, Applied Social Sciences and, as for Humanities and

Linguistics, Languages and Arts, these did not present any related company.

In addition to the scholarships and grants identified, it was also possible to

observe other types of contributions to the theme of the SDG, in view of a partnership

established between the Management of Studies and Indicators of the development

agency with the Government of São Paulo and the State System of Data Analysis

Foundation. This resulted in the publication of the “1st Monitoring Report on the

Sustainable Development Goals of the State of São Paulo” (Governo do Estado de

São Paulo, Fundação SEADE and FAPESP, 2019), which presents information on the

achievement of such Objectives and goals within the scope of the 2016-2019

Pluriannual Plan of the State, as well as explaining indicators that make it possible to

portray the conditions in which the State is in and carry out the monitoring of objectives

and targets. This document is organized in eleven chapters and presents a series of

themes "under which the SDG that have complementary are grouped, and for which

integrated actions and solutions are identified" (Governo do Estado de São Paulo,

Fundação SEADE and FAPESP, 2019: 9, own translation).

According to José Goldemberg, former president of the Foundation, the report

states that the State of São Paulo is on a “good path about to some of the indicators”

(Goldemberg, 2019: 5). As an example, the author mentions drop in infant mortality

present in the indicator related to SDG 3, drop in crime (SDG 16), improvement in the

scope of school attendance (SDG 4), as well as the progress made regarding “forest

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 28

cover of the State and marine environmental protection” (SDG 14 and 15). Other

indicators are also highlighted by the author, who attaches great importance to this

joint work as one of the possible ways to achieve an overview of the achievement of

such SDG and the areas by which the State needs to improve. In other words, it is a

partnership between a research promotion agency and the state public sector, in

compliance with SDG 17 presented in this paper. Other documents can be seen in the

scope of the FAPESP Journal, which reports and discusses through papers, the results

of research related to the theme, as well as presents the calls for scholarships and

grants referring to the SDG and other areas of knowledge. In this sense, it is an attempt

to publicize the actions, activities and research concerning the subject in question,

highlighting the institutionalization of the SDG as a guide to be reached and

incorporated into the Foundation's research agenda.

Such initiatives –among the funding of scholarships, grants and the

establishment of international scientific cooperation– demonstrate that FAPESP has

been considering the theme of sustainable development and sustainability as a

strategic issue, even before the launch of the SDG agenda.

Another way to obtain information about the research funded by the Foundation

and its classification by SDG is through the institutional classification carried out by the

agency's Virtual Library. This categorization is done through keywords of the funded

projects, and it is implemented through a portal linked to FAPESP called "FAPESP and

the Sustainable Development Goals". Launched in 2021, this portal is part of the

celebrations of the Foundation's 60th anniversary, representing a unique initiative in

terms of the agency's approach to the SDG (Dibbern, 2023).

Despite representing an interesting effort in classifying research projects

according to the SDG, this classification was carried out in a top-down manner without

consulting the researchers. Additionally, it was done based on all funded projects,

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 29

without an initial pre-classification of research projects that truly aligned with the

themes of the SDG. In other words, every research project funded by FAPESP –even

those unrelated to sustainable development– were categorized based on the SDG; in a

different way proposed by this paper. Nevertheless, it is still interesting to analyze how

they are distributed across different areas of knowledge. The table below presents the

number of research projects funded based on the SDG and areas of knowledge.

