Tag: Assembly

CSUCA promotes regional agenda and unanimously re-elects Carlos Alvarado Cerezo as general secretary

Panama City, Panama, May 18, 2026

University authorities from Central America, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba are participating in the 127th Ordinary Session of the Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA), a regional forum focused on strengthening university integration, analyzing strategic issues, and building agreements for the development of public higher education in the region. The session is being held at the International Maritime University of Panama (UMIP), solidifying its position as a key space for decision-making and the coordination of regional initiatives.

The work agenda includes addressing issues related to institutional reports from the CSUCA Presidency, the General Secretariat, and the Federation of University Students of Central America and the Caribbean (FEUCA), as well as strategic processes related to academic cooperation and institutional strengthening.

Among the points addressed were the signing of the CYTED-CSUCA agreement; the presentation of the final report of the COIL course; the situation of the CSUCA Presidency for the period 2026–2027; the regional declaration on university scientific publication; the proposal of the Regulations of the Regional University Extension Award promoted by SICAUS; as well as requests for admission of new university institutions to the regional body.

The session also included the presentation of awards to former members of the organization and various points aimed at continuing to strengthen the Central American and Caribbean university agenda.

Furthermore, as part of the decisions adopted during the session, university authorities approved the incorporation of the Technological University of Eastern Cibao (UTECO), from the Dominican Republic, as a full member of CSUCA, strengthening the Caribbean's presence and participation in the regional body. Likewise, the incorporation of the Higher University Institution of Cartagena (UMAYOR), located in the Colombian island region of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina, as an observer member was approved, expanding the spaces for academic collaboration, exchange, and regional cooperation promoted by the Central American Higher University Council.

Furthermore, university authorities approved establishing June 21 as the official date for the commemoration of Central American and Caribbean University Volunteer Day. This initiative aims to recognize and highlight the commitment, participation, and contributions of university communities to solidarity and social transformation projects carried out in the various countries of the region. The approval reaffirms the value of university volunteering as a mechanism for strengthening social responsibility, regional citizenship, and the connection between public universities and the needs and realities of their communities.

As part of the strategic agreements reached during the day, the university authorities that are members of CSUCA unanimously re-elected MSc. Carlos Alvarado Cerezo as secretary general of the organization for the period 2026–2030, a decision that reflects the support of the universities of the region for the management developed from the General Secretariat and the efforts promoted to strengthen university integration, academic cooperation and the articulated work between the member institutions.

The decision also reaffirms the confidence placed in a regional agenda aimed at continuing to strengthen academic, scientific and institutional development initiatives that contribute to responding, from public higher education, to the challenges and needs of Central America and the Caribbean.

Furthermore, in accordance with the institutional rotation mechanism that strengthens the organization's regional governance, the authorities agreed that the CSUCA Presidency for the period July 2026–June 2027 will be assumed by El Salvador, represented by Eng. MSc. Juan Rosa Quintanilla, Rector of the University of El Salvador (UES). Likewise, it was approved to transfer the Presidency to Belize for the following period, in response to a request submitted by the University of Belize, a decision that reaffirms the spirit of dialogue, consensus, and cooperation that characterizes the regional organization.

The CXXVII Ordinary Session reaffirms the commitment of the region's public universities to an articulated work agenda, focused on academic strengthening, regional cooperation, and building joint responses to the current challenges of Central America and the Caribbean.

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SICEVAES strengthens regional agenda on innovation, academic harmonization and quality assurance

Panama City, Panama, May 18, 2026

University authorities and regional specialists participate in the LX Meeting of the Central American System of Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education (SICEVAES), a space aimed at strengthening regional strategies for innovation, academic harmonization and assurance of educational quality.

The meeting is being held at the International Maritime University of Panama and brings together the Regional Coordination Committee and the Technical Commission of the system to address strategic issues related to the quality and transformation of higher education.

Among the main agenda items are the progress of the strategic commissions of Program 3 of PIRESC V, innovation in teaching and learning processes, regional academic harmonization and the strengthening of accreditation and quality management mechanisms.

The meeting also incorporates the organizational follow-up of the 1st Central American and Caribbean Biennial of Innovation, Academic Harmonization and Quality Assurance of Higher Education, strengthening spaces for exchange and regional cooperation.

The activities developed seek to continue consolidating an innovative, articulated regional higher education committed to the needs of the Central American and Caribbean peoples.

