When we talk about transforming research systems in Latin America and the Caribbean, it is easy to think of big long-term plans such as institutional reforms or strategic cooperation frameworks. But change often doesn't happen like that, it starts with small seeds of change that we may barely notice.
What if that future has already begun? Transformation of research systems is not something far away, but a process that is already happening, often in unexpected places and at the margins that are not so visible (yet).
In different corners of Latin America and the Caribbean, seeds of the future are already germinating: initiatives that reconfigure the links between knowledge and society, that challenge traditional models of excellence, that experiment with new ways of producing, sharing and valuing diverse knowledge. Some are born in universities committed to their territories. Others are born in local communities, digital networks, scientific start-ups, or even in innovative alliances between art and science, to name a few.
These experiences are often invisible in the dominant paradigms of what is science and knowledge. They may reflect positive characteristics of change contributing to more equitable, open, capable, connected and sovereign systems. Or they may point to new directions and ways of researching and generating knowledge that we do not yet recognize as such.
We want to know about initiatives that represent “another way” of researching, using knowledge and applying it to practical solutions for the benefit of the well-being of people and the planet. No matter where they come from, they can be large or small, institutional or community projects, but they are seeding today what will be the system of tomorrow.
From the initiative “Transforming Research Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean”, we are collectively building a transformative vision for our region and the Global South and how to make it a reality.
Knowing which are the transformative initiatives is an excellent tool to devise the future. They show the changes that different actors are betting on and allow us to devise possible future trajectories. They also expand our ways of thinking, challenging the ideas we have about what might happen in the future. They invite us to become more aware that we are co-creating tomorrow today and encourage us to innovate.