Table 4: Classification of research projects by area of knowledge and SDG

SDG

Agrarian

Sciences

Biologica

lScience

Exactand

Earth

Sciences

HumanS

ciences

Applied

Social

Sciences

Health

Sciences

Engineer

ing

Interdisci

plinary

Linguisti

cs,

Languag

Total

SDG 1 95 260 134 478 221 368 58 47 47 1708

SDG 2 1798 728 429 596 373 808 319 284 124 5459

SDG 3 1198 1664 200 191 88 3922 49 68 2 7382

SDG 4 57 270 525 3938 318 1186 109 160 385 6948

SDG 5 190 122 11 687 133 364 3 20 107 1637

SDG 6 501 450 544 114 67 148 1996 101 1 3922

SDG 7 1242 1441 2305 43 73 425 1758 118 7 7412

SDG 8 71 73 71 225 417 26 86 65 2 1036

SDG 9 327 610 1843 211 367 145 1100 218 9 4830

SDG 10 72 27 153 1404 1094 172 129 98 118 3267

SDG 11 65 58 195 181 838 17 250 64 3 1671

SDG 12 437 233 248 16 10 231 679 54 0 1908

SDG 13 783 934 1151 164 227 47 393 226 5 3930

SDG 14 1742 722 386 321 428 98 301 156 16 4170

SDG 15 371 541 194 102 117 12 154 80 0 1571

SDG 16 1 0 6 206 55 8 1 9 11 297

SDG 17 17 19 23 141 116 14 37 42 1 410

Total 8967 8152 8418 9018 4942 7991 7422 1810 838 57558

Source: Own elaboration.

As can be observed, each SDG has several research projects being developed or in

progress based on the areas of knowledge. In Agrarian Sciences, SDG 2 and 14 stand

out; in Biological Sciences, SDG 3 and 7 are prominent; in Exact and Earth Sciences,

SDG 7 and 9 are notable; in Humanities, SDG 4 and 10 are highlighted; in Applied Social

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 30

Sciences, SDG 10 and 11 are emphasized; in Health Sciences, SDG 3 and 4 are

significant; in Engineering, SDG 6 and 7 are notable; in Interdisciplinary studies, SDG 2

and 13 are prominent; and in Linguistics, Languages, and Arts, SDG 4 and 2 are

noteworthy. It is notable the quantity of the research conducted in relation to the SDG

3, 4 and 2.In this regard, the hypothesis is put forward that these SDG are the most

researched due to the challenges experienced by the Brazilian context.The various

fields of knowledge exhibit varying levels of funded research and financial support,

yielding distinct outcomes in relation to each SDG.

These data also allow for cross-reference with other categories, such as the types

of partner organizations and the types of host institutions in relation to each SDG. These

can be observed below.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 31

Table 5: Classification by SDG and host institutions/types of partners

SDG

Host Institution Type of partner organizations

Public Education Re-

search Program Schools

Hospitals

Non-University Higher

Education Institutions

ResearchInstitutes

Museums, Archives, and

Information Centers

Professional Societies

Universities

Research funding agen-

cies and bodies

Associations

Companies

Higher education and re-

search institutions

Multinationalorganiza-

tions

SDG

0 25 43 87 0 3 1501 106 0 0 11 16

SDG

0 36 74 442 2 29 4477 324 1 24 48 35

SDG

0 347 234 611 0 32 6010 528 19 16 29 25

SDG

105 89 196 81 2 31 6312 247 2 14 6 8

SDG

1 24 33 88 0 2 1477 76 0 0 6 8

SDG

0 2 126 206 0 4 3369 164 0 57 21 19

SDG

0 19 172 697 0 2 6193 387 0 92 41 33

SDG

3 1 73 69 0 1 840 53 0 3 3 8

SDG

0 10 48 2978 0 14 1456 273 0 28 19 28

SDG

0 10 129 96 2 18 2865 169 0 6 12 17

SDG

0 1 22 64 0 2 1454 135 0 2 13 21

SDG

0 10 85 156 0 4 1423 85 0 33 3 9

SDG

0 1 37 537 0 8 3198 444 0 70 53 62

SDG

0 4 45 475 0 16 3386 230 2 22 21 43

SDG

0 0 19 180 0 3 1295 117 0 16 3 24

SDG

0 1 14 4 0 0 277 28 0 0 2 1

SDG

0 1 31 22 0 0 351 25 0 1 11 4

Source: Own elaboration based on FAPESP (2022b).

