Category News

TRANSFER OF THE SIRCIP PRESIDENCY

Central America and the Caribbean, August 9, 2024

Today, in a virtual format, the transfer of the presidency of the Central American and Caribbean Regional System of Research and Postgraduate Studies -SIRCIP- took place, with Arturo Rivera of the Specialized University of the Americas -UDELAS- handing over the position to Radhames Silverio of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo -UASD-.

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, in the member universities of the Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA). According to the system's operating regulations, the presidency rotates annually to the country holding the presidency of the Central American Higher University Council; in this case, it is the Dominican Republic, which holds the presidency of the Central American Higher University Council.

To welcome everyone to the meeting, Carlos Alvarado, Secretary General of CSUCA, stated, “The promotion of research, science, technology, and postgraduate studies is fundamental for our region and our societies. As university authorities of this confederation, we must assume this commitment and, in this case, motivate researchers to set themselves new challenges that will lead to major transformations and renewals.”.

Arturo Rivera, the outgoing president, stated in his report, “I must acknowledge each of the coordinators of the four objectives of Program 2 of PIRESC V, as they have always supported us, not only by providing information, but also by inviting us to numerous program meetings and events within the framework of the Regional Postgraduate Research System. The participation of the presidency is important, not only for gaining a holistic understanding of what each team is doing, but also to directly support and benefit the functions of teaching and research, by sharing these advances with the teaching and administrative staff of the various universities that make up the Central American University Confederation.”.

For his part, Radhames Silverio, the incoming president, stated, “On behalf of the Dominican Republic Commission, to all member countries, ladies and gentlemen, this is a special day for the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and for the State, as I assume the commitment to preside over SIRCIP. The work of this system is only possible when higher education institutions prioritize the interests of their people over the commercial interests of knowledge. And this is how we can truly achieve the development of our nations and ensure that the research and programs developed are genuinely directed toward the problems that directly affect men and women in society.”.

As part of this meeting, a brief review of the activities planned for the second half of 2024 was carried out by each of the SIRCIP working teams: interventions by the coordinators of the Technical Commission, the committees for promoting and monitoring the strategic objectives of program 2 of PIRESC “Research, science, technology and innovation for integration and regional development”.

Thus establishing that the sixty-second SIRCIP general assembly will be held at the National Autonomous University of Honduras on November 7 and 8.

CSUCA and IDRC implement 16 collaborative research networks

Scientific research and technological development, reliable information and timely scientific knowledge are necessary and crucial elements to successfully address and overcome the main environmental, economic, social and political problems of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

The Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA), in its last two strategic plans (PIRESC IV and PIRESC V), has included the Research, Science, Technology and Innovation program, whose objective is to develop regional research capacities and contribute to the joint study of the main problems of the region, with territoriality, risk, local development; economic growth, productivity, competitiveness and sustainable development; digital transformation, automation, artificial intelligence and data science; climate change and environmental management being some of the priorities. .

The project “Strengthening inclusive science and innovation systems in Latin America through a collaborative research network”; funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and coordinated by CSUCA, aims to promote regional scientific exchange and collaboration, and invites the development, in its first phase, of 16 projects aimed at generating new knowledge that contributes to strengthening the research-innovation-inclusion nexus.

Currently, the first call for proposals of the regional project is underway, strengthening the development of 16 collaborative research networks, which are in their second and third quarters of implementation. The objectives of these projects are geared towards promoting joint work between universities, governments, multilateral bodies, companies, entrepreneurs, community groups, as well as adding value to scientific collaboration within the Central American region, allowing its results to be translated into processes of economic, social and environmental development. 


The 16 projects underway in this first phase are:


  1.  Utilizing carao, teosinte and mangosteen for the development of functional foods as a food and nutritional security strategy for Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
  2.  Local territorial development for equitable and sustainable economic growth in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama.
  3.  Towards SMART and Sustainable Water Management in Central American Communities, through Innovative and Inclusive Research and Education (SMART-S Water Management) (Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico).
  4.  Strengthening environmental skills in communities through technological and methodological innovation to promote resilience in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change in the canton of Heredia, Costa Rica, the district of Almirante, Bocas del Toro, Panama and the indigenous Achí community of Rabinal in the department of Baja Verapaz, Guatemala (COPAGUAR).
  5.  Multicenter validation of an Artificial Intelligence application, developed by Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, for the identification of intestinal parasites.
  6.  Central American Consortium for High-Performance Computing for Socio-environmental Applications: towards the inclusion of women and indigenous groups in science in the region (Cocecar). (Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama).
  7.  Consortium for the development of innovative and inclusive research on problems related to climate change and renewable energies in Central America and the Dominican Republic. (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Colombia and Spain).
  8.  Strengthening risk management in agri-food systems that contributes to food and nutritional security to address climate variability in the dry corridor of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras 2023-2024.
    9. Equity in a just transition. Promoting the participation of the Central American region in the IPCC reports “Central American Network on Climate Change (RC4)”. (Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama)
  9.  Implementation of a data science-supported research network that empowers and inspires women to develop capacities to contribute to biodiversity conservation (Redbioma). (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico).
  10.  Consolidation of the Central American Network of Innovation and Research for Fair Access to Housing and the Understanding of Metropolitan Architectures. Horizontal, inclusive and collaborative dialogues between Metropolitan Areas of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico (RCAII –AJH -AM).
  11.  Tools for the defense of the territory of indigenous communities in Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala.
  12.  Technological Innovation, Social Inclusion and Environmental Management for the identification of variables of sustainable community development in Central America. (Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama).
  13.  Consolidation of the Central American Network for Critical Extension Research (RECIEC), Stage II. (Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama).
  14.  Strengthening the economic conditions of indigenous women in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador within the framework of the second Sustainable Development Goal: Zero Hunger.
  15.  Traditional Ecological Knowledge for Food and Nutritional Security: Innovation and Conservation. (Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua).

The projects are expected to identify challenges or needs of the various vulnerable groups or sectors in the Central American region over the course of 22 months and provide responses that will improve inclusive innovation and gender equality, while also supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and regional policies.

 

SICEVAES PRESIDENCY TRANSFER

Central America, July 24, 2024

Today, in a virtual format, the transfer of the presidency of the Central American System for Evaluation and Harmonization of Higher Education -SICEVAES- took place, with Ángela Laguna of the Technological University of Panama handing over the position to Wilson Mejía of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo.

SICEVAES is the system that promotes a culture of quality, evaluation, and accountability to society in member universities, using evaluation and accreditation as a strategy for managing change, modernization, and improvement. According to the system's operating regulations, the presidency rotates annually to the country holding the presidency of the Central American Higher University Council; in this case, it is the Dominican Republic, which holds the presidency from Panama.

Ángela Laguna, the outgoing president, in presenting her report, highlighted the importance of collaborative work with the vice-rectors and directors of teaching at member universities, for the development and fulfillment of the Fifth Plan for the Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-.

In addition, a review of the activities planned for the second half of the current year was carried out by the Technical Commission and the committees for promoting and monitoring the strategic objectives of program 3 of PIRESC V.

For his part, Wilson Mejía, the incoming president, stated, “We will promote regional mechanisms for international accreditation of the quality of university education and the harmonization and academic integration of higher education in the region. In other words, we will advocate for improved quality in curricula to foster integration, development, and an improved quality of life in the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic.”.

For his part, Carlos Alvarado, Secretary General of CSUCA, mentioned the importance of universities, especially through SICEVAES, in promoting social change towards greater global human development. A key instrument in this is the implementation of the Central American Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (MCESCA), which aims to promote curricular innovation by focusing on expected learning outcomes, foster regional academic harmonization, define a common regional benchmark, and provide greater transparency to university degrees offered in the region; as well as ensure ongoing teacher training, which is so important for academic quality.,

 as part of the curriculum, methodologies, technology, pedagogy, among others, that provide value to students and are relevant within that context.

 

University Week of Linkage for Development

📢CONARE invites you to participate in the “University Week of Linkage for Development”, presenting papers at the “Second Regional Meeting of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Transfer” and at the “Eleventh International Congress of the University-Business Network ALCUE” to be held at the University of Costa Rica

📒To be developed with the following themes:
-Technology Linkage and Transfer in response to global challenges
-Dynamic entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial culture in universities
-The link with the socio-productive sector from teaching and vocational training
- Quintuple helix of innovation and SDGs
-Contribution of universities to BIOECONOMY
-Reducing social and economic gaps through technology transfer, innovation and entrepreneurship

👉All the information is available at: https://undecimocongreso.redue-alcue.org and presentations can be given on completed works or works in progress.
👉Requirements for submitting papers: https://undecimocongreso.redue-alcue.org/participacion-y-costos/ponente/