CSUCA promotes regional internationalization during the XXVI SIESCA Meeting in Panama

The Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA), through the Central American Higher Education Internationalization System (SIESCA), is holding the XXVI Ordinary Meeting of the system on May 7 and 8, 2026, at the Specialized University of the Americas (UDELAS), in Panama City.

The meeting brings together representatives of public universities that are members of CSUCA, made up of the countries of Central America, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, with the aim of strengthening regional academic cooperation, university mobility and strategies for the internationalization of higher education.

The opening day included welcoming remarks from M.Sc. Luis Enrique Torres, Director of Internationalization and Technical Cooperation at UDELAS; M.Sc. Olga María Moscoso, Coordinator of SIESCA 2025-2026 and General Coordinator of Cooperation at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala; and M.Sc. Carlos Guillermo Alvarado Cerezo, Secretary General of CSUCA. The event was presided over by Dr. Nicolasa Terreros Barrios, Rector of UDELAS.

As part of the academic agenda, the keynote lecture “COIL Experience in Latin America, a regional internationalization strategy, from UTP and CSUCA” was given by Dr. Nacarí Marín, addressing innovative models of international academic collaboration and online collaborative learning.

During the Assembly, strategic reports are also presented related to regional academic mobility, the strengthening of teaching capacities through training programs in COIL methodology and the evaluation of the strategic objectives of Program 5 of PIRESC V, aimed at strengthening regional university internationalization.

Furthermore, the meeting reaffirms the commitment of CSUCA and its member universities to building a more integrated, inclusive, and regionally coordinated higher education system, promoting spaces for academic cooperation that contribute to sustainable development and the strengthening of educational quality in the Central American and Caribbean region.

CSUCA promotes the regional integration of university communication at the XI General Assembly of SIREICU

Guatemala, April 23, 2026

The Regional System of University Information and Communication (SIREICU) of the Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA) is holding its XI General Assembly, taking place on April 23 and 24 at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala, with the purpose of strengthening the regional articulation of the communication offices of the public universities of Central America and the Caribbean.

The opening ceremony began with remarks from Mr. Edwin Medina, president of SIREICU, who stated, “I am very pleased because at this assembly we are presenting the first edition of an academic journal, a contribution to help showcase our universities, highlighting the collective work of all of us, creating a space that unites us and strengthens us as universities.”.

At the same time, the Secretary General of CSUCA, MSc. Carlos Alvarado, highlighted that “SIREICU constitutes a strategic platform to make visible the contribution of public higher education to society and consolidate regional narratives that demonstrate its role as an engine of social transformation,” noting the importance of the work carried out by the system before the university community of the region.

For his part, Luis Fernando Cordón Lucero, Secretary General of USAC, mentioned “SIREICU is a regional communication engine in the deepest sense, since it becomes a space of convergence where public universities project their impact and their vocation of service for the development of our countries.”.

The assembly's work agenda includes progress on initiatives such as strengthening the Red and Radio Comunica network, developing regional communication manuals to support teaching and crisis situations, creating a regional inventory of university media, and promoting joint campaigns among CSUCA systems.

The Assembly's program also includes the opening conference on public image and strategic media planning, the presentation of reports from technical committees, collaborative work spaces, and the specialized conference on communication for cultural and gender inclusivity, followed by a workshop focused on building a regional manual on this subject.

It is important to highlight the work done by university communication offices in the region, often with limited resources, but with a firm commitment to university integration.

The XI General Assembly of SIREICU thus consolidates a regional space for strategic coordination aimed at strengthening university communication as a cross-cutting axis of academic cooperation, regional integration and the linking of public universities with society.

CSUCA fortalece la agenda regional de investigación y posgrado durante la LXV Asamblea General del SIRCIP

San José, Costa Rica, 22 de abril de 2026

En el marco de la 65 Asamblea General del Sistema Regional Centroamericano y del Caribe de Investigación y Posgrado (SIRCIP), el Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano (CSUCA) reafirmó su compromiso con el fortalecimiento de la investigación, la innovación y la formación avanzada como pilares estratégicos para el desarrollo sostenible de la región.

Durante la sesión inaugural, el Secretario General del CSUCA, Dr. Carlos Alvarado Cerezo, destacó que este espacio constituye un punto de encuentro clave para avanzar en la construcción de respuestas regionales frente a los desafíos contemporáneos de la educación superior, especialmente en ámbitos como la gobernanza de la inteligencia artificial en la investigación, la diplomacia científica, la ciencia abierta, la internacionalización y el desarrollo de microcredenciales en los programas de posgrado.

