Our institution
Fundación Aru
High-quality research, evidence-based policies.
The Aru Foundation is a non-profit, independent, and pluralistic organization committed to producing and promoting high-quality applied research using global tools. Its objective is to inform and influence public policy debates based on scientific evidence.
Mission and Vision
The mission of the Aru Foundation is to strengthen applied research and promote research-oriented education in Bolivia.
The foundation envisions contributing to the development of a more inclusive and cohesive society with equal opportunities through more effective public policies.
Strategy
High-quality applied research standards
Aru has adopted a strategy to ensure the quality of its research, which is based on three pillars.
The first pillar concerns the careful use of official sources and the collection of reliable data. The second pillar involves thoroughly identifying the economic and social issues of households through both quantitative and qualitative evidence, in order to design policies aimed at addressing them. Specifically, the evaluation considers rigorous methodologies that include scope, impacts, costs, effectiveness, equity, and unintended adverse effects. The third pillar focuses on the continuous training and updating of young researchers at each stage of the research process.
Promoting the formulation of evidence-based public policies
When policies are based on a solid understanding of the issues, they tend to be more effective. The production of research provides the evidence needed to define public policy problems, avoiding preconceived conclusions.
Many research findings can gradually become conventional knowledge and, in the long term, contribute to the formation of sound public policy decisions. Producing and disseminating research can facilitate political debate, enabling the design of better public policies and more informed decisions that improve people’s lives. Aru produces research papers and consultancy reports as means of influence through the creation of networks and the building of long-term institutional relationships with political actors, civil society, and the donor community.