PROVISION OF TECHNICAL LABORATORY SERVICES IN BRAZILIAN UNIVERSITIES: AN ANALYSIS OF REGULATORY ARRANGEMENTS AND GOVERNANCE INSTRUMENTS

Abstract

The provision of specialized technical services by Scientific, Technological, and Innovation Institutions (STIs) constitutes an important tool for interaction between universities and the productive sector, and is recognized by the Legal Framework for Science, Technology, and Innovation (Law No. 13,243/2016) as a mechanism for promoting innovation and socioeconomic development. This study aimed to identify and analyze the regulatory models adopted by Brazilian public universities to govern the provision of these services to external organizations. The research is characterized as qualitative, applied in nature, and based on documentary analysis. The sample consisted of public universities ranked among the top filers of invention patents in the 2024 ranking of the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI): UFCG, UFPB, UFMG, UNICAMP, UFRJ, and USP. The results showed that all the universities analyzed have provisions related to the provision of specialized technical services, albeit with varying levels of regulatory detail. Additionally, a literature review conducted in the Oasisbr database revealed a scarcity of studies on the regulation and management of specialized technical services in university laboratories. It can be concluded that strengthening regulatory frameworks and disseminating best institutional practices can enhance legal certainty, improve the efficiency of university-industry partnerships, and increase universities’ contribution to the national innovation ecosystem.