Asimismo, subrayó la relevancia de la participación de la Dra. Viktoria Bodnarova, coordinadora de Euraxess de la Comisión Europea para América Latina y el Caribe, cuya presencia contribuye a fortalecer los vínculos de cooperación académica y científica entre la región y la Unión Europea, particularmente en el marco del programa Horizonte Europa.

La Asamblea, desarrollada del 20 al 22 de abril de 2026 en la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), reunió a autoridades universitarias, responsables de investigación y posgrado, así como especialistas internacionales, quienes abordaron temas estratégicos orientados a consolidar capacidades regionales, promover la cooperación académica y fortalecer la articulación institucional en Centroamérica, República Dominicana y Cuba.

Entre los principales puntos de la agenda destacaron las conferencias magistrales sobre inteligencia artificial en la investigación y estudios de posgrado, el panel sobre diplomacia científica y agenda global, los avances del Programa 2 del Quinto Plan para la Integración de la Educación Superior de Centroamérica y República Dominicana (PIRESC V), así como los trabajos orientados a la definición de la estrategia de gobernanza de la Agenda Regional de Investigación y Posgrado al año 2040.

De igual manera, las sesiones del Consejo Regional de Investigación (CORI) y del Consejo Regional de Posgrado (COREP) permitieron profundizar en temas como la gobernanza de la información científica abierta, la ética en el uso de la inteligencia artificial, el Observatorio Regional de Investigación y Posgrado, la construcción de programas regionales de posgrado y el desarrollo de marcos referenciales para microcredenciales académicas.

El Secretario General del CSUCA resaltó que estas acciones se encuentran alineadas con los objetivos estratégicos del PIRESC V, orientados a consolidar la agenda regional de investigación y posgrado, fortalecer capacidades institucionales, impulsar la innovación, promover la internacionalización y fomentar la transferencia de resultados científicos en beneficio de las sociedades de la región.

Asimismo, enfatizó que el trabajo conjunto impulsado desde el SIRCIP contribuye directamente a la construcción de una visión regional de largo plazo, reflejada en el proceso de formulación de la Agenda Regional de Investigación y Posgrado al año 2040, instrumento estratégico para proyectar el futuro de las universidades públicas de Centroamérica, República Dominicana y Cuba.

La Secretaría General del CSUCA reiteró su reconocimiento a la Universidad de Costa Rica por la organización de esta Asamblea, así como a la presidencia del SIRCIP y a las universidades miembros del sistema por su compromiso con el fortalecimiento de la integración universitaria regional.

IX SIREICU General Assembly

On April 8 and 9, the Ninth General Assembly of the Regional System of University Information and Communication -SIREICU- took place, an activity carried out in virtual mode, based at the Technological University of Panama.

The purpose of this meeting was to develop the call for the first delivery of the “SIREICU Awards”, as well as the work of each of the commissions of the system, which respond to Program 7 “Information, Communication and University Dissemination” of the Fifth Plan for the Integration of Higher Education of Central America and the Dominican Republic -PIRESC V-, and the development of the work of the presidency of the system by Roberto Tejada representing the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo -UASD-.

To begin the activity, Roberto Tejada, president of the system, stated, “I am here at this assembly with my team, with whom we bring proposals for the improvement and proper functioning of our system. We hope that in this assembly we can define and materialize the initiatives we bring today.”.

Kathya Baruco, representing the Technological University of Panama, mentioned the work of SIREICU in recent years: “For this university, it is an honor to host this assembly, a system whose efforts over the years have yielded results through different communication formats to publicize the work of our universities.”.

For his part, Carlos Alvarado, general secretary of CSUCA, called for the benefit of technological tools for university outreach, raising awareness about the importance of creativity from the different areas of communication: “Colleagues, technology offers you powerful tools, but the value lies in your creativity, your ethics and your commitment to truth, inclusion and excellence.”.

It is worth noting that this working meeting was very fruitful and as part of the progress of the presidency of the system in charge of Roberto Tejada of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo -UASD-, the new web portal for the Comunica Network, new graphic line of the Comunica Network, digital bulletin of SIREICU, proposal for the first delivery of the SIREICU Awards were presented and approved.

The next general assembly will take place on September 25 and 26 of this year, culminating on the last day with the first presentation of the SIREICU Awards, for which a call for entries will soon be opened so that communicators belonging to the universities that make up CSUCA can participate in five categories, these being journalism, public relations, graphic communication, digital communication and advertising and promotion.