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Launch of projects that strengthen STI from an inclusive and open science approach in the SICA region

City of Knowledge, Panama, May 26, 2023

With the purpose of supporting collaborative research in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), in coordination with the National Science Councils of the countries of the region and supporting capacity building activities that allow the Councils and regional bodies of coordination of science, effectively fulfill their mandates and improve national and regional systems of science, technology and research (CTI), with a particular emphasis on gender mainstreaming and inclusion, project launch meeting is held:

Stream 1: Strengthening inclusive science and innovation systems in Latin America through a collaborative research network, led by the Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA).

Current 2: Central American Policy for open STI and the mechanisms to measure its impact on society, led by the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT) of Panama and the City of Knowledge Foundation of Panama (CDS).

Both projects selected and sponsored by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada, for its acronym in English, with an execution period of 5 years for the first and 3 for the second.

Taking into account the importance of strengthening STI, as well as the research-innovation-inclusion nexus, and open science policies, both projects are closely related, a launch meeting has been organized, in person, with the participation of each of the institutions and strategic allies that promote science, innovation and technology from an inclusive approach and open science in the member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

Within the development of the activity, the strategic vision of the project ?Strengthening inclusive systems of science and innovation in Latin America through a collaborative research network? by Carlos Aguirre, General Coordinator of the CSUCA-IDRC Project, as well as the presentation of the project ?Central American Policy for open CTI and the mechanisms to measure its impact on society? by Carlos Salinas, Project Coordinator for SENACYT-CDS-IDRC.

Likewise, the meeting gives rise to the development of the workshop on inclusive innovation and gender; access of women and other vulnerable groups to scientific research, collaboration and exchange in SICA member countries by Lucía Mesa, Gender Consultant, Ladysmith Collective/ IDRC.

While Kemly Camacho, gender consultant for the CSUCA-IDRC project, makes a presentation of the main results of the gender analysis in Central America.

For her part, Andrea Mora, President of LA Referencia, makes a presentation on open science in the Central American region and Jessica Bran from the National Secretariat of Science and Technology of Guatemala, CTCAP Technical Secretary, presents the CTCAP regulations and action plan. .

It should be noted that this is a linking space between specialized institutions that lead the issues of research, technology and innovation, as well as specialists in inclusion and open science in SICA member countries, which allows the generation of communication and monitoring mechanisms, aimed at guaranteeing the implementation and impact of inclusive STI projects and a Central American Policy for open STI.

Report of the Conference "Exchange of Experiences on Integral Research and Development for the Control of Chagas Disease in the SICA countries"

Report of the Conference "Exchange of Experiences on Comprehensive Research and Development for the Control of Chagas Disease in the SICA countries", held on January 30, 2023, of which the General Secretariat of the CSUCA was co-organizer

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Exchange of Experiences on Comprehensive Research and Development for the Control of Chagas Disease in the SICA countries

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LIX General Assembly of SIRCIP

San Pablo de Heredia, Costa Rica, April 19, 2023

 In the facilities of the El Higuerón Campus in San Pablo de Heredia, at the National University of Costa Rica, the 59th General Assembly and Technical Commission for research and postgraduate studies of the Central American and Caribbean Regional System for Research and Postgraduate Studies -SIRCIP- are being held, with the purpose of to generate a meeting to contribute to the sustainable human development of the Central American region and the Caribbean through research, postgraduate and social projection.

SIRCIP is an organ of the Central American Confederation that strengthens, guides, supports, coordinates, harmonizes, and integrates research and postgraduate studies, with a regional focus on CSUCA member universities.

The Assembly began with words from Jorge Herrera Murillo, UNA Vice Chancellor for Research and President of SIRCIP, who mentioned ?We have a clear mission of generating innovative and relevant knowledge, we train professionals who are not only capable of relying on knowledge imparted in the classroom If not, that they can develop research and from this we provide feedback to the extension with the mission of transferring and democratizing the knowledge that we generate?

As for Carlos Alvarado, Secretary General of CSUCA, he expressed ?Open science as a new paradigm of scientific research, promotes collaboration, transparency and free access to research results, allowing to accelerate scientific progress and provide solutions to local and global problems?

For his part, Francisco González, Rector of the National University of Costa Rica -UNA- and President of CSUCA pointed out ?75 years of life of one of the organizations with the greatest longevity in terms of integration and collaboration of higher education, is the CSUCA, that has allowed the universities to be integrated and brought together so that we can fulfill the same mission and the same objective, a task that today more than ever is most valid?

The session was the scene of the conferences ?Open Science: importance, concepts, methods and strategies, advances and challenges? by Pilar Rico Castro, from the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) and ?University institutional perspective for the definition of research lines and priorities, the experience of the National University, Costa Rica? by Carlos Alberto Montero Corrales, representing UNA.

It is important to highlight that the 59th General Assembly of SIRCIP gives rise to the work of the permanent commissions by strategic objective, corresponding to program 2 of the Fifth Plan for the Regional Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-, as well as to the election of titular and substitute representatives of the public universities of Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador, corresponding to the Accreditation Council of the Central American Postgraduate Accreditation Agency -ACAP-.

