Elements for an evaluation of university incubators of cooperatives

Abstract

One of the most important – and innovative at world level – initiatives that have been implemented in Latin America in the field of university extension are the technological incubators of (popular) cooperatives at Brazilian (mostly public) universities. After more than fifteen years since the beginning of this initiative, during which more than a hundred of these arrangements were created to bring the university closer to the problems that afflict the majority of population, it seems appropriate to evaluate it. In doing so, the purpose of this text is to help to guide in an increasingly effective way the critical energy that Brazilian university students and teachers (and also our Latin American colleagues who accompany us along the way) have spent in the materialization of our common goals.

Key words: university incubators of cooperatives, university extension, evaluation, Social Technology, Brazil.