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The evolution in scientific production and collaboration of Venezuela is discussed, identified as a country that has been characterized by the loss of leadership in recent years. The universe of analysis is composed by 1.117 Ibero American open access journals indexed by the database redalyc.org with over 250.000 articles in a period of 10 years (2005-2014). The fall of Venezuelan science is seen from mainstream science databases (in Scopus, through SJR, it showed 1.857 papers in 2005 that represented 3,4% of the region. In 2014 it had 1.592 papers, that accounted for 1,44% of the region. That is, it had a drop of -14,27%) and from Redalyc (which it had 875 articles in 2005 that they accounted for 5,5% of the region; in 2014 had 791 articles, which represented 3.0% of the region. So, it fell -9,6%); this database allows further appreciation about a high rate of concentration in the scientific and editorial production of Venezuela, as well as an endogenous behavior in terms of production and collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries in Latin America have made nanotechnology a development priority in their public policy platforms. The main feature of these public policies is to provide support for nanotechnology research and development, aiming to forge ties between public institutions and universities and the private sector, to boost innovation and competitiveness. These public policies do not take into account the global context of strong capital concentration in which nanotechnologies emerge, and which makes it difficult to be competitive within the framework laid out by these public policies to develop these technologies. This paper analyzes the direction of public policy in the international context, and also suggests policy alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Society and culture at the planetary level suffered major transformations during the twentieth century, particularly in the second half, largely because of the impressive degree of scientific and technological development. Forms of economic production also experienced profound changes, so much so that the greatest wealth, from an economic standpoint, now is generated by so-called knowledge-based production systems. The concept of a knowledge society has been forged to refer to these phenomena. Nevertheless, it is a fact that science and technology have brought about major changes, thereby making it urgent to develop strategies to strengthen the culture of science and technology throughout Latin America. The aforementioned concepts are discussed in this paper, along with possible strategies for bolstering the culture of science and technology. The authors also contend that a suitable model for a knowledge society in the Latin American countries should consider their broad and rich cultural diversity, which poses additional challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a general overview of the relationship between education and R&D in Latin America and Costa Rica during the last 30 years. A general introduction to the characteristics and development of science and technology in the region and an overview of the level and progress of educational research are presented. The implications of the education-R&D relationship for the widening of the productivity gap and the digital divide in the context of globalization and the knowledge and information society are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the evolution of UFR interpretations in Latin America, the paper shows how TH debilitated the interpretation that had been dominant until the end of the 1980s, and how the debate in course between these two present positions tends to progress. By offering a standard for critical analysis of the changes in the explanatory and normative-institutional models of Science and Technology Policy in advanced and peripheric countries, Triple Helix Statement can inform new interpretations more adherent to the democratization scenario that is being constructed in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]