Configuration of science and technology institutional capabilities in Yucatan, Mexico: An analysis of decentralization policies

Abstract

This article analyzes the constitution and development processes in the local science and technology (S&T) system of Yucatan, Mexico, based on the emerging conditions faced by its public research and higher education organizations. Drawing on a framework of theoretical and empirical studies on S&T decentralization policies, this paper integrates an analysis of documentary and testimonial sources. The findings are organized into a periodization proposal that spans from 1970 to 2018, focused on three configurations that highlight the role of administrative deconcentration and government decentralization, of inter-institutional coordination mechanisms and the construction of a local regulatory framework such as essential conditions for the emergence of a local S&T system to place Yucatan as a hub of scientific and technological development in Mexico’s Southeast.