Comunicação Pública no contexto de parques tecnológicos em fase inicial: perspectivas e desafios no Inovatec/UFSM

Abstract

The present study proposes to analyze the triangulation between public communication, universities and technology parks, characterizing the communicative scenario of a park in the implementation phase: The Innovation, Science and Technology Park (InovaTec) of the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). With the recent incorporation of innovation as a structuring pillar at UFSM, InovaTec reflects the institution's growing efforts to advance and consolidate its innovation ecosystem, representing a unique opportunity to strengthen ties with society and foster relationships in the quadruple helix (companies, universities, government and civil society). Public communication appears as a key piece in this process, being essential to understand its planning and effectiveness during the park's implementation phase. The research aims to identify challenges in this process, considering the premise that current communication focuses mainly on its own ecosystem, considering the need for consolidation in the environment, since it is a park in initial development initiatives. The methodology adopted for investigation covers bibliographical research with the exploration of the main approaches to the concept of Public Communication (DUARTE, 2011, 2012; BRANDÃO, 2012a, 2012b; ZÉMOR, 1995) and the description of innovation environments (TEIXEIRA, 2018; IASP , 2023; ANPROTEC, 2002, 2007; VEDOVELLO; JUDICE; MACULAN, 2006), also adopting techniques such as documentary research based on documents guiding the Park's communication, conducting semi-structured interviews with managers related to the administrative and communication sphere, application form for scholarship holders and interns and subsequent analysis of the content. As a result, there was a need for a better understanding of the aspects that are relevant to public communication an its exercise. There is also an urgency for greater articulation and integration of the University with its innovation environments in terms of communication.