In line with the organizational activities of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), the Graduate Program in Biometry and Applied Statistics, together with the Offices of the Provost for Graduate Studies (PRPG) and Planning and Institutional Development (PROPLAN), developed a strategic plan to consolidate and expand research activities in the upcoming four-year period. It also aims to institutionally strengthen the research groups associated with the program's areas of concentration and promote their integration with others within the institution. From the perspective of program management efficiency, structural measures include annual monitoring of the goals established for strategic planning. Therefore, the progress of the data analyzed by CAPES will be presented at the end of each year, with the preparation of an annual monitoring report.
We began strategic planning by formulating an organizational identity and establishing the Mission, Vision, and Values of the Graduate Program in Biometrics and Applied Statistics, aligned with UFRPE's strategic plan, which can be accessed at: https://www.proplan.ufrpe.br/br/content/planejamento-estratégico.
Mission: To train researchers to produce and disseminate knowledge of modern statistical techniques, using high-performance computing, aiming to solve real and complex problems, always focused on society. Vision: To establish itself by 2028 as a CAPES level 6 graduate program of excellence in the training of human resources and relevant products in biometrics and applied statistics, always considering the concerns of society and public-private interests, and with international recognition.
Values: To promote knowledge at the national and international levels, recognizing the individual skills of each person; to exercise interdisciplinarity and different modes of knowledge production for innovation in disruptive technologies; Commitment to social justice, sustainability, and quality of life, and respect for diversity and plurality of ideas.
1. SWOT MATRIX To establish the program's strategic objectives, an organizational diagnosis was conducted, performing an Environmental Analysis, through the construction of a SWOT Matrix. This analysis stems from reflection on the organization's internal and external environment, in which strengths and weaknesses reflect the advantages or disadvantages of organizations in relation to their ability to obtain a competitive advantage, as well as opportunities and threats, positive or negative aspects that have the potential to leverage or compromise PPGBEA's competitive advantage. Below, the PPGBEA SWOT Matrix is presented, explaining the SWOT elements: (S)trengths – Strengths, (W)eaknesses – Weaknesses, (O)pportunities – Opportunities, and (T)hreats – Threats.
1.1 - STRENGTHS: Faculty - interdisciplinary, international experience, percentage of CNPq productivity grant recipients, integration among faculty, ability to collaborate with other institutions and other UFRPE programs, teaching methodology. Student Body – Quantity, commitment, monitoring and follow-up of alumni, alumni collaboration with the program. Course – Adequate curricular structure, strong and balanced research lines, eclectic vision, connectivity between exact and phenomenological sciences, advanced computational techniques as well as emerging theories (at the cutting edge of science), current curriculum framework. Products – Regional integration, employability of alumni, consistent scientific production within the field, quality of theses and dissertations. Infrastructure – Auditorium, equipped classrooms, administrative structure, robust and easily accessible computer facilities. Management – Secretarial services, strategic planning, coordination management, self-assessment process.
1.2 WEAKNESSES: Faculty Qualifications – Part of the faculty is young and not yet established. Management – External communication. Outreach – Insignificant outreach activities. Internationalization – Reduced number of classes in other languages, small number of foreign faculty, small number of students studying abroad.
1.3 - OPPORTUNITIES: External Environment – Demand for innovative products can contribute to the allocation of resources, policies, incentives, and joint development of management and internationalization processes throughout UFRPE, as well as access to new technologies. Opportunity for publishing in an Open Access system through CAPES agreements with foreign publishers.
1.4 - THREATS: External Environment – Budgetary constraints may limit the activities of national graduate programs. UFRPE has limited resources for infrastructure maintenance.
1.5 - NEUTRAL: Faculty – Quantity, commitment, and availability. Products – Student publications on the rise, number of patent applications on the rise. Management – Bylaws. Internationalization – International partnerships (in progress), international publications (in progress), student exchanges.
2. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND ACTION PLAN OF THE PPG IN BIOMETRICS AND APPLIED STATISTICS: Using this environmental analysis and the results obtained from the Self-Assessment process, strategic objectives and action plans were proposed in seven areas: Infrastructure, Program Proposal, Strategic Planning and Management, Scientific and Innovation Production, Faculty, Students and Alumni, and Internationalization. The objectives and their subitems are described below, as well as the action plans to achieve each of them, with their respective deadlines and indicators.
