Putting into place a coherent research prioritisation process will improve the performance of the research system. Developing a more adequate interface between research and policy-makers should help to increase the policy impact of research. The next question that must be considered is what might be done to improve the performance of the research institutes themselves. This is a question that is difficult to answer at a general level; the answer depends on the particular circumstances of the research institute being considered.
Nonetheless, a recent evaluation of IPIMAR (Ministério da Ciência a da Tecnologia, 1997) identifies a number of measures to improve research performance that seem to have quite general applicability. The following suggestions are adapted from the report.
a) Promote influx of new ideas and approaches by:
Recruiting young scientists of high calibre in areas that the Research Institute should develop Linking up and exchanging staff with appropriate national and foreign institutes Promoting publication of findings in journals Ensuring that staff can at least read English at an appropriate level given the importance of English language journals Establish networks to exchange reprints where journals are too expensive b) Enhance capacity to formulate and conduct multi-disciplinary research by:
Involving all scientists-in the elaboration and evaluation of the master programmes of the Research Institute Participating in national and international programmes and projects c) Enhance systematic evaluation of research units, programmes and staff by:
Making clear the evaluation criteria and linking these to the prioritisation process Use external evaluation systems for the Institute's programmes Maintain and develop contacts with relevant international scientific bodies.
However, there is perhaps a need to be careful not to generate unrealistic expectations of research institutes, particularly in developing countries. As Tollini (1998), has said of agriculture (and much the same seems true of fisheries) "Most agricultural research systems in developing countries today have only developed capabilities for very basic [research]...They rarely evaluate the economic impact of their experimental results. Yet these institutes are now increasingly being requested to deal with problems related to the sustainability of the production capacity and environmental conservation. They are called upon to focus more on food security, poverty alleviation and gender issues. They are asked to move upward in a scientific spiral when they have not been able to even close the loop at the base of the first spiral".