This table shows that among the host institutions involved in the development of

research and grants funded by FAPESP, universities and research institutions emerge

as the main actors within this system. As for partners with the highest number of

agreements, the involvement of other funding agencies and companies stands out.

Specifically in terms of the number of companies, the research conducted on the SDG

7, 13, and 6 stands out. Regarding the involvement of multinational organizations, the

SDG 13, 14, and 2 are highlighted, respectively.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 32

Despite the relevance of the data and its demonstration of the agency's alignment

with the SDG, caution must be exercised in interpreting this relationship, especially

because it is a classification that forces the adherence of funded research to the SDG

(Dibbern, 2023).

Observing such movement through the theoretical framework of the Geopolitics

of Knowledge and the Latin American perspective of Social Studies of Science and

Technology, we can hypothesize that such adoption can refers to the influence of the

external community –especially some countries in Europe and the United States–,

which has been mobilizing very strongly in relation to the SDG (Dibbern and Serafin,

2021), and also to a mobilization of the research community associated with this

funding agency can be envisaged, aiming at the development of research on

sustainable development even before the launch of the SDG agenda itself.

When dealing with the dynamics of knowledge production and dissemination at

the global level, we come across several works that address power relations and their

asymmetries both in the formulation of research agendas and in the analysis of the

establishment of international scientific cooperation and partnerships (Connell, 2007;

Demeter, 2020; Kreimer and Levin, 2013).

The incorporation and use of the SDG by the Foundation and other institutions in

the scientific community, particularly in the Global South, need to be critically

examined. It is essential to acknowledge that their implementation has often been

oversimplified and imported, neglecting the complex nature of the sustainability

challenge. The uncritical adoption and alignment with the SDG by the Brazilian scientific

community, as exemplified by FAPESP, fail to question the underlying dependency

between the North and South poles, including in the production of scientific knowledge.

While it is important to align with the SDG agenda in order to compete with

development agencies, it is crucial not to overlook power relations and asymmetries

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 33

(Demeter, 2020). In many cases, these power dynamics and asymmetries are masked

and implicit due to the necessity of establishing partnerships, gaining visibility, and

being recognized as exemplary within the community. In other words, following Connell

(2012) perspective, it becomes necessary to adhere to the discourse produced by

dominant actors to be included in the Metropolis discourse.

The pressure to compete and gain recognition within the academic community

often leads to a hasty and uncritical adoption of research agendas originating from

countries in the Global North. This perpetuates scientific and technological

backwardness when the community passively adopts imported agendas that are not

align with its own context. The rhetoric of a "magic formula of the SDG " does not align

with the substantial efforts required by the Global South community to address its own

challenges and, consequently, overcome its scientific dependence.

Based on previous research conducted (Dibbern, 2023), FAPESP's alignment with

the SDG has been carried out without meaningful dialog with the local community in

São Paulo and without tailoring the SDG agenda to the specific local, national, and

regional contexts. While there is evidence of discursive and operational engagement,

such as the creation of the Portal and partnerships with the Belmont Forum, there is a

lack of contextual framing in the design of the Portal and the calls launched,

considering the SDG themselves. The protocol-like and uncritical use of the SDG

undermines the critical thinking that should ideally be upheld by the academic

community in the pursuit of generating new knowledge.It can be observed that the

scientific community is importing a form of "gatopardism," where an imported approach

is used to provide an easy recipe or formula for producing and justifying the social

relevance of research. In other words, the adoption and use of the SDG by the scientific

community align with a sort of "gatopardism" focused on the social relevance agenda

of research.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 34

Final considerations

The SDG demand the participation of several actors in order to reach the 2030 Agenda,

with the scientific community being called upon to contribute through the promotion

and development of new scientific research and cooperation; thus, within the scope of

HEI and funding agencies, strategies based on the dimension of teaching-learning,

research, governance and external leadership can be employed, especially through

the institution of new collaborative and coordinating partnerships between such

national actors and international.

