It is a proposal oriented to inquiry about a problem in a specific context. It must contain a clear and concise description of background information about the topic under study, a review of relevant contributions made in previous research as well as the gaps to which the research responds to, that is, a clear justification. The general and specific objectives are feasible and explicit as well as the goals and the indicators to measure the scope of each specific objective. In addition, the methodology applied to develop the project is delimited, establishing the methods and techniques used to collect the data. Finally, the places and populations involved in the project need to be specified within the proposal as well as the schedule of activities reflecting the order in which the objectives and goals will be achieved should be included. 

A Research Center groups a set of programs and projects that responds to one or more specific lines of research. The Research Center sets the lines for an effective and unique contribution in order to meet the needs of various societal groups.  A Research Center must become a reference in the attention of those areas of knowledge that proposes its line(s) of research with the aim of achieving real transformations in society.

It is the first and only Research Center at the University of Costa Rica located in a Regional Campus, Occidente Campus (Western Campus). Its main purpose is the study of cultural diversity and regional imaginaries.

• Regional Socioeconomic Studies
• Regional Political Studies
• Regional Cultural- linguistic Studies
• Regional Studies in Natural and Environmental Sciences
• Regional Studies in Education
• Interregional Studies in Information and Communication Technologies

If you have a project registered in another Academic School at the University of Costa Rica, you can assign it to CIDICER indicating, in the SIPPRES, page 2, the CIDICER as the Participating Unit in the project. The project is still registered in the Base Unit (where the project was initially registered), but in turn, it has the benefits of being enrolled in this Center.

A research proposal must:

• Be original and innovative
• Fill a current knowledge gap
• Be academically and socially relevant
• Be concrete and specific allowing elucidating products, in short, medium, and long terms
• Be interdisciplinary
• Involve researchers from more than one academic schools
• Have a broad and clear theoretical reference framework that serves to justify the proposal
• Be a proposal that guarantees academic excellence and transparency
• Demonstrate the relevance of the proposal by specifying the contribution of the research in the field
• Have clear general and specific objectives indicating the concrete contributions that the project will obtain, the feasibility and viability, and the goals that will be developed for each objective
• Have a reliable schedule reflecting the order and the time when the research process will culminate with the achievement of the general objectives
• Have a group of researchers (main and collaborators) able to develop the topic under study

You must be officially working at the University of Costa Rica and you need to have updated your reports and other responsibilities with the Vice-rectory of Research (VR). You must have an active researcher status in the Institutional System Budget Plan (SIPPRES acronym in Spanish). It requires the formulation of your proposal directly on the SIPPRES platform. The proposal is evaluated both by the Scientific Council and by external peers.

Being registered/assigned to CIDICER makes your project acquire greater relevance since CIDICER has clearly established its lines and policies of research, which facilitates to relate the project with other Research Centers. Being registered/assigned to CIDICER makes the project acquire specificity since it is located within the general framework of the Center which is established in our Strategic Plan. In addition, belonging to the Center gives a greater definition of the research space to your project.

Likewise, CIDICER constantly organizes academic activities such as research days and colloquiums allowing the disclosure of partial and final results of research studies. It promotes the publishing of those results through articles and advises the researchers to publish.

- Inscribing proposals with other research people, preferable from other areas of knowledge (interdisciplinary proposals).

- Incorporating FGP (Final Graduation Work) projects as part of the activities to be developed.

- Including research people from other campuses and enclosures.

It is an activity that contributes directly or indirectly to meet the objectives of a research project or program, or that responds to a concern or interest of the Center. You can register at any time of the year and it is valid for one year.

Your proposal, as well as consent and settlement form sheets, must be assessed by the Scientific Ethics Committee of the Vice-rectory for Research before the approval of the research proposal.

Each project has an ordinary budget which is defined since the proposal is presented to the committee. This type of support is directly valued and granted by VR. The budget includes assistant and student support hours as well as travel expenses and supplies to properly develop the research project.

In addition, the jornada required to develop the project is processed by the CIDICER who requests support to entities such as the VR and the Teaching and Research Departments of the Western Campus. Normally, it is possible to get a jornada for each project.

Proposals are also sent to participate in competitive funds approved by the VR (LINK: https://vinv.ucr.ac.cr/es/convocatorias-premios/fondo-concursable-para-grupos-de-investigacion).