Author: mario de leon

XIX Ordinary Session of SIESCA

On October 27 and 28, the 19th ordinary session of the Higher Education Internationalization System -SIESCA- will take place. Being the body of the Central American University Confederation that promotes the institutionalization of internationalization as a strategic instrument to promote the quality of CSUCA member universities.

To start the session, Roger Arias, Rector of the University of El Salvador, expressed ?It is pleasant and very emotional to receive you at our headquarters, knowing that one of the great limitations that we have as public universities in the region is the budget that the states assigned to our houses of study, being a historical struggle that we live for the achievement that we have at the regional level to be able to fulfill the substantive functions of higher education. There is still a long way to go in terms of internationalization, since we must advance in the construction of undergraduate, postgraduate, master's degrees and joint doctorates, with a curriculum that allows the mobility of our students?

For his part, Carlos Alvarado, Secretary General of CSUCA mentioned ?Internationalization is an important strategy, it helps counteract those challenges that are generated day by day, expanding the visibility and recognition of universities, in support of technology and education. remotely, have they notably favored internationalization through the hybrid and face-to-face combination through open internationalization?

While Maynor Barrientos, President of SIESCA reflected on ?Join conditions and talents, in order to strengthen the ties of collaboration in our countries and project what our universities do to the world. This PIRESC V work light will give us the opportunity to transcend international borders to the entire world and thus be able to solve the great challenges we face in our region?

The development of the ordinary session will lead to the presentation of the report of the Presidency of SIESCA for the period July 2021 to June 2022, as well as group work by strategic objectives of program 5 that indicates "Regionalization and Internationalization of Higher Education Central American? of the Fifth Plan for the Regional Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-, for the review of progress and action plans, formulated based on each strategic objective.

Likewise, the conferences ?The Effects of Covid-19 on the internationalization of higher education? by Dr. Giorgio Marinoni of the International Association of Universities, France and ?The Internationalization of Higher Education, the case of MERCOSUR? by Dr. Andrea Hassen, Vice President for International Relations, Concepción de Uruguay, with the purpose of motivating the members of SIESCA.

Proper space in which the presentation and exchange of good practices for the internationalization of the University will be developed through the experience of the Technological University of Panama -UTP-, Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University -UPNFM-, National Autonomous University of Honduras - UNAH- and University of Costa Rica -UCR-.

XVII Ordinary Session of SEDUCA

Central America, November 4, 2022

Today, the XVII Ordinary Session of the System of University Publishers of Central America and the Caribbean -SEDUCA- was held, with the purpose of generating a meeting by the publishers of the member universities of CSUCA, which was developed in virtual mode .

The Central American University Publishing System disseminates Central American university thought in the different areas of knowledge that contributes to comprehensive development, the dissemination of values, the transfer of knowledge, as well as deepening and strengthening regional identity, through cooperation in the publishing field.

To start the ordinary session, there were words from Carlos Alvarado Cerezo, Secretary General of CSUCA, who made the reflection ?education is projected towards new dimensions, different values, different challenges and unprecedented commitments that the 21st century brings, the open access to knowledge not only makes it more democratic and inclusive, but also increases the visibility of research and turns advances in science into improvements for the whole of society? Referring to the importance of the work carried out by university publishers.

The XVII Ordinary Session seeks to be able to present the work report of the General Secretariat of CSUCA, as well as the presentation of reports on the participation of the members of SEDUCA in the International University Book Fair, as well as the General Agreement of co-edition of books and magazines among university publishers, update of the diagnosis of university publishers, among others.

It should be noted that the Central American university presses meet once a year, in order to promote and disseminate the editorial production that exists in the Central American region.

XLVlII Ordinary Session of the Regional Council of Student Life

On October 26, 2022, the XLVIII Ordinary Session of the Regional Council for Student Life -CONREVE- takes place, in hybrid mode, with attendance at the University of Panama.

The Regional Student Life Council -CONREVE-, is the body of the Central American Higher University Council CSUCA, in charge of advising, promoting, strengthening and generating initiatives, programs and projects that promote the development of the Student Life area of the member Universities; contributing to the comprehensive training of professionals who participate with social commitment, in the transformation, development and Central American Integration.

The opening remarks included the participation of Eduardo Flores Castro, Rector of the University of Panama and Vice President of CSUCA, who said ?For us to honor some students from our universities with the academic prizes that are going to be awarded is a pleasure, I am sure that the boys who receive these distinctions do so on behalf of all the students of each house of studies?.

For his part, Erick García González, delegate of the National Council for Student Life of Panama -CONAVE-  indicated ?You are the main object of the university, everything is done around the students, with the creation of CONREVE, the same thought was thought, to go further through various thematic axes such as health, mental health, volunteering, sports and culture . This session is to continue projecting the activities that are aimed at what we at the universities do and that is to watch over you, the students?

Also, Carlos Alvarado Cerezo, Secretary General of CSUCA mentioned ?It is a very propitious opportunity to make some reflections, today public universities are experiencing a new reality, a situation that forces us to develop new skills, new forms and technologies of learning that we are experiencing , the role of the teacher as a guide and the role of the student with a thirst for knowledge?.

