The objective of this article is to highlight the importance of investment in research and innovation. Since these are essential tasks for the development of the economies of our countries and a function essentially concentrated in the universities, in their performance in the generation of new knowledge. The work is based on documentary sources. The results indicate that in Panama there has been progress in this area. However, it is concluded that a sustained public policy of financing is still lacking to strengthen investment in research, which implies the necessary formation of human capital to undertake this task.