2.1. INFRASTRUCTURE 2.1. Strategic Objective – Improve the Program's infrastructure. Strategic Impact Subitems:
2.1.1. Increase Installation Capacity Action Plan: Develop strategies with faculty, DEINFO leadership, and the UFRPE administration to improve the Department's infrastructure and electrical capacity. Goal: Obtain federal or state funding. Indicator: Available funds; Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.1.2. Increase Computing Infrastructure Action Plan: Expand and modernize the PPGBEA's computing infrastructure. Goal: Submit at least one project per call; Indicator: Project submitted; Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.2. PROGRAM PROPOSAL
2.2. Strategic Objective - Consolidate the graduate program at a level of excellence and raise its international standard in the CAPES evaluation. Strategic Impact Subitems:
2.2.1. Review and update research lines Action Plan: Hold discussions on current societal demands and new technologies. Goal: Updated lines. Indicator: Meetings held. Deadline: December 2026.
2.2.2. Review and update the program's internal regulations Action Plan: Hold discussions on internal regulations to identify obstacles or improve current regulations. Goal: Updated regulations. Indicator: Meetings held. Deadline: December 2026.
2.2.3. Strengthen existing research groups. Action Plan: Evaluate the performance of current groups, discuss proposals for consolidating these groups with faculty, and seek tools to strengthen them. Goal: Improve the organization and production of the groups. Indicator: Production per research group. Deadline: December 2028.
2.2.4. Increase the number of patents and processes as a product of the PPGBEA. Action Plan: Strengthen research groups with innovation potential and encourage this type of production. Goal: Have at least one research group per year with this type of production. Indicator: Innovation product. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.2.5. Increase the number of funded research projects with greater social inclusion. Action Plan: Submit projects in calls for proposals that aim to meet current societal demands and involve a greater number of our graduates working in the state's interior. Goal: Submit at least one project per call for proposals; Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.2.6. Increase the number of extension projects. Action Plan: Apply the funding obtained through PROEXT-PG. Organize and improve the organization of the group focused on managing this topic. Satisfactorily utilize the available resources for extension activities. Goal 1: Formation of the PPGBEA extension committee. Goal 2: Carry out extension activities with the available resources. Indicator: Committee formed and events held. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.2.7. Increase the number of students entering the program from other areas of knowledge. Action Plan: Promote greater visibility of the program in other areas of knowledge. Goal: Student body composed of 30% students with degrees in other areas. Indicator: Number of incoming students with degrees in other areas of knowledge. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.3. STRATEGIC PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
2.3. Strategic Objective - Improve PPGBEA management and monitoring tools. Strategic Impact Subitems:
2.3.1. Manage the Self-Assessment Process Action Plan: Satisfactorily manage the PPGBEA self-assessment process and make it more transparent. Goal: Conduct the PPGBEA self-assessment annually and publish its results online. Indicator: Self-assessment process completed and published. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.3.2. Management and Dissemination of Strategic Planning Action Plan: Implement procedures for monitoring strategic planning digitally and transparently. Goal: Creation of a PPGBEA management platform. Indicator: Platform created. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.3.3. Internal Development Management Action Plan: Participate actively and in an organized manner, collaborating with other UFRPE departments, in the development of the institution. Goal: Maintain and establish partnerships with other UFRPE departments, such as the IPÊ Institute, the Digital Technologies Secretariat, the International Cooperation Office (ACI), the Office of the Vice President of Graduate Studies, and other UFRPE Graduate Programs. Indicator: Partnership established. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.4. SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION
2.4. Strategic Objective - Expand the impact of research developed within the program. Strategic Impact Subitems:
2.4.1. Evaluate PPGBEA production according to the new CAPES rules for article classification. Action Plan: Evaluate the 2021-2024 PPGBEA production according to the new rules to understand the impact of the change on the Program. Goal: Evaluate all production from 2021-2024. Indicator: Percentage of production evaluated. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2025.
