Category News

CSUCA-IDRC regional project follow-up workshop

Con el propósito de conocer el estado situacional de 16 proyectos que se ejecutan en el marco del proyecto regional ?Fortaleciendo sistemas inclusivos de ciencia e innovación en América Latina a través de una red de investigación colaborativa?, los días 15 y 16 de febrero dieron lugar al desarrollo del segundo taller de seguimiento.

La investigación científica y el desarrollo tecnológico, la información confiable y el conocimiento científico oportuno, son elementos necesarios y cruciales para enfrentar y superar con éxito los principales problemas ambientales, económicos, sociales y políticos de los países de América Latina y El Caribe (ALC).

El Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano, en sus dos últimos planes estratégicos (PIRESC IV y PIRESC V), ha incluido el programa de Investigación, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, cuyo objetivo es desarrollar capacidades regionales de investigación y contribuir al estudio conjunto de los principales problemas de la región, siendo la territorialidad, riesgo, desarrollo local; crecimiento económico, productividad, competitividad y desarrollo sostenible; transformación digital, automatización, inteligencia artificial y ciencia de datos; cambio climático y gestión ambiental, algunas de las prioridades establecidas en el plan regional de investigación.

El Proyecto ?Fortaleciendo sistemas inclusivos de ciencia e innovación en América Latina a través de una red de investigación colaborativa?; financiado por el Centro Internacional de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo (IDRC) de Canadá y coordinado por el CSUCA, tiene como propósito promover el intercambio y la colaboración científica regional, e invita al desarrollo, en su primera fase, de 16 proyectos orientados a generar nuevos conocimientos que  contribuyan a fortalecer el nexo investigación – innovación ? inclusión.

Una de las oportunidades que brindo el taller, fue la generación de un espacio de intercambio para conocer los aprendizajes teóricos, conceptuales y metodológicos en la aplicación de la perspectiva de innovación inclusiva con equidad de género, y los principales avances en la ejecución de los subproyectos; así como fomentar la colaboración científica entre los diferentes proyectos, a través de la retroalimentación participativa, resolución conjunta de desafíos y la generación de nuevas alianzas.

NEW GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS ON CLIMATE ADAPTATION FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

From January 22 to 26, a meeting was held at the University of Arizona with the members of the CARP+ ?A New Generation Of Climate Adaptation Research For Disaster Risk Reduction? (A new Generation of researchers for disaster risk reduction and climate change, in its Spanish translation) with the objective of establishing a common vision of work for all the regions that make up this project, which aims to strengthen planning and preparation to vulnerability in the regions of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Western Pacific and the Pacific Islands through applied and localized research in climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the Global South. This project creates a Climate Adaptation Research Program (CARP) that supports young and early-career scientists for research on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Therefore, on this occasion the Regional Coordination Unit for the Latin American and Caribbean Area (UCR) will be coordinated by the CSUCA, through a group of professionals who work hand in hand with the Program Coordination Unit (PCU). ) at the University of Arizona, who are responsible for overseeing fund management, promoting the activities of the global CARP+ community, supporting regions in partnership, and working to expand university, professional, and policymaking networks.

To comply with the results of the CARP+ Project, through the UCR for Latin America, 90 competitive prizes will be awarded over a period of 5 years to applied research projects corresponding to early career researchers with a prize of up to $10, 000.00 per project, to be developed in a maximum of 12 months; and 6 awards of up to $70,000 for projects that form collaboration networks in applied research, which will have a maximum execution duration of 2 years, and must be integrated by a minimum of three higher education institutions, representing three countries. different from the Latin American and Caribbean region. 

 

CSUCA-IDRC project will execute 16 research, innovation and inclusion projects

Within the framework of the regional project "Strengthening inclusive science and innovation systems in Latin America through a collaborative research network", led by the Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA), with the financial support of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada, the "First Public Call for Proposals" was launched, between February 28, 2023 and March 1, 2023. 

The public call was aimed at strengthening the research-innovation-inclusion nexus in the Central American region and the Caribbean, in its two complementary aspects: innovation for inclusion when the focus is on the results of the process; and inclusive innovation when it refers to a participatory process through which innovation emerges.

In response to the call, 73 proposals were received, of which, after a thorough evaluation, 16 projects were chosen to be implemented, which will have an implementation duration of 22 months, starting in January 2024. The selected proposals include at least one of the four thematic axes established by the CSUCA and the Central American and Caribbean Regional Research and Postgraduate System (SIRCIP), through the Regional Research Agenda:

? Territoriality, risk and local development,
? Economic growth, productivity, competitiveness and sustainable development,
? Digital transformation, automation, artificial intelligence and
? Data science, climate change and environmental management.

The process of selection and initiation of these projects has involved a series of strategic events such as the development of workshops with the leaders and researchers of each project, individual meetings with each project of a technical and administrative nature, distribution of instructions on how to advance in monitoring. and evaluation of projects, instructions on forms of communication and dissemination of project results. During the workshops and follow-up meetings, emphasis was placed on the need to deepen the innovation nexus in each project. inclusion and inclusive innovation with a gender equity focus.
The 16 projects selected in this first call are the following:
1. Use of 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 and Costa Rica).

4. Strengthening environmental competencies in communities through technological and methodological innovation to promote resilience in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change in the canton of Heredia, Costa Rica, in the district of Almirante, Bocas del Toro, Panama and from the Achí de Rabinal indigenous community in the department of Baja Verapaz, Guatemala.

