STRATEGIC PLAN TO STRENGTHEN RESEARCH AS A MECHANISM TO INCREASE MEANINGFUL TRAINING BASED ON FORMATIVE RESEARCH

Background: The academic activity of students and professors constitutes the basis of professional training in engineering. Training in electrical engineering has always been of less interest to university students compared to other professional training programs. However, in recent years, this interest has decreased beyond previous trends, an effect detected in all engineering programs, which has been accelerated by the distance learning mechanisms adopted in the face of the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, among the incentive mechanisms for young people, the promotion of research activity has been included. This study describes the model proposed within the Electrical Technology and Engineering programs of the Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas as a distinctive element of its research training strategy. Aims: To offer alternatives tending to promote the current research activities of the research groups of the electrical engineering area of the Universidad Distrital (Colombia) to increase the performance of the formative research processes, in particular with motivational aspects, development of critical awareness, and strengthening of resilience. Methods: A strategic plan was developed to increase the activity related to research processes within the academic program. It was based on the dynamics shown in the last seven years, and a set of strategies aimed at strengthening and encouraging this trend was projected for the next seven years. Results and Discussion: This strategic plan is expected to increase academic activity, particularly related to scientific production indicators. Projections for the next seven years indicate an increase in student participation related to scientific publications, the population in research groups, and project development. Conclusions: The proposed scheme corresponds to a model adjusted to higher education institutions with student populations of low academic strata and under national standards that prioritize quality in education from the point of view of both physical and human resources, particularly those that promote critical awareness of local and national reality. In this sense, the proposed plan is highly relevant and promotes one of the strengths identified in the academic program.