Brazilian Federal Institutions Research Articles

Challenges of the new Fiocruz Biodiversity and Health Biobank for preparedness and response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), a Brazilian federal research institution supported by the Brazilian Health Ministry, established a biobank. This biobank began by preserving the SARS-CoV-2 virus and human biological material related to COVID-19. This innovative initiative combined human and biodiversity materials within a single infrastructure. Designed for supporting research, development, and innovation in healthcare and preparedness and response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, the biobank’s focus has since expanded to include various biological materials, leading to its renaming as the Biodiversity and Health Biobank - Fiocruz-BBS (Portuguese: Biobanco da Biodiversidade e Saúde da Fiocruz – BBS-Fiocruz). This paper outlines the challenges of creating and maintaining an adequate infrastructure in a developing country for promoting and supporting scientific research and biotechnological innovation activities in health through processes of depositing, characterizing, preserving, and supplying human and biodiversity biological materials, alongside associated data, while complying with prevailing legal and ethical rules. These processes adhere to stringent quality, biosafety, and biosecurity standards set forth in ISO 20387:2018. Additionally, the challenges of ensuring the Biobank’s long-term sustainability is discussed. This involves a) establishing benchmarks and best practices, b) developing a comprehensive business plan, c) forging partnerships, d) diversifying funding sources, e) ensuring ethical and legal compliance, f) implementing rigorous quality control procedures, and g) investing in human resources and infrastructure. The insights shared in this paper will benefit other biobanks engaged in services related to tropical infectious diseases.

Social challenge stressors and work engagement: the moderating role of political skill

This study offers a counterpoint to the generalization of positive and linear effects resulting from challenge stressors in the workplace. The guiding objective was to verify whether social challenge stress impacts individuals' work engagement positively or negatively, according to the political skill degree available by professionals. We used moderation analysis and hierarchical regression to assess these relationships. The sample comes from civil servants of a Brazilian federal institution (N = 606). The results indicate that political skill moderates the relationship between social stress and engagement positively, except in cases where such skill is low, a situation in which the interaction becomes negative. The evidence also reveals that a positive curvilinear association better explains the association between social stress and work engagement. The findings suggest that the Challenge-Hindrance Stress Framework (CHF) has an application conditioned by the possible abilities that a given stressor demands to be evaluated as an obstacle or a challenge. We intended to extend the theory on stressors and contribute to the human resource management practice by elucidating conditions or portions of professionals in which the CHF does not apply or lacks contextualization.

Curricularization of extension: a path to social integration at a brazilian federal higher education institution

The aim of this study was to verify the frequency of extension activities duly registered at a Federal Higher Education Institution (IFES) in the south of Minas Gerais, as well as the profile of those involved in University Extension. This is an exploratory study, with data collected from the computerized system of a Federal Higher Education Institution (IFES). An analysis of the last 6 years (2016 to 2021) was carried out. The average involvement with Extension projects or programs in the period studied was 18.75% for students and 33.81% for teachers. Considering the CNPq areas of knowledge, Health stands out among the others, followed by Human Sciences. The inseparability of teaching, research and extension is still a distant and difficult condition to achieve for most teachers and managers, and it is important for higher education institutions to think about ways of acting "with" society, rather than "for" society.

Quality of Life at Work: A Qualitative Analysis of The Sustainable Logistics Management Plans of Brazilian Federal Institutes

