Brazilian scientific production declined in 2023, the report says.

For the second year in a row, Brazil There was a decrease in the volume of scientific production completed. Data taken from the report Elsevier Boryindicating a 7.2% decrease in scientific production in 2023 compared to 2022. The document, released at the end of July, highlights that the decline is not limited to Brazil, as it affects 35 of the 53 countries analyzed, including US and Japan.

The study considered data from 1996 to 2023, from countries that produced more than 10,000 scientific articles in 2022.

The epidemic Covid-19 This was one of the factors contributing to the decline, but not the only one. According to the report, Brazil maintained a steady growth in research production until 2021, when the first decline occurred. Since then, levels have remained similar to the pre-pandemic period. The health crisis has caused significant disruptions, affecting data collection and the ability of laboratories to operate normally.

Ricardo Oliveira da SilvaUniversity Professor and Director of the Teachers Association Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE)He highlights that the need for social isolation during the pandemic has paralyzed many laboratories, resulting in a decline in the number of articles submitted and published.”This has affected everyone, to a greater or lesser degree.”he said in an interview with CNN.

In addition to operational problems, there have been significant cuts in funding for scientific research. Marcio de Castro Silva FilhoDirector of Scientific Research at Sao Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Fapesp) And a member of Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC)He points out that the pandemic has accelerated a process that was already happening. “We are talking about a ten-year window during which funding can be [em ciência] In the country either stabilized or declined.He said.

How do we resume the growth of scientific production?

Reversing this negative trend is not a simple task, but experts say it is necessary to make the scientific environment more attractive, especially for young people. Scientific production in Brazil is mostly done by researchers in graduate programs at public universities. Therefore, solving this problem necessarily involves improving conditions in these environments.

Renato Janinformer Minister of Education and current President of Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC)Investing in attractive scholarships and salaries is believed to be essential. The scholarships offered by KEPs and CNPq have been adjusted after nearly a decade of freeze, but are still considered insufficient by scholars.

“Those who work in IT, for example, make a lot of money. [São salários] higher than the teacher had at the beginning of his career [em universidades federais]”He mentioned.

The Master’s scholarship increased from R$1,500 to R$2,100; PhD, from R$2,500 to R$3,100; and post-doctorate, from R$4,100 to R$5,200. However, even after the increase, the values ​​still do not guarantee an adequate quality of life for young researchers, according to Márcio de Castro Silva Filho.

In addition to scholarships, university professors’ salaries are another concern. During the first half of 2024, a strike that lasted almost two months demanded better wages and more investments. After negotiations, the salary of teachers with a doctorate and full dedication increased from R$7,300 to R$10,000, but dissatisfaction remains.

Quality infrastructure is essential.

Another vital point is investing in high-quality infrastructure to allow scientists to conduct their research. According to Ricardo Oliveira da Silva, simply increasing resources is not enough. It is necessary to have a scientific development policy that meets the country’s needs and includes the recruitment of trained professionals.

• Buy the right machines
• Acquire variable inputs for research
• Improving physical laboratory spaces

These measures are essential to ensure an environment conducive to good scientific development.

In addition to improving wages, it is necessary to consider the long-term career of researchers, including retirement rights and other employment rights. Currently, scholarship holders are considered “Optional shareholders“Not getting the thirteenth salary or paid vacation, for example. Invoices are processed to change this reality, such as Bill 675/2022Which proposes to include the grant period in the retirement calculation.