Understanding research funding flows in the Global South: challenges and opportunities for more equitable science
FOLEC-CLACSO recommends reading the document The Benefits and Challenges of Understanding Funding Flows in the Global South, developed within the framework of the international project Tracking Research Funding Flows and published in April 2026. This position paper was coordinated by researchers from the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University and FOLEC-CLACSO, as part of a research agenda aimed at understanding research funding flows and their implications for scientific development in the Global South.
The document begins with a central observation: in a context of increasing resource scarcity, geopolitical tensions, and transformations in international cooperation, understanding how funds for scientific research circulate is becoming ever more important. The authors argue that information on funding flows constitutes a strategic public good, essential for strengthening transparency, improving coordination among funding agencies, avoiding duplication, and directing investments toward the most urgent social and development needs. They also emphasize that the availability of more comprehensive and open data on funding can contribute to building more inclusive and equitable science systems.
Based on a review of available information sources and recent advances in data analysis and visualization methods, this document reveals both the potential and current limitations for studying international funding flows. Among its main findings, it points out that existing data continue to have significant gaps, particularly regarding countries in the Global South, national funding agencies, and resources from international development cooperation. The authors also caution that simply quantifying financial flows is insufficient: it is necessary to understand the conditions, instruments, priorities, and power relations that shape resource allocation and its effects on research agendas.
This publication directly engages with the research promoted by FOLEC-CLACSO on international funding flows for research in Latin America and the Caribbean, contributing conceptual and methodological elements to analyze how these dynamics are structured at the global and regional levels. It is of particular interest to researchers, science policymakers, funding agencies, and stakeholders committed to building more transparent, inclusive, and responsive science systems.
The full document can be found at: https://zenodo.org/records/20533620We also invite you to learn about the Results of the investigation Developed by FOLEC-CLACSO on international research funding in Latin America and the Caribbean. A forthcoming update to the Zenodo registry will also include a Spanish version of the document, with the aim of facilitating its access and circulation among academic and science policy communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
