Category News

Open Science Network

Central America, March 30, 2022

With the purpose of working collaboratively to strengthen open science from the 24 public universities that are part of CSUCA, the Central American and Caribbean Open Science Network is formed.

As part of the actions to be carried out in the Fifth Plan for the Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-, the Open Science Network of Central America and the Caribbean has been formed, with the purpose of strengthening the capacities of universities through a movement that promotes the opening of scientific research with topics of interest in open science, citizen science, politics, technology, etc. 

Among the objectives that this network aims to promote is the search for training in topics such as "Trainer of Trainers in Open Science" with the purpose of training the network and thus enabling its members to become trainers of the regional university community.

Given that LA Referencia gives visibility to the scientific production of higher education institutions, an approach has been made with the purpose of generating training related to the subject and at the same time getting the countries of the SICA region through their universities to integrate to become part of LA Referencia.

This is the initial initiative of the network, fulfilling the impetus of the principles, concepts and strategies of open science in Central America and the Dominican Republic. Depending on the progress made during 2022, a short, medium and long-term plan for the Open Science Network will be created.

DOCINADE Cohort 2023

Call for applications for the Doctorate in Natural Sciences for Development (DOCINADE), Inter-university Doctoral Program of the Mesoamerican region, under the bimodal pedagogical model, which combines academic activities both face-to-face and at a distance and virtual, reaccredited before the Central American Postgraduate Agency (ACAP).

The call for admission to the program is open to all professionals in the scientific and technological fields, with a related Academic Master's degree and academic experience in research.

Among these areas of knowledge, the following are recognized: Agronomy and Agriculture, Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Biology, Forestry, Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Pharmacy and Medicine, Electronics, Computing, Engineering and other areas related to science and technology.

Know the basics:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dTgH6UQ5RjjMprXYN0BM4VABOgbLUSc_?usp=sharing

 

Curriculum Internationalization Focus Group

Europe and Central America, March 29, 2021

With the purpose of generating ideas and information on the institutional needs in the universities of the CSUCA for the development of skills and competencies in IdC, the first focus group session is held with university officials belonging to three regional systems of the Central American University Confederation, SIESCA, SIRCIP and SICEVAES.

Given that internationalization efforts have been profoundly affected by the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, OBREAL Global and CSUCA are joining forces to coordinate institutional strengthening initiatives, with the aim of consolidating curriculum internationalization (CI) actions.

The collaborative work has been defined in three stages, the first being a participatory analysis of the current state and future prospects of Research and Innovation (RI) processes within the academic offerings of universities in Central America and the Dominican Republic, conducted through focus groups. For this reason, the first focus group session was held today with the participation of university officials from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala (USAC), the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH), the Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University (UPNFM), the National Agrarian University (UNA), the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua-Managua (UNAN-Managua), and the University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast (URACCAN). and University of Costa Rica -UCR-.

Among the good practices that have been developed by universities in the SICA region are the Qualifications Framework for Central American Higher Education -MCESCA, the Tuning Latin America Project, and the indicators proposed through the Fifth Plan for the Regional Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-, proposals that have marked and support the deepening of the internationalization of higher education through curricular proposals.

Dr. Julio Theiler de Obreal placed special emphasis on the use of new communication technologies, seen as an opportunity to promote the internationalization of the curriculum through different virtual actions.

Dr. Bartolomé Chinchilla from UPNFM mentioned the work being done at the university through curriculum redesign in all programs, incorporating internationalization as a cross-cutting process within the undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum.

Dr. Belinda Flores from UNAH mentioned the curriculum's focus on sustainable human development, considered from the Millennium Development Goals and adapted to the SDGs. She also highlighted the active student exchange through Erasmus programs.

For her part, Dr. Letisia Castillo of URACCAN indicated that the university has a strategic role, a fundamental part of its teaching and outreach functions; internationalization is a cross-cutting theme in all its other functions, and this strategic planning translates into ongoing university actions, based on the intercultural environment within the university itself. She also noted that one of its main exchange agreements is with Norway.  