Despite the contributions of this community in relation to achieve the SDG agenda,

it is necessary to highlight some inherent problems with it. As indicated in the first

sections, there are several criticisms regarding the SDG: besides being a very broad

and ambitious agenda, the SDG share a positivist and linear approach to knowledge

and technology transfer. Other fragile aspects of the agenda also stand out, such as

the achievement of economic growth without negative impacts on the environment; the

problems of each region of the world –ignoring the dimension of power distribution–;

the limits of its funding and scope in almost the entire world; among others. However,

despite these critical aspects, the Latin American scientific community has been taking

ownership of this agenda (Dibbern and Serafim, 2021), as is the case in our study.

Therefore, in relation to the case of FAPESP, it was noted:

i. the Foundation has presented, over the years, a significant growth in relation to the

granting of scholarships and general grants that refer to the theme of the SDG and

sustainable development, that is, corroborating with our initial hypothesis;

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 35

ii. the main areas of knowledge covered by these grants and scholarships refer to

Agrarian Sciences, Engineering and Exact and Earth Sciences;

iii. during the period analyzed, the main lines of promotion in the country refer to

Scientific Initiation scholarships, the Qualification/Technical Training Program,

Master's and Postdoctoral scholarships;

iv. research, postdoctoral and doctoral scholarships stand out in the other countries;

v. regarding the cooperation agreements and conventions signed, there has been a

quantitative expansion over the years, especially after 2015, especially with scientific

foundations from abroad –mainly in Europe;

vi. among the 123 scholarships and grants carried out abroad, the vast majority are in

countries in Europe and North America;

vii. private companies could also be identified in the research, indicating the existing

partnership between the Foundation and civil society institutions;

viii. other contributions by the Foundation could also be verified, as is the case with the

partnership with the public sector, and the dissemination of the results of the research

promoted through a scientific journal;

ix. within the scope of the grants and grants identified, a large majority refers to the

spontaneous demand from scientists and researchers, and there are also those who

refer to the demand induced by the Foundation with the other partner institutions.

In other words, it was possible to observe an overview of the adoption of this

international agenda through the Foundation, with an increasing number of

scholarships and grants offered over the years. Such collaborations, however, involve

foreign actors from the scientific community, such as funding agencies from some

countries in Europe and North America. Therefore, the reasons for its adoption fall

under two hypotheses: the first refers to the influence of foreign funding agencies that

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 36

have been incorporating such goals as a strategic north for research funding; the

second hypothesis refers to an internal movement within the Foundation itself

regarding the theme of sustainable development. For its confirmation, further research

must be carried out at the Foundation in order to understand the real motivations for

its adoption.

In the end of the paper, a criticism was outlined in this research referring to the

"adoption" or "alignment" of FAPESP regarding the SDG, considering our position and

dependence on the production of scientific knowledge. First, it should be noted that,

due to the criticism inherent to the SDG agenda, a more critical perspective related to

this agenda is expected from the scientific community. Considering the Latin American

context, an attempt to adapt the agenda to local and regional issues is expected.

The categorization of research projects based on the SDG has become common

in the literature, but the unrestricted and masked use of the SDG agenda has drawn

criticism. In the case of Fapeps, the categorization was conducted without consultation

with the scientific community and lacked clarity in the methodology used (Dibbern,

2023). To address these concerns, it is suggested to involve researchers in identifying

the SDG addressed by their funded projects and to implement a more critical

classification process, as developed in this research.

By following a protocol-based approach, FAPESP risks pasteurizing the discussion

and allowing any research project fit into the SDG agenda without demanding a

meaningful contribution. The SDG have become an umbrella, but there are limited

practical effects in terms of reorienting existing research, and local and regional goals

and indicators are often overlooked in favor of global themes. FAPESP is urged to better

qualify expectations for research projects aligned with the SDG and to ensure a clearer

alignment with the local context.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 37

References

Addo-Atuah, J. et al. (2020), “Global health research partnerships in the context of the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)”, Research in Social and Administrative

Pharmacy, 16, (11), pp. 1614-1618.