Purpose: This study analyzed the initiatives linked to Quality of Life at Work (QWL) in implementing the Sustainable Logistics Management Plan of the Brazilian Federal Institutes (IFs). Theoretical background: As a theoretical basis, we used the dimensions of QWL proposed in the model developed by Walton (1973), which analyzes QWL based on factors influencing employees' lives in organizations. Methodology: With a qualitative approach, the research selected twelve logistics plans from FIs in the five Brazilian regions, whose analysis was based on the dimensions of Walton's model (1973) and content analysis (Bardin, 1977). Results and conclusion: The notable results were that the dimension of the opportunity to use and develop capabilities was less prominent in the FIs' plans. In the plans of the FIs, the ones that presented actions were the Federal Institute of Sul de Minas, Pará, and Catarina. de Minas, Pará and, Catarinense. Another dimension that needs to be in the plans is opportunity for growth and security. The institutes of Sertão Pernambucano, Pará, Norte de Minas, Sul de Minas, and Rio Grande do Sul showed initiatives, and Rio Grande do Sul showed initiatives such as the promotion of training courses and qualification courses for staff and the provision of training. Research implications: The analysis and categorization of QWL actions contribute as a measurement tool for both public and private organizations. Originality/value: The use of the model opens up ways of using the instrument in the preparation and structuring of QWL actions in the PLs with the aim of reaching the most diverse areas of QWL This study analyzed the initiatives linked to Quality of Life at Work (QWL) in implementing the Sustainable Logistics Management Plan of the Brazilian Federal Institutes (IFs). As a theoretical basis, we used the dimensions of QWL proposed in the model developed by Walton (1973), which analyzes QWL based on factors influencing employees' lives in organizations. With a qualitative approach, the research selected twelve logistics plans from FIs in the five Brazilian regions, whose analysis was based on the dimensions of Walton's model (1973). The notable results were that the dimension of the opportunity to use and develop capabilities was less prominent in the FIs' plans. In the plans of the FIs, the ones that presented actions were the Federal Institute of Sul de Minas, Pará, and Catarina. de Minas, Pará and, Catarinense. Another dimension that needs to be in the plans is opportunity for growth and security. The institutes of Sertão Pernambucano, Pará, Norte de Minas, Sul de Minas, and Rio Grande do Sul showed initiatives, and Rio Grande do Sul showed initiatives such as the promotion of training courses and qualification courses for staff and the provision of training. The main results show that all the FIs whose PLSs were studied presented actions focused on safe and healthy working conditions. On the other hand, other dimensions need to be explored further.

POVOS INDÍGENAS NA FORMAÇÃO DE EDUCADORES DO CAMPO: PRESENÇAS E AUSÊNCIAS NOS PROJETOS PEDAGÓGICOS

ABSTRACT: Rural Education degrees are based on respect for rural peoples’ diversity and plurality, including indigenous peoples. Rural teachers’ training process is an attempt to respond to historical indigenous peoples’ claims, mainly to demands for the right to school and higher education. Accordingly, the aim of the present research is to understand the process to include indigenous peoples’ knowledge, history and culture in Rural Education courses provided by Brazilian Higher Education Federal Institutions (IFES). The research followed a qualitative approach, of descriptive and exploratory nature, based on documental analysis of pedagogical projects linked to seven Rural Education courses, with emphasis on qualification in Human and Social Sciences, at five universities and two federal institutes, namely: UFPA, UFCG, UFMS, UFF, UFFS, IFPA and IFRN. Based on the main results, these courses seek to train teachers who meet specific indigenous peoples’ demands, in addition to promote some actions aimed at valuing indigenous history and culture.

Factors determining the relative efficiency of Brazilian Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology

Resumo A Rede Federal de Educação Profissional, Científica e Tecnológica, vinculada ao Ministério da Educação, possui 38 Institutos Federais presentes em todos os estados brasileiros e no Distrito Federal. Criado em 2005, o Plano de Expansão da Rede Federal de Educação Profissional teve como objetivo ampliar a presença destas instituições em todo o território nacional. Partindo da premissa da importância da educação pública federal, este artigo tem como objetivo analisar a eficiência relativa da gestão de recursos públicos financeiros dos Institutos Federais de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia brasileiros. A pesquisa possui abordagem quantitativa e contempla o quadriênio 2016-2019. Quanto ao tipo de amostragem, a pesquisa trabalhou com o universo de pesquisa, a partir de uma análise documental nos relatórios anuais de análise dos indicadores de gestão dessas instituições. A pesquisa utiliza a Análise por Envoltória de Dados (DEA) para mensurar a eficiência relativa desses institutos e o modelo de análise de regressão Tobit para verificar os fatores condicionantes desses níveis de eficiência. Com o conjunto de resultados identificou-se grande heterogeneidade entre as instituições analisadas no período, revelando que apenas 39,5% dos IFETs brasileiros operam acima do escore médio de eficiência relativa. As instituições que apresentaram os melhores escores de eficiência ampliaram gradativamente a oferta de cursos e o número de vagas ao longo dos anos para otimizar a força de trabalho já existente.

