The National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (Senacyt) in Panama, the EU-LAC International Foundation, the Latin American and Caribbean Network of National Contact Points (LAC NCP Network) and the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation (AUCI) organised the "Workshops for the Strengthening of Institutional Capacities in Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation between Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union: Focus on Central America, Cuba and the Dominican Republic" which took place from 21 to 23 November 2022 in Panama City and virtually.
With this training day, led locally by the International Cooperation Office of Senacyt, the co-organising organisations seek to increase the knowledge and use of the opportunities that exist to develop scientific cooperation projects between European, Latin American and Caribbean scientific institutions, and thus strengthen the strategic partnership between the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
Dr. Eduardo Ortega-Barría, national secretary of Senacyt said:
"Senacyt's plans and programmes aim to strengthen, support, induce and promote the development of science, technology and innovation with the purpose of raising the level of productivity, competitiveness and modernisation in the private sector, the government, the academic-research sector, and the population in general. For this reason, we promote the development of human talent in scientific, technological and innovative areas necessary for the development of the academic, productive and research sectors of the country and, in addition, we strengthen research in tertiary education."
Senacyt supports this type of activities developed by the EU-LAC International Foundation and the LAC NCP Network and AUCI. In this sense, the entities seek to increase the visibility of the participation of the scientific, academic and research community through the initiatives of the Horizon Europe Programme, thus supporting the internationalisation of science, technology and innovation and the search for opportunities for the Science, Technology and Innovation System.
Through the International Cooperation Office of Senacyt, which is led by its director, Ms. Anabella Vázquez Fábrega, the national contact points of Panama are coordinated and are responsible for being articulating nodes for the dissemination of activities, opportunities and search for potential local partners to strengthen networks and the creation of consortia with international counterparts to apply to the different calls of the Horizon Europe Programme, the main funding programme of the European Union in research and innovation.
The workshops featured several international speakers, such as Daniel Kiapes, from the European Commission; Karina Pombo, from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC); Claudia Romano, Manager of the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation and Coordinator of the LAC NCP Network; Sabina Guaylupo, from the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT); Cristina Gomez Corchete from the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) and Spanish National Contact Point for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Eliana Ulate, from the JIRI Mobility Working Group and National Coordinating Point of Costa Rica; Félix García Lausín, from the Ibero-American Knowledge Space (SEGIB); Almudena Carrero and Borja Izquierdo from the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT); Dr. Anna Barrera, from the EU-LAC Foundation; Uta Baddak, German National Contact Point on Health and EU Missions; Rocío Casildo, Peruvian National Contact Point; Laura Bonora, Spanish National Contact Point, Widening participation and European Research Area (ERA); Xavier Ronald, Spanish National Contact Point for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA); Gustavo García NCP for legal and financial aspects from Spain, Viktoria Bodnarova from Euraxess LAC; Marco Quirino, Executive Director of Enrich LAC and Alejandro Quinteros Project Officer of AUCI and the LAC NCP Network.
On the other hand, there were national speakers such as: Lic. Anabella Vásquez Fábrega, from the International Cooperation Office of Senacyt; and Dr. Gabrielle Britton, from the Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services (Indicasat AIP).
The workshops were attended by public officials, decision-makers, researchers, managers, academics and representatives of governmental STI authorities from Central America, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay. In addition, Panamanian institutions such as the University of Panama, the Maritime University of Panama, the Indicasat AIP and the Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies participated.