2.4.2. Increase the Impact of Faculty Production Action Plan: Expand faculty production in high-impact journals within the field and in the Open Access system. Goal: Increase the average JCR of program publications or the average H-Factor of faculty by 20%. Indicator: Percentage increase in JCR, H-Factor value. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.4.3. Increase the Impact of Student Production Action Plan: Expand student production in high-impact journals within the field and in the Open Access system. Goal: Increase the average JCR value of program publications with students by 20%. Indicator: Percentage increase in JCR. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028. 2.4.4. Increase the Percentage of Faculty Production with Students Action Plan: Promote the scientific production of faculty with students in the program. Goal: 100% of faculty publishing with students. Indicator: Percentage of articles published by faculty with students. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.5. FACULTY 2.5. Strategic Objective – Strengthening the Faculty Strategic Impact Subitems:
2.5.1. Expand faculty participation in program management Action Plan: Greater distribution of activities and committees with program faculty. Goal: 90% of faculty participating in committees for the management and development of the PPGBEA. Indicator: Percentage of faculty involved in PPGBEA management activities. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.5.2. Increase the number of faculty with postdoctoral studies abroad. Action Plan: Encourage and support faculty in developing and submitting postdoctoral projects abroad, especially younger faculty. Goal: 70% of faculty with postdoctoral studies abroad. Indicator: Percentage of faculty with postdoctoral studies abroad. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.5.3. Increase faculty participation in international mobility programs. Action Plan: Promote, encourage, and support faculty participation in calls for proposals with funding for faculty and student mobility abroad. Goal: At least one project submitted per call. Indicator: Number of projects submitted. Deadline: July 2025 to December 2028.
2.6. CORPO DISCENTE
2.6. Objetivo Estratégico – Fortalecer a participação discente Subitens de Impacto Estratégico:
2.6.1. Aumentar a participação discente na gestão do programa
Plano de Ação: Aumentar o númerode atividades da comissão discente para divulgação e gestão do programa. Meta: Participação ativa de alunos no CCD e divulgação das atividades do programa pela comissão. Indicador: Frequência do discente no CCD e divulgação das atividades. Prazo: julho de 2025 a dezembro de 2028.
2.6.2. Revisar e atualizar regras do processo seletivo
Plano de Ação: Promover o rodízio na comissão de seleção e o debate em CCD sobre os processos seletivos adotados a cada ano para se adequar a possíveis mudanças na sociedade e tecnologias. Meta: Atualizar o processo seletivo. Indicador: Formação da comissão de seleção e número de reuniões. Prazo: julho de 2025 a dezembro de 2028.
2.6.3. Ampliar a participação dos discente em atividades de mobilidade internacional
Plano de ação: Divulgar, estimular e apoiar a participação do corpo discente em editais de doutorado sanduiche no exterior, missões de curta duração e eventos internacionais. Meta: Pelo menos um discente no exterior por ano. Indicador: Número de discentes no exterior. Prazo: julho de 2025 a dezembro de 2028.
2.6.4. Buscar formas alternativas para financiamento de bolsas de estudo
Plano de ação: Buscar na iniciativa privada ou outros editais de financiamento maneiras alternativas para o financiamento de bolsas de mestrado e doutorado. Meta: Pelo menos duas novas cotas de bolsa por ano. Indicador: cotas de bolsa conseguidas. Prazo: julho de 2025 a dezembro de 2028.
2.7. INTERNACIONALIZAÇÃO
2.7. Objetivo Estratégico - Ampliar o impacto do programa no âmbito internacional Subitens de Impacto Estratégico:
2.7.1. Fortalecer parcerias internacionais
Plano de ação: Estimular os docentes para participação em editais voltados a mobilidade internacional para irem ao exterior e receberem docentes e pesquisadores estrangeiros. Meta: Visita de pelo menos um pesquisador estrangeiro ao PPGBEA por ano e visita de um docente do PPGBEA no exterior por ano. Indicador: Número de pesquisadores visitantes no quadriênio e número de docentes do PPGBEA no exterior por ano. Prazo: julho de 2025 a dezembro de 2028.
2.7.2. Fortalecer o intercâmbio e interação entre discente brasileiros e estrangeiros
Plano de ação: Estimular a participação dos discentes brasileiros nos editais de mobilidade internacional e participar de editais de órgãos como OEA para atração de alunos estrangeiros, considerando a disponibilidade de bolsas. Meta: dois alunos brasileiros no exterior no quadriênio, 4 alunos estrangeiros no programa no quadriênio. Prazo: julho de 2025 a dezembro de 2028.
2.7.3. Ampliar a disponibilidade de disciplinas em línguas estrangeiras
Plano de ação: Promover disciplinas em lingua inglesa. Meta: uma disciplina em língua estrangeira ministrada no quadriênio. Indicador: Número de disciplinas em língua estrangeira ministrada. Prazo: julho de 2025 a dezembro de 2028.
2.7.4. Estimular a solicitação de bolsa e auxílio em instituições internacionais
Plano de ação: Incrementar e aumentar os pedidos a instituições no exterior para custear os estudos dos discente no exterior. Meta: Pelo menos um pedido realizado no quadriênio. Indicador: Número de pedidos realizados. Prazo: julho de 2025 a dezembro de 2028.