Policies, incentives, and faculty participation in the Institutional sustainability of public higher education in Panama

This qualitative study analyzes determining factors in the achievement of scientific and academic research in Panama’s public universities through methodological and data triangulation. The research explored academics’perceptions about the research ecosystem considering data from a national survey (ENACT; n = 565 responses analyzed), six semi-structured interviews, and an exploratory post-seminar perception poll completed by 117 academics. Findings indicate important advances in policies, incentives, and support structures for research. However, challenges persist: sustained budgetary limitations, complex bureaucratic processes, and cultural barriers that hinder the optimization of research potential. A perceptual gap was identified between university authorities and the academic community; while authorities emphasize normative and structural advances, academics express doubts about the continuity and effectiveness of these measures. The study also identified an imbalance between the growing international visibility of scientific production and its limited impact on local problems and public policy. Results suggest the need to implement strategies that combine: strengthening university governance with active academic participation, guaranteeing sustained funding through state-university-private sector articulation, diversifying incentives, and reducing bureaucratic barriers. It is recommended to enhance scientific communication and orient research agendas with the purpose of contributing to global knowledge while responding to national development priorities, consolidating university research as an engine of the country’s socioeconomic and cultural development.