Fatores determinantes da eficiência relativa dos Institutos Federais de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia brasileiros

Abstract The Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education, linked to the Ministry of Education, has 38 Federal Institutes present in all Brazilian states and the Federal District. Created in 2005, the Expansion Plan for the Federal Network of Vocational Education aimed to expand the presence of these institutions throughout the national territory. Starting from the premise of the importance of federal public education, this paper analyzes the relative efficiency of the management of public financial resources of the Brazilian Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology. The research has a quantitative approach and covers the four-year period 2016-2019. As for the type of sampling, the research worked with the research universe, based on a document analysis in the annual analysis reports of the management indicators of these institutions. The research uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to measure the relative efficiency of these institutes and the Tobit regression analysis model to verify the conditioning factors of these efficiency levels. The result set has shown a great heterogeneity between the institutions analyzed in the period, revealing that only 39.5% of Brazilian IFETs operate above the average relative efficiency score. The institutions that presented the best efficiency scores gradually expanded the course offerings and the number of vacancies over the years to optimize the existing workforce.

Service innovation within public universities: implementing new service operations for social and racial inclusion

Purpose This study aims to explore the configuration of a public university service innovation: the phenotypic evaluation of self-declared black and brown applicants for access to college undergraduate courses through racial quota in a Brazilian federal higher education institution (HEI). Design/methodology/approach By using qualitative methods and collecting data through semistructured interviews, this case study raises new explanatory aspects about service innovation in a noncommercial context. Findings Diversity in team composition and users’ sense of belonging emerged as unprecedented aspects of service innovation. The present study also coined another concept not verified in the literature: service cross-coproduction. Research limitations/implications Regarding the limitations of the study, the technological dimension, despite having been shown to underlie the political–administrative process of innovations in services, given its importance reinforced by the literature and the current temporal context itself, did not emanate from the data collected. In addition, the fact that the service innovation investigated has occurred recently prevented longitudinal research that could detail the effects of phenotypic evaluation on institutional performance indicators. Practical implications The ethical–methodological care used in the interaction and preservation of the psychological integrity of the users in the case study proved to be subject to systematization and has great potential to enhance the service experience of the users through the humanization of the service delivery process. The linkage of the user’s perception to the phenotypic diversity of people working in the new service provision highlights the importance of incorporating themes such as the diversity of teams’ composition and representative bureaucracy to the scientific production of service innovation and their role in coproduction. The findings suggest that the resource allocation supply of basic goods and services needed to provide the new service reduces the individual risk of academic community members involved with innovation. Further studies could explore this relation. Social implications Among the internal factors that influenced the configuration of service innovation, the idea of diversity in the team’s composition stood out. It based the phenotypic evaluation commission’s diverse constitution on gender, race, occupation and even nationality. It conferred greater legitimacy on service innovation, increasing the representation of groups that may not feel represented in public service delivery processes. Originality/value The results of the phenotypic evaluation case point to a new coproduction form emanating from the constitutive diversity of the phenotypic evaluation board members. This new type of coproduction is directly related to the complex, integrated and interdependent nature of the services that complement each other to enable the achievement of the objectives of a public university.

