Science and Development: The Case of Costa Rica 1975-2014

The present paper proposal is partly based on results of my book, Science and Development: Scientific Research at the University of Costa Rica 1975-2012 (EUCR 2015). The book is the product of 8 years of research focused on the political and institutional problems of scientific and technological development, as well as on management of innovation systems, in medium  and high income economies in Latin America and Europe respectively. The scientific and technological development of Costa Rica is recostructed through the analysis of data set of 8634 research projects, funded and executed by the Universidad de Costa Rica between 1975 and 2012. Projects were classified using the OECD taxonomy of science and technology areas (Frascati Manual), and the time-series correlated with the specific strategies of economic growth and development followed by Costa Rica in the last four decades. This paper proposal dwells deeper into the synergy observed in the period 1975-1994 between scientific and technological innovation, econonmic growth, and the reduction of inequality in the country.