Akkari, A. (2017), “A Agenda Internacional para Educação 2030: consenso ‘frágil’ ou

instrumento de mobilização dos atores da educação no século XXI?”, Revista

Diálogo Educacional, 17, (53), pp. 937-958.

Assembleia Legislativa do Estado de São Paulo (ALESP) (1947), Constituição Estadual

de 1947, São Paulo. Available at:

https://www.al.sp.gov.br/leis/constituicoes/constituicoes-

anteriores/constituicao-estadual-1947/, retrieved on 2020 Nov. 23rd.

Alves, E. E. C. and I. F. A. L. Fernandes (2020), “Objetivos do Desenvolvimento

Sustentável: uma transformação no debate científico do desenvolvimento?”,

Meridiano 47 – Journal of Global Studies, 21, e21010. DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20889/M47e21010

Conde, M. V. F. and T. C. Araújo-Jorge (2003), “Modelos e concepções de inovação:

a transição de paradigmas, a reforma da C&T brasileira e as concepções de

gestores de uma instituição pública de pesquisa em saúde”, Ciência & saúde

coletiva, 8, (3), pp. 727-741.

Connell, R. (2007), Southern theory: the global dynamics of knowledge in the social

science, Crows Nest, Allen & Unwin.

Connell, R. (2012), “A iminente revolução na teoria social”, Revista Brasileira de

Ciências Sociais, 27, (80), pp. 9-20.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 38

Dagnino, R., H. Thomas and A. Davyt (1996), El Pensamiento en Ciencia, Tecnología

y Sociedad en Latinoamérica: una interpretación política de su trayectoria.

Redes, 3, (7), pp. 13-51.

De Menezes, H. Z. (2020), “A importância da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação para

implementação dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável”, Meridiano 47 -

Journal of Global Studies, 21, e21015. DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20889/M47e21015

Demeter, M. (2020), Academic Knowledge Production and the Global South:

Questioning Inequality and Under-representation, Cham, Springer International

Publishing.

Dibbern, T. A. (2023), The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the

scientific community: a study on the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP),

PhD Dissertation, Campinas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de

Geociências. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12733/8534

Dibbern, T. A. and M. P. Serafim (2021), “The mobilization of the academic community

towards the SDGs: Mapping the initiatives of international scientific associations”,

Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 3, 100090. DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2021.100090

Dibbern, T. A. and M. P. Serafim (2022), “The trajectory of international collaboration

between FAPESP and Belmont Forum: a study based on themes of the sustainable

development goals”, Revista Tecnologia e Sociedade, 18, (52), pp. 89-112.

Dinu, A. P. and J. Posh (2019), Sustainable Development Goals at Universities: a case

study on how discourse shapes the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at

Copenhagen Business School, Master Dissertation, Copenhagen Business

School. Available at: https://www.research-

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 39

api.cbs.dk/ws/portalfiles/portal/59793386/632802_Master_Thesis_116477_114

338.pdf

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (2022a), "FAPESP

and the Sustainable Development Goals", São Paulo, FAPESP. Available at:

https://www.ods.fapesp.br/en

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (2022b),

“Programs”, Biblioteca Virtual da FAPESP, São Paulo, FAPESP. Available at:

https://bv.fapesp.br/en/675/programs/

Galvão, T. G. and H. Z. de Menezes (2020), “Global Politics, the 2030 Agenda and the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)”, Meridiano 47 - Journal of Global Studies,

21, e21016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20889/M47e21016

Goldemberg, J. (2019), “Prefácio”, in Governo do Estado de São Paulo, Fundação

Sistema Estadual de Análise de Dados (Fundação SEADE) and Fundação de

Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), 1º Relatório de

Acompanhamento dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Estado de

São Paulo: ODS SP no PPA 2016-2019, São Paulo, p. 5.