A new proposal for interaction with the territory: origin, potential, and challenges of Brazilian Federal Institutes of Education

Recent studies have shown that higher education institutions play a significant role in national development and can modify the socioeconomic and cultural context of their surroundings when acting in a civically engaged manner. In this perspective, this article analyzes the new institutional design of the Brazilian Federal Institutes of Education (IFEs) and the process that gave rise to these institutions, highlighting the potentials and challenges for their civic engagement. The research consists of exploring the norms established by the IFE, outlining the way they operate and analyzing semi-structured interviews conducted with executives of the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC). We argue that the verticalization of teaching, research, and extension, and the emphasis on local development indicate that IFEs represent a new form of conception of technical and vocational education in Brazil. Behind the creation of this new institutional framework underlies the premise of difficulty of traditional universities in interacting with the territory in which they operate.

Determinants of efficiency in Brazilian federal professional Education institutions

Resumo Este estudo tem o objetivo de examinar os efeitos dos fatores determinantes da eficiência na gestão dos recursos públicos aplicados na Rede Federal de Educação Profissional, Científica e Tecnológica do Brasil. A amostra da pesquisa compreende 40 instituições federais, no período entre 2009 e 2019, totalizando 368 observações. A eficiência foi estimada através da análise envoltória de dados. Posteriormente, identificaram-se os fatores que influenciam a eficiência através da análise de regressão. Os resultados mostram que a relação aluno/docente, a retenção escolar, o auxílio financeiro, o sexo e a formação do gestor melhoram a eficiência, enquanto a titulação docente a reduz. As evidências demonstram que os efeitos das variáveis explicativas diferem a partir das regiões nas quais as instituições estão localizadas. As descobertas desse estudo permitem questionar o processo de alocação de recursos públicos e a tomada de decisão dos gestores no intuito de maximizar a eficiência na Educação.

Redução da Jornada de Trabalho como Instrumento Político, de Gestão e de Controle

Abstract Reduced working time is a topic widely discussed in organization studies, mainly its benefits. However, the literature does not deeply emphasize the power and control dynamics oftentimes observed in its implementation by organizations. The aim of the current article is to help fulfilling this gap by exploring different concepts about reduced working time in place in Brazilian federal educational institutions that have adopted the thirty-hour workweek as standard for their technical-administrative employees. A case study was carried out through observation, documental analysis and eighteen semi-structured interviews conducted with both workers subjected to shorter working hours and managers working under the conventional forty-hour week standard. Based on the results, despite its notable benefits for the work/life balance, the reduced working time has three interrelated purposes, namely: political, management, and control instrument. This research made it possible to reveal how management and control instruments can be incorporated to a policy focused on reduced working time, to highlight the complexity and controversy of power relation, as well as contributed to organization studies, based on rationalization about life and its temporal dimensions.

O mito da meritocracia: academicismo e falhas metodológicas nos concursos públicos brasileiros

Abstract Is there meritocracy when 58% of administrative assistants and 87% of physicians employed in Brazilian federal higher education institutions (HEI) were selected through public exams based solely on theoretical multiple-choice tests? Is there meritocracy in selection processes that do not assess the candidates’ experience or apply discursive or practical exams? This article addresses a historically constructed assumption assimilated as a kind of myth in Brazil: the idea that the current model for filling government positions is meritocratic. The extreme objectivity of these public exams reduces the Brazilian tradition of nepotism but presents serious flaws. One is academicism, which overvalues educational titles and theoretical knowledge at the expense of essential skills for many government positions. Calls for civil service entrance exams to fill administrative and medical positions in federal HEI throughout Brazil were verified using the descriptive statistics method (via frequency analysis), tabulating the evaluation types used in each selection, and generating tables and graphs. The results suggest adopting assessments more broadly connected with the competencies the positions require and prioritizing skills and practical behaviors instead of theoretical knowledge of little or no applicability. The study points out alternatives for a nation with more than 200 million inhabitants, the vast majority of which do not realize the incalculable damage of real academicism and illusory meritocracy.