As well as the presentation of the Report of the SIRCIP presidency and presentation of the proposal "Regional Declaration of Open Science of the CSUCA", report of the General Secretariat of CSUCA, report of the technical research and postgraduate commission and the report of the National University Autonomous University of Nicaragua -UNAN Managua-, in order to publicize the progress in the organization and convocation of the VI Regional Meeting of research and postgraduate studies, to be held in the second semester of the current year.

 

XX Ordinary Session of SIESCA

San Pablo de Heredia, Costa Rica, April 19, 2023

On April 19 and 20, the 20th ordinary session of the Higher Education Internationalization System -SIESCA- will take place, an activity to be carried out in a hybrid mode, in person at the El Higuerón Campus in San Pablo Heredia, of the University National of Costa Rica.

The SIESCA is the body of the Central American University Confederation that promotes the institutionalization of internationalization as a strategic instrument to promote the quality of the CSUCA member universities, and thus, contribute to the training of international competencies of its graduates.

With the words of Francisco Gonzáles, Rector of the National University of Costa Rica -UNA- and President of CSUCA, the session was opened, a space in which I reflect on the history of the region and the framework in which the creation of the UNA, ?It is important to review the origins of our institution, remembering that we were born into public and cultural life in 1973, with a Central American context suffered in conflicts, which today is cause for reflection, since the challenges we have are of magnitudes wide to what sheltered us at the time the university opened its doors?

For his part, Carlos Alvarado, Secretary General of CSUCA pointed out ?Regarding globalization, the internationalization of higher education is considered a factor that can contribute to the implementation of international standards that promote continuous improvement, relevance, training of competent human talent at an international level?

While Maynor Barrientos, Coordinator of SIESCA indicated ?This is a space to give continuity to the strategic objectives of program 5, of PIRESC V, which correspond to the area of internationalization, challenges that we have as a region and which we have addressed since the year 2021, when the PIRESC was approved?

Rosemary Hernández, Director of the Office of International Affairs and External Cooperation of the UNA -AICE-, expressed ?We have to think about an internationalization that allows us to identify the contribution that as a region we can give to knowledge, knowledge and science, from a critical and humanist perspective?.

Among the activities to be carried out in the 20th session, there is a presentation on the Congress of the Americas on International Education -CAEI- by David Julien, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Higher Education Organization -OUI-,  the Scientific Diplomacy conference, by Alejandro Morales Gutiérrez, head of the International Cooperation Section of the Office of International Affairs and External Cooperation of the University of Costa Rica and the discussion on good practices for the internationalization of the university in the post- pandemic. 

It is important to note that the ordinary session gives rise to work according to the established groups, referring to program 5 of the Fifth Plan for the Regional Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-.

 

LIV General Assembly of SICEVAES

San Pablo de Heredia, Costa Rica, April 19, 2023

On April 19 and 20, the 54th General Assembly of the Central American System for the Evaluation and Harmonization of Higher Education -SICEVAES- will take place, with the aim of promoting action plans with practical solutions to the problems, weaknesses and deficiencies identified in the processes of self-evaluation and external evaluation, of the universities that make up the Central American University Confederation.

Being the SICEVAES, the system that promotes the culture of quality, evaluation and accountability to society in the member universities, using the evaluation and accreditation as a change and modernization management strategy for the improvement of the universities of the region. 

The opening of the 54th General Assembly was attended by Carlos Alvarado Cerezo, Secretary General of CSUCA, who pointed out ?From our work as the Central American University Confederation, our mission is framed in promoting development through cooperation to project ourselves in society, being education one of the most important pillars, through the involvement of authorities, teachers, researchers and accreditation agencies?

Under the leadership of Francisco Gonzáles, Rector of the National University of Costa Rica -UNA- and President of CSUCA, in the framework of the 50th anniversary of the UNA he mentioned ?It is a pleasure to host this important work session, we do it too in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the CSUCA, which has allowed us as member universities to contribute and strengthen education as a central mechanism of coexistence, but also of hope for our region?.

While Gabriela Valverde, representing Felipe Alpízar, Vice Chancellor for Teaching at the University of Costa Rica -UCR- and President of SICEVAES mentioned ?We have achieved very valuable achievements from SICEVAES, but we must continue working for the development of our universities, which work for the benefit of the communities of our countries?

A fundamental part of the work carried out at SICEVAES is the development of innovative proposals in education, which is why a series of exhibitions were held ?The innovation of university education, from the international and European vision and experience? by Ernest Pons from the University of Barcelona, Spain, ?The innovation of teaching-learning, the vision and the experience of the University of Costa Rica? by Luisa Villanueva Salazar of the University Teaching Department of the Teacher Training School of the University of Costa Rica -UCR- and ?The evaluation and accreditation of the quality of higher education, the experience and perspectives of Central America?, by Rutilia Calderón of Central American Accreditation Council -CCA-.

It is important to mention that this space motivates the members of SICEVAES to develop work by permanent commissions, according to the strategic objectives of program 3 of the Fifth Plan for the Regional Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-, who At the same time, they will present the report on the progress made in the last semester. Likewise, the report of the CSUCA General Secretariat will be presented and, at the same time, it will lead to the election of the members of the SICEVAES Technical Commission, representing the University of San Carlos de Guatemala -USAC- and the Technical University of Panama - UTP-.