Category News

Panama City, Panama, June 25, 2026

The Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA), in coordination with the Technological University of Panama (UTP), launched the XXX Annual Assembly of Directors of the Central American Integrated Documentary Information System (SIIDCA), a regional integration space that brings together the people responsible for the library systems of the public universities that are members of CSUCA to strengthen knowledge management, open access to information and academic cooperation.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Rector of the Technological University of Panama, Dr. Ángela Laguna Caicedo; the Secretary General of CSUCA, Dr. Carlos Guillermo Alvarado Cerezo; and the Coordinator of SIIDCA, Ms. Fabiola Campos Jara, as well as university authorities, representatives of higher education institutions in the region, and members of the System. The Assembly is being held in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person and virtual participation by delegations from CSUCA member universities.

During his inaugural message, the Secretary General of CSUCA highlighted that university libraries have evolved to become dynamic centers for knowledge management, promotion of open science, support for research, teaching and innovation, playing a strategic role in strengthening Central American public higher education.

He also noted that the rapid technological development and the advancement of artificial intelligence represent an opportunity to enhance the work of library systems, through the integration of innovative tools that strengthen their services, always preserving their essence as spaces for training, critical thinking and democratization of knowledge.

Dr. Alvarado reiterated the commitment of the General Secretariat of CSUCA to continue accompanying and supporting the work of SIIDCA, recognizing that equitable access to knowledge is a fundamental driver for human development, regional integration and the building of more just, democratic and inclusive societies.

For her part, the Coordinator of SIIDCA, Mtra. Fabiola Campos Jara, highlighted that the Assembly marks three decades of collaborative work among the public universities of Central America, consolidating a network that has turned information management into a shared effort to strengthen research, teaching and library services in the region.

She also invited the participants to take advantage of this meeting as a space for reflection, dialogue and collective construction in the face of the challenges that university libraries face in a context characterized by digital transformation, artificial intelligence and the growing demand for open access to knowledge.

The Rector of the Technological University of Panama welcomed the participating delegations and highlighted that university libraries have become strategic actors in promoting open science, responsible information management, and the strengthening of institutional repositories. She also emphasized that regional cooperation is essential for continuing to promote initiatives that strengthen public higher education and knowledge management in Central America.

As part of the Assembly's academic agenda, participants will develop specialized conferences on artificial intelligence applied to university libraries, governance, sustainability and open science, in addition to analyzing the progress and challenges of library systems in each country, reviewing the 2026–2027 work plan and defining the actions that will continue to strengthen the regional integration of SIIDCA.

The XXX Annual Assembly of SIIDCA takes place from June 24 to 26 at the Technological University of Panama, consolidating itself as a strategic space to promote inter-university cooperation, the exchange of experiences and the strengthening of the documentary information systems of Central American public universities as fundamental pillars for the generation, preservation and democratization of knowledge.