While Francisco Gonzáles Alvarado, Rector of the National University of Costa Rica and President of CSUCA reflected, ?The Córdoba movement had the momentum that has since marked a new stage for student life, generating a governance in which the student movement has a main role, therefore, we are also heirs where the student movement has a leading role in university work, how can we improve the general conditions so that students have a safe place to learn, we place the student representation as the engine of the work public universities?

For the development of this ordinary session, the presentation of reports from the Presidency of CONREVE, Deputy Secretary for Student Affairs and the Presidency of the Federation of University Students -FEUCA- will be addressed.

At the same time, the development of the IV Meeting of Health-Promoting Universities, organized by the National Autonomous University of Honduras, which will take place on November 09, 10 and 11 of this year, and the VI Central American and Caribbean Meeting will be presented. of Volunteering, organized by the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo of the Dominican Republic to be carried out in a hybrid way from December 1 to 4 of this year.

Likewise, to publicize the current status of the Rubén Darío Regional Award for Academic Excellence in its XVII Edition, organized by the Public Universities of Panama, which will take place next Friday, October 28. In the same way, presentation of the report of the First Technical Congress of JUDUCA 2023 and proposal of dates for the second Technical Congress of JUDUCA 2023, to be held at the University of El Salvador.

It should be noted that the purpose of the XLVIII Regular Session of CONREVE is to be able to review and follow up on the V Plan for the Regional Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic (PIRESC V).

58 SIRCIP General Assembly

On October 20 and 21, 2022, the LVIII General Assembly of the Central American and Caribbean Regional Research and Postgraduate System -SIRCIP- is held, in hybrid mode, with face-to-face headquarters at the National Council of Rectors of Costa Rica -CONARE-.

The General Assembly of SIRCIP is made up of the research and postgraduate vice-chancellors of the CSUCA member universities, who through the system seek to strengthen, guide, support, coordinate, harmonize and integrate research and postgraduate studies with a regional focus.

?It is a challenge for higher education to carry out high-level scientific research that contributes to the economic, social and cultural development of our countries. The SIRCIP should ensure specialized teachers and researchers, to face the demands posed by today's society? mentioned Carlos Alvarado, Secretary General of CSUCA in the opening remarks of the LVIII General Assembly of SIRCIP.

While Jorge Herrera, President of SIRCIP reflected ?Universities are generators of knowledge by foundational mission, highlighting the importance of research, only through the generation of knowledge can we nurture and keep our study plans updated at the postgraduate level, providing feedback mobilization processes through university extension?.

For his part Francisco González, President of CSUCA indicated ?The public university is born anchored to research to this task of developing in the different fields, research process in social sciences, exact sciences, humanities, among others, for the improvement of the conditions of life of people in our societies?

The General Assembly will have a day of 11 hours of work divided into two days, where a space can be provided to the four permanent commissions by strategic objective of the program ?Research, science, technology and innovation for regional integration and development? of the Fifth Plan for the Regional Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-, as well as the conference ?Research data management? by Marcela Alfaro Córdoba, such as the approval of the proposal of indicators for the research and postgraduate observatory by the UNAH and UNAN-León and the election of representatives of public universities in the Accreditation Council of the Central American Agency for Research and Postgraduate (ACAP), among others.

V General Assembly of SIREICU

Central America October 5 and 6, 2022

Within the framework of the actions carried out by the Regional University Information and Communication System -SIREICU-, the V General Assembly of the SIREICU was held on October 5 and 6, with the purpose of strengthening communication departments and units of the member universities of CSUCA.

?Today we meet with enormous enthusiasm and motivation, as we intend to continue the wonderful work that has driven SIREICU, celebrating the achievements and goals achieved so far and preparing the route that will guide all the work commissions that we will form? mentioned Karol Ramírez, President of SIREICU, also alluding to the importance of strengthening the communicators who are members of CSUCA.

For his part, Carlos Alvarado, Secretary General of CSUCA pointed out ?Today is a historic day in the life of SIREICU that will be marked for the development and strengthening of communication through the member universities of CSUCA? with reference to the fact that it is the first time that a General Assembly is held in hybrid mode, which allows the strengthening and consolidation of collaborative work.

To welcome the facilities of the National Council of Rectors of Costa Rica, site of the V General Assembly of SIREICU, Eduardo Sibaja, Director of the Higher Education Planning Office, presented the work carried out by CONARE, which makes a alliance within the five public universities of Costa Rica for more than 45 years.

During the first part of the day, work tables were held, within which the route was defined to be able to generate the operational plan for the coming years, in line with the Fifth Plan for the Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic. . Likewise, the paper ?Communication and open science? where colleagues Macarena Parejo and Daniel Martín from the University of Extremadura spoke about the importance of the open science ecosystem and how knowledge should be free with access to all societies. And to end the first day, the presentation ?Communication in Crisis? by Félix Pacas, reflecting on how communication should respond to the different factors that may affect stability in study houses.

The second day began with the presentation of the State of the Region, by Marisol Guzmán of the State of the Nation Program, thus culminating the hybrid work day, for the subsequent visit to the National Center for High Technology -CeNAT-, where The communicators were able to closely assess the scientific development that is generated from higher education in Costa Rica.