Educación superior, ciencia y tecnología: ¿información comparable?

Information is an essential element of the decision making process in public policy. This includes, of course, science, technology and higher education policies, in both institutional management as well as for the assessment of the quality and social impact of research. However, gathering reliable and comparable data at the international level is difficult. This article discusses, by means of two successful experiences, the Ibero-American Network for Science and Technology Indicators (RICYT) and the Ibero-American Network of Higher Education Indicators (INDICES), the obstacles and opportunities to gather reliable and comparable information of Latin American countries, as well as the best strategies to accomplish this end. Considering the qualitative and quantitative nature of information is also proposed. The article concludes with a styling of the network based information production model, highlighting its opportunities and threats, and the possibilities to extend it to other spheres.