The Latin American Forum on Scientific Evaluation (FOLEC-CLACSO) is a space for debate on the meanings, policies, and practices of scientific evaluation processes in the region. From an open, collaborative, and publicly accessible perspective, it seeks to strengthen democratizing and sustainable approaches and models of science, committed to addressing the challenges facing our societies.
The formal launch of this initiative took place in November 2019 in Mexico City, with the First Latin American Seminar on Scientific Evaluation , co-organized by CLACSO and the National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt, Mexico). The event brought together experts from the region, representatives of National Science and Technology Organizations, and CLACSO Member Centers to analyze the processes of evaluating scientific work and to generate proposals from Latin America and the Caribbean, in dialogue with international trends and best practices.
In 2020, FOLEC-CLACSO developed a diagnostic phase , proposals , and guiding principles regarding the processes and directions of academic evaluation reform in the region, which were reflected in various working documents, meetings, and activities. In 2021, the Second Latin American Forum on Scientific Evaluation (FOLEC) took place , co-organized by CLACSO and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET, Argentina), within the framework of the Third Latin American and Caribbean Open Science Forum, CILAC 2020-2021, in dialogue with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Over the years, CLACSO-FOLEC has developed various mobilization activities aimed at creating a common agenda, with a high level of consensus, on the challenges facing evaluation policies. In partnership with researchers, specialists, and leading experts in the field, it has also produced several diagnostic and policy documents, policy summaries, and research project results that have provided tools to strengthen different components of responsible academic evaluation in the region, in line with international trends in Open Science. For its numerous initiatives, CLACSO-FOLEC has been recognized as one of the top 15 international mobilizers and definers of responsible research evaluation and one of the top 10 websites and resources on the topic, according to the Global Research Council (GRC) report. Since 2022, it has been a member of the Executive Board of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). Likewise, CLACSO-FOLEC has been called upon by the International Council for Science, UNESCO, Inter-Academy Partnership, and Global Young Academies to integrate international working groups that develop international guidelines for scientific evaluation in times of open science.
At the 9th Latin American and Caribbean Conference of Social Sciences, CLACSO, with the support of CONACYT, co-organized the Third International Seminar of the Latin American Forum on Scientific Evaluation (FOLEC) , entitled “Academic Evaluation in Times of Open, Inclusive, and Relevant Science: Cultural, Cognitive, and Political-Institutional Challenges for the Production, Circulation, and Indexing of Knowledge in Latin America and the Caribbean. Towards a Proactive, Multi-Stakeholder, and Regional-Global Agenda of Evaluation Policies and Practices.” The seminar took place on June 9 and 10 at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Fifteen activities were held, including roundtables, panels, and lectures, with the participation of more than 55 regional and international specialists, experts, and activists. In that context, the XXVII Ordinary General Assembly of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) approved the Declaration of Principles and Proposals , which was also agreed upon with the participants of the Plenary of the International Seminar of the Latin American Forum of Scientific Evaluation (FOLEC).
Currently, CLACSO-FOLEC has managed to strengthen the exchange and sustained work, together with the National Science and Technology Organizations and other associated university and scientific institutions at the regional and international level, in order to advance in the recommendation, follow-up and monitoring of processes for improving academic evaluation systems and in supporting and collaborating with the substantive transformation of evaluation practices and the research culture in the countries of the region.
Latin American Council of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
Executive Secretary
United States 1168 | C1101AAX | City of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tel. [54 11] 4304 9145 | [email protected] | clacso.org
© Communication and Information Area | CLACSO 2026