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 of High Performance Computing for Socio-environmental Applications: towards the inclusion in science of women and groups originating from the region. (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 and Belize).

8. Strengthening risk management in agri-food systems that contributes to food and nutritional security to face the climate variability of 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)

10. Implementation of a research network supported by data sciences that empowers and inspires women to develop capacities to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity. (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico).

11. Consolidation of the Central American Network of Innovation and Research for Fair Access to Habitat and Understanding of Metropolitan Architectures. Horizontal, inclusive and collaborative dialogues between Metropolitan Areas of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.

12. Tools for the defense of the territory of indigenous communities in Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala.

13. Technological Innovation, Social Inclusion and Environmental Management for the identification of variables of sustainable community development in Central America. (Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama).

14. Consolidation of the Central American Network for Research in Critical Extension (RECIEC), Stage II. (Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama).

15. Strengthening the economic conditions of indigenous women in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador within the framework of the second Sustainable Development Goal: Zero Hunger.

16. Traditional Ecological Knowledge for Food and Nutrition Security: Innovation and Conservation. (Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua).

The objectives of these projects are aimed at promoting joint work between universities, governments, multilateral bodies, companies, entrepreneurs, community groups, as well as giving value to scientific collaboration within the Central American region, allowing their results to be translated into processes. of economic, social and environmental development.  
The projects are expected to identify challenges or needs of the various vulnerable groups or sectors in the Central American region and to improve conditions of gender equity, also supporting the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals and regional policies.

VI Biennial Research and Postgraduate Meeting

Central America, November 15, 2023

Today has begun the VI Biennial Research and Postgraduate Meeting of Central America and the Caribbean, based in Nicaragua by the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Managua (UNAN-Managua), as part of the actions of the Regional System Central American and Caribbean Research and Postgraduate Program (SIRCIP). The purpose of the event is to contribute to the achievement of the strategic objectives included in Program 2 of research, science, technology and innovation for regional integration and development, contained in the Fifth Plan for the Regional Integration of Higher Education in Central America and the Republic Dominican, (PIRESC V).

To begin the activity, Luis Alfredo Lobato Blanco, general vice-rector of UNAN-Managua, expressed: "We are sure that in this VI Biennial Meeting, priority research topics established by the CSUCA will be addressed, thus constituting mechanisms of articulation between the member universities. for the dissemination of the research work of professors, researchers and graduate students?

 For his part, Carlos Alvarado Cerezo, general secretary of CSUCA, mentioned: "We must promote, generate and disseminate knowledge through research and provide the appropriate technical skills that respond to the needs that today's society demands; it has been proven that education is necessary. to achieve better levels of social well-being and economic growth?

The biennial meeting aims to promote the exchange of experiences in research with topics of regional interest of an inter, multi and transdisciplinary nature between researchers, teachers and postgraduate students. And it will be developed through multiple virtual rooms, within which topics of regional importance are addressed such as climate change, territoriality and environmental management; technologies, innovation and renewable energies; public health, food security, chronic and infectious diseases; social development, population, social inclusion, education, interculturality and democracy; economic growth, productivity, competitiveness and sustainable development; as well as digital transformation, automation, artificial intelligence and data science.

The event will last 3 days, if you are interested in being part of the development, we invite you to visit the official Facebook pages of CSUCA and UNAN Managua, to be able to follow up on the VI Biennial Research and Postgraduate Meeting of Central America and El Caribbean.

Links: https://www.facebook.com/csuca Y https://www.facebook.com/UNAN.Managua

PROJECT FOLLOW-UP MEETING: CSUCA-IDRC; SENACYT-CDS-IDRC

Central America, November 6, 2023

With the purpose of supporting collaborative research in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), today a follow-up meeting was held on the projects "Strengthening inclusive science and innovation systems in Latin America through a collaborative research network?" , led by the Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA) and ?Central American Policy for open CTI and 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 streams financed by the International Development Research Center -IDRC- of Canada.

Both projects are executed in coordination with the National Science Councils of the countries of the region and support capacity-building activities that allow the Councils and regional science coordination bodies to effectively fulfill their mandates and improve national systems. and regional science, technology and research (CTI).

The activity was inaugurated by Carlos Alvarado Cerezo, Secretary General of CSUCA, who pointed out: "These projects strengthen the region in research and innovation issues, with a gender focus, this being a fundamental issue that must be implemented in the development of each one." of the proyects?.

The meeting included the presentation of the status of both projects, by their coordinators Carlos Aguirre and Yen Caballero, as well as the presentation of the study on inclusive innovation with gender equity by Kemly Camacho, consultant of the project led by CSUCA.

It should be noted that on the part of the CSUCA-IDRC project, in February 2023, the public call for the presentation of project proposals was enabled, a call in which 73 proposals were received, 16 of which were selected for execution, which will have an execution duration of 22 months, with said designers as the main guests for the development of this meeting.  

It should be noted that the 16 projects to be developed are designed under the following thematic axes:

·         Territoriality, risk and local development,

·         Economic growth, productivity, competitiveness and sustainable development,

·         Digital transformation, automation, artificial intelligence and

·         Data science, and climate change and environmental management.

With the purpose of strengthening the innovation-inclusion nexus in the Central American region, in its two complementary aspects: Innovation for inclusion when the focus is on the results of the process; and inclusive innovation when it refers to a participatory process through which innovation emerges.