DA OBRIGAÇÃO LEGAL À CULTURA DE INOVAÇÃO: COMO FORTALECER A ATUAÇÃO DO NÚCLEO DE INOVAÇÃO TECNOLÓGICA NO INSTITUTO FEDERAL GOIANO

Abstract

With the advent of Brazil’s Legal Framework for Science, Technology, and Innovation (MLCTI), consolidated by Law No. 10.973/2004 and revised by Law No. 13.243/2016 and Decree No. 9.283/2018, a regulatory framework was established mandating the creation of a Technological Innovation Center (NIT) within public Scientific, Technological, and Innovation Institutions (ICTs). Acting as an institutional mechanism within the Triple Helix model, the NIT serves as a strategic intermediary among academia, the State, and the business sector, managing innovation policy, intellectual property protection, and technology transfer. At the Instituto Federal Goiano (IF Goiano), in Brazil, the Center was formally established by Resolution Nº. 032/2011. Given the importance of its efficient operation to regional socioeconomic development, this study aims to assess the understanding among IF Goiano managers and faculty members of the NIT's role and legal responsibilities. The significance of this investigation lies in the fact that a lack of awareness of the NIT's role can limit its use by the academic community, reduce opportunities for intellectual property protection and technology transfer, and undermine its strategic role in fostering institutional innovation. Methodologically, this research is characterized as a descriptive case study employing a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative); it is based on a document review and a structured questionnaire administered to 774 IF Goiano staff members between October 2025 and March 2026. The results serve as an institutional diagnosis, revealing the academic community's level of technical understanding regarding the NIT's role and legal responsibilities, while mapping communication gaps and perceptions concerning the sector's accessibility. It is concluded that the diagnosis provides strategic insights tailored to the Institution's reality, guiding the development of awareness-raising and information-sharing initiatives designed to mitigate bureaucratic barriers, improve the identification of innovative projects, and consolidate an intellectual property culture, thereby strengthening IF Goiano’s mission to foster national and regional development.