Regarding the UCR, Dr. Adrián Vergara spoke about the interest that exists from the teaching area to promote internationalization, while also mentioning the processes that the university has through student mobility and summer schools, being concrete experiences.

The National University of Nicaragua (UNA), through Dr. Óscar Gómez, stated that within the university there is an interdependence of human talent, which necessitates seeking international cooperation. Efforts are focused on fostering internationalization, and currently, work is underway to design a collaborative project within the animal science program. He added that language proficiency is another fundamental tool for developing internationalization initiatives.

For her part, Dr. Alice Burgos from USAC expressed the importance of the USAC 2020-2030 plan, within which the concept of curricular internationalization is incorporated into the university's own management, while also presenting examples through the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Humanities.

Following this session, it is estimated that another focus group will be held on April 29th, after which a series of webinars on best practice cases in Latin America and Europe will be presented, with experiences in curriculum internationalization, and finally, training activities in COIL (Collaborative International Online Learning).

XLVII Ordinary Session of the Regional Council for Student Life

Central America, March 30, 2022

 With the purpose of organizing the active participation of student life of the member universities of CSUCA, the XLVII ordinary session of the Regional Council of Student Life is held.

The Secretary General of CSUCA, Carlos Alvarado, called for solidarity and collaborative work, emphasizing that the students are the reason for the existence of universities. Following the Secretary General's remarks, a quorum was verified and the agenda was approved. This agenda consisted of presentations from the CONREVE presidency, the Student Affairs Secretariat, the FEUCA presidency, and the position of Costa Rican universities regarding the dynamics of CONREVE.

Also announced were the logistical progress of the IV Meeting of Health Promoting Universities, organized by the universities of Honduras to be held in June 2022, in a hybrid format, as well as the VI Central American and Caribbean Meeting on Volunteering, which will be organized by the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo of the Dominican Republic, to be held in October in a hybrid format, the XLVIII session of CONREVE and the XVII edition of the Rubén Darío Regional Award for Academic Excellence, to be organized on that occasion by the universities of Panama in a hybrid format.

Regional networks for scientific exchange and collaboration

As part of the actions promoted by the regional project “Strengthening the capacities of science and innovation policy in the member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA), a presentation of results from the regional networks of scientific exchange and collaboration is being made, which are close to culminating with the expected results in the project.
Within the project, 9 scientific collaboration networks have been formed and strengthened, namely:

• REBAMAR, with the purpose of assessing marine plastic waste in Central America through the formation of a regional research network.
• RED-CIED, formation of the Central American and Caribbean Network for Research in Economics and Development.
• HidroREDCA, creation of a hydrogeological research network to strengthen the preparedness and resilience of the populations of the Central American Dry Corridor to extreme weather events.
• RT-LAMP, an interdisciplinary network for strengthening capacities in Central American countries for the development of a diagnostic test for proactive screening in SARS-CoV-2 virus infection hotspots using technology.
• RECIEC, Central American network for research in critical extension.
• RedCMD, Central American network for the management of epidemiological data.
• RCN, network of researchers for the development of natural sciences.
• Red Free Network, articulation of actors from academia-industry-state for the generation of initiatives for economic reactivation after the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening of the innovation ecosystem in Central America.
• RIESI, a regional academic network to support higher education inclusion for people with disabilities and social disadvantage in the countries of the Central American and Caribbean region.

The project has been promoted by the General Secretariat of SICA, in conjunction with the Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) based in Canada, the National Secretariat of Science and Technology (SENACYT) of Guatemala as the Permanent Secretariat of the Commission for Scientific and Technological Development of Central America and Panama (CTCAP), and the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation of Panama (SENACYT). The networks have been created and strengthened, and their sustainability is being assessed, with short-, medium-, and long-term goals presented.