Funding Matters: A Study of Internationalization Programs in Science, Technology and Innovation

Research funding is essential for promoting internationalization of science, technology and innovation. It is a key mechanism to advance international science, technology and innovation (STI) cooperation. This thesis argues that funding is a dominant driver of internationalization of science, technology and innovation but it is viewed as less than an optimal mechanism because of the trade-offs and dilemmas associated with specific research funding initiatives. This thesis examines three government-funded policy instruments for STI cooperation. The purpose is to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of this broader research and innovation policy context as it relates to the internationalization of science, technology and innovation.
One of the main findings of this thesis is that these government-sponsored programs represent internationalization efforts that are coupled with other policy goals. Thus, the three policy instruments can be viewed as intervention measures and policy actions in response to a perceived need to strengthen science and technology ties with specific countries such as Brazil and China and to promote strategic research areas across universities. Finally, internationalization practices are deeply dependent on funding and on the actions of the actors who shape it and on the policy making processes from where decisions on international efforts emerge. Hence, government actors, researchers and companies give direction to internationalization and use it as a tool to achieve a variety of goals. Although policy actors intervene by articulating policies and putting forward proposals to promote international STI cooperation, the actions of public administrators at the higher government level are often undirected, leading to irregular and provisional types of decisions. The absence of a defined purpose of internationalization leads to oscillation and inconsistencies in decision-making processes.