Abstract:

Training and education in science and engineering fields bring huge positive impacts on economic and social development [1]. In Mexico, around 40% of the students in higher education are enrolled in those fields [2], and in Nuevo Leon the indicator is even higher with 49% [3]. After these students graduate, only a small proportion of them become researchers. In the country, only 252 professionals work in research and development (R&D) activities per million inhabitants, while the average in the world is 1,410 [4].

Researchers and the results of their work are very important instruments for social, economic, cultural, and political transformation [5]; therefore, it is crucial to focus efforts on the promotion of R&D activities as a career.

Early incorporation of students, all potential researchers, to the working force may ease the adaptation of recent graduates to the labor world, allow the application of their knowledge in real projects, and facilitate the improving of their skills, particularly if they get to work in R&D centers, which are a natural source of scientific development and applied research. There are 117 R&D centers in Nuevo Leon, and 40 of these R&D centers are located within the Research and Technology Innovation Park (PIIT, by its name in Spanish), which is the main project of the State Government regarding science, technology, and innovation (STI).

Aware of the importance of preparing and motivating students for a career in STI activities, the State Government, in collaboration with the public, private and university R&D centers located within the PIIT, designed and implemented the project Research Summer at PIIT, in which students applied for a 4 week internship in an R&D project being developed by one of these R&D centers. There have been 3 editions of the project with the participation of 96 students and 14 R&D centers. A remarkable impact of the project is that 28% of the participating students stated that their participation in the project made them choose to work in R&D after graduation.

This paper further explains the methodology of the project, and the steps taken to build the collaboration that led to the implementation of this project.

References:
[1] OECD Studies. Higher education on regional and city development, OECD, 2009.
[2] OECD Studies on Regional Innovation. 15 Mexican states. OECD, 2009
[3] Own estimation with information from the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES), 2019
[4] World Bank, 2015
[5] Interinstitutional program for the strengthening of research and graduate studies in the Pacific region. Retrieved from https://www.programadelfin.com.mx/

Keywords:

Research park, internship, skilled human talent, industry-academy-government collaboration.