Human resource management for the resilience of public organizations: a model based on macro-competences

PurposeThis paper proposes a model composed by macro-competences developed to contribute for the resilience of public organizations.Design/methodology/approachTo propose the model, a literature review in the area of organizations resilience was carried out, and the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was used. The setting used to validate the proposed model was the Brazilian Federal Institutions of Higher Education.FindingsThe results present five dimensions of action seen as macro-competences that contribute for organizations’ resilience: human resource management, development of individual competencies, risk management, preparedness for response, and responsiveness. The results also point at competences that can be developed in each of those dimensions with a view toward resilience.Practical implicationsCompetences of strategically planning the workforces, of testing the risk hypotheses continuously, and applying the action plans proposed by risk management in response to crises can improve individual and organizational resiliencies.Originality/valueGuided by the proposed model, public organizations will be better prepared to withstand adversities, such as resources cutbacks and staff shortages.

Evaluation model to aid the management of sustainable procurement in Brazilian federal higher education institution: a case study

Disseminar conhecimentos e estimular a reflexão e o debate, apoiando o desenvolvimento dos servidores, o seu compromisso com a cidadania e a consolidação de uma comunidade de praticantes, especialistas e interessados nos temas de políticas públicas e gestão governamental.

Suicide as a medical education curricular topic: a documentary analysis of Brazilian federal medical schools

PurposePhysicians worldwide need to be able to identify and assess suicide risk or behavior in their consults. The proper training of medical staff is an important form of suicide prevention, especially because 80% of the patients who died by suicide were in contact with a health-care service in the year of their death. The purpose of this study is to verify if some of the most important Brazilian medical schools includes discussions regarding suicide in their curricula, and describe them.Design/methodology/approachThe study performed a documentary analysis of all Brazilian federal higher education institutions. The analysis involved selecting the institutions that approached the topic of suicide in their curricula, and sorting it by keywords. The curricula that contained such keywords were then entirely read, analyzed and all components found were described regarding course period, workload and approach.FindingsWithin the 68 analyzed institutions, 19 (28%) included suicide in their curricula with a total of 31 components approaching suicide among them. Those components belonged to different stages of the course and had different workloads and approaches. A total of seven different approaches were identified: Clinical (54.8%); Emergency (16.1%); Medical Psychology (9.7%); Ethics (6.5%); Social (6.5%); Occupational (3.2%) and Forensic (3.2%).Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study is the first to address medical education regarding suicide in a large number of Brazilian institutions. It is also one of the few studies worldwide to quantify suicide discussion on a large number of institutions using documentary analysis.

The contexts of science journalism in the Brazilian Federal Institutes: characterizing realities and possibilities of communication products

A public teaching and research institution can also be recognized for its scientific projection in society, as well as for interfering directly or indirectly in social dynamics through science. In this sense, this study intends to analyze how science communication is inserted in the communication of Federal Institutes of Brazil, characterizing the contexts in which science journalism develops in these places and the possibilities of products for publicizing science. To this end, we conducted a case study with a mixed approach — qualitative and quantitative methods. Interviews were directed to communication managers (n = 2), research managers (n = 5), and research dean (n = 2). We also applied a questionnaire to journalists and communicators (n = 23), research managers (n = 11), student researchers (n = 52), and researcher supervisors (n = 156). The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through thematic analysis. We also use inferential statistics for the questionnaires to compare the opinions and assessments of the groups, contextualizing the dissemination of science, as well as drawing perspectives for improvements and the creation of communication products. The main findings indicate that, for science journalism to develop, it is necessary to a) establish guidelines for the dissemination of science, b) recognize and prioritize research publications, c) plan the work of science journalism and create routines, d) improve communication flow, and e) create journalistic products and processes. From these actions, it may be possible improve communication between Brazilian Federal Institutes and society through science.

