Bolivian Center for Multidisciplinary Studies

Bolivian Center for Multidisciplinary Studies
Name	Bolivian Center for Multidisciplinary Studies
Native name	Centro Boliviano de Estudios Multidisciplinarios
Established	1998
Type	Research institute
Location	La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz
Director	María Elena Paredes
Staff	120

Bolivian Center for Multidisciplinary Studies is an interdisciplinary research institute based in La Paz with regional offices in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz that integrates social science, natural science, and applied policy research. Founded in the late 1990s, the center engages with academic institutions, international organizations, and indigenous communities to address issues related to climate change, development, public health, and cultural heritage. Its work intersects with national and transnational initiatives involving institutions from Buenos Aires to Geneva and links researchers, policymakers, and civil society actors across Bolivia and the Andean region.

History

The center was established in 1998 following dialogues among scholars associated with Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Universidad Mayor Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca, and international partners such as the United Nations Development Programme and the Inter-American Development Bank. Early projects drew on collaborations with experts from Harvard University, University of Oxford, and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile to study the impacts of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and regional water conflicts like those influencing the Water War (Cochabamba) aftermath. During the 2000s the center expanded programming through grants from the World Bank, the European Union, and foundations such as the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, enabling fieldwork in the Altiplano, the Amazon Basin, and urban peripheries of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. In the 2010s the institute increased partnerships with International Monetary Fund-linked research initiatives and joined networks with the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences and the Smithsonian Institution for cultural and biodiversity projects. Recent history reflects engagement with initiatives tied to the Paris Agreement and dialogues involving the Organization of American States.

Mission and Objectives

The center's mission emphasizes evidence-based policy advice, capacity building, and community-centered research shaped by partnerships with entities such as Plurinational Legislative Assembly of Bolivia, Ministry of Environment and Water (Bolivia), and indigenous organizations like the National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu. Objectives include producing applied research for stakeholders including the Pan American Health Organization, the Andean Community, and municipal governments in La Paz, supporting training programs linked to UNICEF and the World Health Organization, and promoting open data initiatives aligned with the Open Government Partnership standards.

Organizational Structure

The institute is organized into thematic departments overseen by an executive board chaired by a director and advised by an international scientific council composed of scholars from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, London School of Economics, Universidad de Chile, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Departments include Climate and Hydrology (working with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture), Indigenous Studies (linked to Consejo Nacional de Ayllus y Markas del Qullasuyu), Public Health and Epidemiology (liaising with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consultants), Economic Policy Analysis (engaging with Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean), and Cultural Heritage (partnering with UNESCO). Regional coordinators manage offices in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz and maintain field teams cooperating with municipal bodies like the Municipality of La Paz and academic units at Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno.

Research Areas and Programs

Major research areas include high Andean hydrology and glacier retreat studies linked to IPCC assessment frameworks, Amazonian biodiversity projects coordinated with World Wide Fund for Nature, epidemiological surveillance programs in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization, and urban studies addressing migration flows connected to labor markets studied alongside International Labour Organization initiatives. Programs address water governance after events such as the Water War (Cochabamba), indigenous rights research tied to legal frameworks like the IACHR jurisprudence, and cultural preservation projects working with Museo Nacional de Arte (Bolivia). The center runs capacity-building fellowships with universities such as Universidad de Buenos Aires and technical exchanges with CSIRO and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Publications and Contributions

The institute publishes peer-reviewed reports, policy briefs, and monographs distributed to stakeholders including the Plurinational State of Bolivia ministries, the Andean Development Corporation, and international donors like the Asian Development Bank when relevant. Its researchers have contributed chapters to edited volumes from presses such as Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press, and articles in journals including Nature Climate Change, The Lancet, and World Development. Notable outputs include assessments on glacier melt informing Cochabamba Municipal Government planning, epidemiological mapping used by Ministry of Health (Bolivia), and ethnographic studies adopted in curricula at Universidad Mayor de San Andrés.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The center maintains formal partnerships with multilateral organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme, regional bodies such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, and academic institutions including Columbia University and Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. It works with NGOs such as Oxfam and Conservation International and participates in consortia convened by the Global Green Growth Institute and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Collaborative projects have involved stakeholders from local indigenous federations associated with Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia and municipal networks across the Altiplano and lowland regions.

Funding and Governance

Funding sources combine competitive grants from entities like the European Commission, project contracts with bilateral agencies such as USAID, philanthropic support from foundations including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and commissioned studies for national ministries. Governance follows a statute ratified by a board composed of academic, civil society, and municipal representatives, with auditing conducted by firms previously contracted by organizations like the Inter-American Development Bank and oversight aligned with procurement practices common to United Nations agencies.

Category:Research institutes in Bolivia