Gómez Gil, C. (2018), Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS): una revisión crítica.

Papeles de relaciones ecosociales y cambio global, (140), 107-118.

Governo do Estado de São Paulo, Fundação Sistema Estadual de Análise de Dados

(Fundação SEADE) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

(FAPESP) (2019), 1º Relatório de Acompanhamento dos Objetivos de

Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Estado de São Paulo: ODS SP no PPA 2016-

2019, São Paulo.

Guimarães, E. and M. I. Ferreira (2020), Na contramão dos objetivos do

desenvolvimento sustentável: avaliação da pobreza hídrica na região estuarina

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 40

do Rio Macaé, Macaé/RJ. Saúde e Sociedade, 29, (2), e190070. DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0104-12902020190070

International Council for Science (ICSU) (2017), A Guide to SDG Interactions: from

Science to Implementation, Paris, International Council for Science. Available at:

https://www.icsu.org/cms/2017/05/SDG-Guide-to-Interactions.pdf Retrieved

2020 Nov. 23rd.

Kreimer, P. and L. Levin (2013), “Scientific Cooperation between the European Union

and Latin American Countries: Framework Programmes 6 and 7”, in Gaillard, J.

and R. Arvanitis (eds.), Research Collaborations between Europe and Latin

America. Mapping and Understanding partnership, Paris, Éditions des archives

contemporaines, pp. 79-105.

Lafer, C. (2015), “Prefácio”, in Motoyama, S. (org.), FAPESP 50 anos: meio século de

ciencia, São Paulo, FAPESP, pp. 5-11.

Leal Filho, W. et al. (2017), “Identifying and overcoming obstacles to the

implementation of sustainable development at universities”, Journal of Integrative

Environmental Sciences, 14, (1), pp. 93-108.

McArthur, J. W. (2014), “The origins of the Millenium Development Goals”, The SAIS

Review of International Affairs, 34, (2), pp. 5-24.

Moreira, M. R. et al. (2019), “O Brasil rumo a 2030? Percepções de especialistas

brasileiros(as) em saúde sobre o potencial de o País cumprir os ODS”, Saúde em

Debate, 43, (Especial 7), pp. 22-35.

Owens, T. L. (2017), “Higher education in the sustainable development goals

framework”, European Journal of Education, 52, (4), pp. 414-420.

Persson, A., N. Weitz and M. Nilsson (2016), “Follow-up and Review of the Sustainable

Development Goals: Alignment vs. Internalization”, Review of European,

Comparative & International Environmental Law, 25, (1), pp. 59-68.

Revista Redes 58 – ISSN 1851-7072 41

Sachs, J. D. (2012), “From Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable

Development Goals”, The Lancet, 379, (9832), pp. 2206-2211.

Salvia, A. L. et al. (2019), “Assessing research trends related to Sustainable

Development Goals: Local and global issues”, Journal of cleaner production, 208,

pp. 841-849.

Schmalzbauer, B. and M. Visbeck (eds.) (2016), The contribution of science in

implementing the sustainable development goals, Stuttgart, German Committee

Future Earth.

Schneider, F. et al. (2019), “How can science support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development? Four tasks to tackle the normative dimension of sustainability”,

Sustainability Science, 14, (6), pp. 1593-1604.

Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Australia/Pacific (SDSN –

Australia/Pacific) (2017), Getting started with the SDGs in universities: A guide for

universities, higher education institutions, and the academic sector, Australia,

New Zealand and Pacific Edition, Melbourne, Sustainable Development

Solutions Network – Australia/Pacific.

United Nations (UN) (2016), The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2016, New

York, United Nations Publications.

Artículo recibido el 17 de junio de 2022

Aprobado para su publicación el 12 de abril de 2024