Alimentação escolar nos Institutos Federais: caracterização e análise das aquisições de alimentos da agricultura familiar

ABSTRACT Objective The Federal Institutes of Education, Science, and Technology provide Basic Education and, thus, must execute the National School Feeding Program. The study aimed to characterize school feeding in these institutes, focusing on the purchase of food from family farming. Methods Cross-sectional study with Brazilian Federal Institutes that offer Basic Education courses. The characteristics of purchases from family farming in 2019 were analyzed, as well as the type of management of the school food service, the presence of a nutritionist in the unit acting as technical manager, and the presence of a canteen. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to analyze the association between the variables, adopting a statistical significance level of 5%. Results A total of 171 campuses, distributed in the five Brazilian regions, participated in the study. Among the participants in the survey, 35.1% did not offer any type of food to their students. The percentage of Federal Institutes that carried out acquisitions from family farming was 48%. The presence of a nutritionist was verified in 33.9% of the campuses and associated with food purchases from family farming. The type of food service management was shown to be related to the diversity of the purchases and the main categories of purchased foods. Conclusion The results demonstrate the importance of monitoring the school feeding policy at the federal level, being possible to characterize the school feeding in the Federal Institutes, also showing that more than half of the sample did not make purchases from family farming.

Perceptions, relationships, expectations, and challenges: Views of communication and research for scientific dissemination in Brazilian Federal Institutes.

Communicating Brazilian science still seems to be a challenge for journalists and researchers of public institutions of education and science. In this sense, this research aims to identify and analyze scientists’ perceptions regarding the work of journalists, the relationship between these groups, the expectations, and the challenges of science communication in two Federal Institutes of Education in Brazil. We conducted a mixed study in the qualitative stage with the participation of 30 interviewees, and in the quantitative stage, journalists and researchers answered a questionnaire (n = 242). Our results indicated that the work of science communication is not carried out properly in both Institutes and that there is a lack of articulated work among both journalists, communicators, and researchers. The relationship between these groups needs to be built jointly. In this respect, the biggest challenges are to institutionalize science communication, establish a science communication plan, and overcome internal relationship barriers. Our results may underpin science communication policies and policies for scientific dissemination both institutional or even national levels.

Profile of Scientific Initiation students in Brazilian Federal Institutes: Research areas, gender, and scholarship type by region

Financial support and science promotion policies require preliminary studies of diagnoses, researcher profiles and historicity. Based on that new propositions to stimulate the areas of knowledge, the participation of researchers by gender or even the allocation of resources by region may be implemented. In this context, this study aims to describe the profile of the Scientific Initiation scholarship holders, through financial incentives from the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq), in the Brazilian Federal Institutes (IFs), considering the type of scholarship, age and gender. A quantitative approach was used, and 2017 data were collected on the CNPq portal. The results show that, out of the total scholarships (n = 31,382), 8.75% of them were offered by FIs, with the majority of scholarships offered by the high school program (64.60%), followed by the technological development program (18.14%) and the scientific initiation program (17.26%). Most students are female (51.1%). Given the above, we emphasize the importance of studies on student profile, so that measures are taken to provide wider access to scholarships for students involved in Brazilian scientific production, as well as map the areas of greatest investment and development technological.

A New Proposal for Interaction with the Territory: Origin, Potential, and Challenges of Brazilian Federal Institutes of Education

Recent studies have shown that higher education institutions play a significant role in national development and can modify the socioeconomic and cultural context of their surroundings when acting in a civically engaged manner. In this perspective, this article analyzes the new institutional design of the Brazilian Federal Institutes of Education (IFEs) and the process that gave rise to these institutions, highlighting the potentials and challenges for their civic engagement. The research consists of exploring the norms that establish the IFEs and delineate the way they act and semi-structured interviews with managers of the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC). We argue that the verticalization of teaching, research, and extension, and the emphasis on local development indicate that IFEs represent a new form of conception of technical and vocational education in Brazil. Behind the creation of this new institutionality underlies the premise of difficulty of traditional universities in interacting with the territory in which they operate.