Baseline 2020 in engineering research projects in a private Institution of Higher Education

The present Baseline 2020 study is an applied investigation, carried out with the purpose of describing the current situation of the active research projects in the Faculty of Engineering. This information can be compared with objective subsequent measurements, as well as, can serve for generate changes in research institutional policy.The purpose of this documentary study was to analyze the social relevance, multidisciplinarity and diversity of the object of study of research.This study register the characteristics of the projects, beneficiaries (the students of the last years of the engineering careers), links with productive activities or services offered. The study method included the determination of the sampling skills, specification of the study variables and generation, storage and analysis of the data.This referential framework has made it possible to demonstrate the strong presence of topics related to applicable technologies, but also the abundance of presentations aimed at solutions to environmental problems and sustainable development, and a few, oriented to take care of the health of populations.There was also an imbalance between investments in rented dedications of researchers and project operating funds. Registered insufficient participation in financing projects granted by companies, associations or state agencies.In turn, the potentialities of the valued research projects are high, in relation to their social projection due to the requirement to attend humanistic education programs and to encourage the participation of undergraduate students.After presenting a characterization of the general problem, a proposal for a new research agenda was generated by set innovative goals. The institution will prioritize the need to search for alternative financing mechanisms that involve the national and international private productive sector.