University and local development: innovative processes at the third level of government

Abstract

The article analyzes how the University was able to carry out two participatory public policies developed at local municipalities in Uruguay, the Cultural and the Territorial Development Agendas. Both cases, through competitive funds, the Participation and Decentralization Study Group developed participatory processes that were promoted by the Office of Planning and Budget - from the Uruguayan government. At first sight, the investigation will be framing the work carried out by a team of researchers from the University as a way of relating the institution with the community and enrolled actively in the construction of social cohesion and development in a new scenario such as the third level of government, which is connected to a new way of conceiving public policy and development anchored in the territorial processes and dynamics themselves and empowering it with capacities also located in the territory. The experiences will be analyzed by the group of university researchers, considering Participation and Decentralization Study Group itself as a product of the territorial decentralization policy carried out by the University of the Republic, as one of the direct results of the Program “Strengthening the Quality of Research” Finally, it will reflect the role of the University and the use of these research methodologies. At this point, it is expected that higher education, research and innovation will take part actively in this field.