Governança em Redes Comunitárias de Educação e Pesquisa: Desafios e Melhores Práticas

Abstract

The Community Education and Research Network (REDECOMEP) is an optical connectivity network formed through a consortium of public higher education institutions in state capitals and some interior cities of Brazil. This interorganizational arrangement, based on resource sharing, constitutes an essential strategy for providing connectivity within public education policies, whose effectiveness directly depends on solid governance and management practices that ensure its performance. However, the absence of consolidated mechanisms in these areas may compromise the expected outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the specific characteristics of REDECOMEP networks in the context of collaborative networks, as well as to examine their governance and performance dimensions. A quali-quantitative approach was adopted, through a survey applied to the general coordinators of the networks. The results revealed the presence of good governance practices in a small group of networks, while a larger group showed weaknesses, particularly in resource mobilization, lack of strategic planning, and low formalization of human resource management practices. In terms of governance, there was a prevalence of informal instruments, inconsistent supervision and accountability mechanisms, and evident opportunities for improvement. The analysis demonstrated that strengthening these networks requires more robust organizational and institutional structures, with greater predictability, clear role definition, and coordination, learning, and control mechanisms adapted to their collaborative logic. The main contribution of this study lies in deepening the understanding of the challenges faced by public interorganizational networks for technical cooperation, especially in contexts where their objectives require an internal organizational structure.