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Holistic libraries facing a changing world

Central America June 30, 2023

Today the day of dialogue of knowledge was developed? Holistic libraries in front of a changing world? with the purpose of strengthening the processes of integrated and innovative services of the universities and incorporating new knowledge in the management of information for research, under the organization of the Central American Integrated Documentary Information System -SIIDCA-.

The activity began with words from Carlos Alvarado Cerezo, Secretary General of CSUCA, who mentioned that "University libraries must be a fundamental support to strengthen the academic work of universities, which must remain in constant acquisition and renewal of bibliographic material that keep the physical and digital collections updated, with the capacity to be dynamic, stable, innovative and agile that interact with the reality of societies?.

Based on the fact that libraries foster collaborative spaces that allow the university community to interact and generate new ideas and proposals, the dialogue of knowledge featured different conferences such as ?Holistic libraries against artificial intelligence?, ?Visibility of information for the research?, ?Copyrights: a look at the protection of their intellectual creations?, ?Radio digital project for Libraries: UES experience?, ?Open Access: Journal Portal, Repository and OPAC-SIIDCA?, ?Academic integrity : metric of similarities in research papers, UNACHI experience? and ?Perspectives on artificial intelligence in university libraries: experiences at UNAH?.

To culminate, Maritza Vallecillo, Coordinator of SIIDCA, pointed out the main results obtained within the dialogue of knowledge through its different conferences, recalling that promoting the training and updating of human resources is one of the main objectives of SIIDCA, a system that is made up of 22 University Libraries, belonging to the same number of universities that are part of the Central American University Confederation.

Virtual panel ?Experiences and good practices on the management of funds for research in the Universities of Central America and the Caribbean?

Central America June 6, 2023

With the purpose of promoting a space for the exchange of experiences and good practices on the management of funds for research by the CSUCA member Universities, the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua -UNAN Managua- organizes a virtual panel, with the support of the Secretariat General of the Central American Higher University Council -SG CSUCA-.

The activity began with words from the UNAN Managua Vice-Rector General, Luis Alfredo Lobato, who pointed out ?This panel will shed light on the strategies and methodologies to obtain better financing, for the development of research related to the needs of our peoples. ?.

For his part, Francisco González, President of CSUCA and Rector of the National University of Costa Rica -UNA-, mentioned ?The panel will be fruitful in the exchange of ideas, being a space to strengthen the arms and communication channels that we have through the universities of our region?

While the Secretary General of CSUCA, Carlos Alvarado indicated ?When we talk about fund management, our institutions must demonstrate the installed capacity that they have, so that the cooperators can see the work of our universities, providing a broader panorama of the actions What should be done and improved, adapting to the needs that the world demands of us, for the development of our societies from the universities as a whole?

Finally, Jorge Herrera Murillo, President of SIRCIP made reference to ?From the research we are committed to the fact that the products that are generated from our universities are open to the different social actors of our region, we thank the organizing commission of UNAN Managua, who very committedly generated this space to strengthen the development of research from our region?.

The development of the panel consisted of the presentation of the panelists, being Mayte Zembrano from the Technological University of Panama, Jay Molino from the Specialized University of the Americas -UDELAS-, Bernardina Dixon from the University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast - URACCAN- and Daniel Samoilovich of the Columbus Association.

To conclude, Francisco Alarcón, Deputy Secretary General of CSUCA made the reflection ?Many of us are convinced that science can make a very large contribution to the well-being of countries, the investment of resources in science being of the utmost importance for our region. ?.

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.