Tical 2023 celebrates 20 years of RedCLARA and the role of networks in digital transformation
On November 13 and 14, the community of national networks in Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Panama City for the 12th edition of the TICAL Conference, organized by the Latin American Cooperation of Advanced Networks (RedCLARA). This year, the theme of the conference is "Bridges for transformation", highlighting the role of these networks in the digital transformation of teaching, research and innovation.
At the opening, a declaration of intent to create an academic network in Panama was signed by the executive director of RedCLARA, Luis Eliécer Cadenas, Panama's Secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation, Eduardo Ortega Barría, the executive director of CITEC-Panama, Juan José Pimento, and the director of the country's National Authority for Government Innovation, Alfredo Remon.
According to Eduardo Ortega Barría, "the creation of a network in the country allows equitable access to information for education, scientific research and innovation, with tangible benefits for the population".
Tical 2023 also celebrated RedCLARA's 20th anniversary. At the opening of the event, the executive director, Luis Eliécer Cadenas, shared his vision for the future: "We want the work of national academic networks in every corner of Latin America to be significant and transformative," he said.
The inaugural session of the first day of TICAL dealt with the topic of Digital Health and Telemedicine, with the participation of the Social Responsibility Manager of the Ecuadorian network (CEDIA), Gabriela Astudillo, and the representative of the University Telemedicine Network (RUTE) in Chile, Felipe Parada, from the telemedicine unit of the University of Concepción (Chile). In this country, two Special Interest Groups (SIG) are in operation: one for a telehealth skills model, and the other for the creation of an Ibero-American Glossary of Essential Terms in Telehealth and Digital Health.
Tical 2023 also featured sessions on technological trends for digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence and IoT for education, regional initiatives, cybersecurity, digital platforms for education and research, and sustainability. The event was sponsored by SheerID, Calriz (TD Synnex), Binário Juniper and Liberty Networks.
RNP represents Brazil in five presentations
On the first day (November 13), during the panel "Technological trends for digital transformation", RNP's Services Manager, Gustavo Dias, presented the organization's Research, Development and Innovation management model, including e-Science, blockchain, smart campus, digital identity, testbeds, 5G and 6G, and interactive TV projects.
In the session on Regional Initiatives, RNP's Institutional Relations manager, Beatriz Zoss, presented the experience of relations with the academic community in Brazil, alongside the networks in Ecuador (CEDIA) and Chile (REUNA).
On the second day (November 14), João Guimarães presented the model of the Cybersecurity Operations Center (SOC), inaugurated in August 2023 by RNP, which is serving as an example for the implementation of other units in the other Latin American networks.
In the panel on Artificial Intelligence, RNP's Integrated Service Manager, Francisco Junior, shared RNP's experience with the use of generative AI, ChatGPT. RNP's Director of Services and Solutions, Antônio Carlos F. Nunes, showed the Tical audience the portfolio of digital services and solutions for the academic community in Brazil.
BELLA II open dialog and EU-LAC event
On November 15, the 3rd Open Dialogue of the BELLA II project, which aims to expand the digital ecosystem in Latin America and the Caribbean, took place in parallel. With the theme "The role of universities and NRENs in building a viable, sustainable and impactful digital future in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)", the workshop brings together regional representatives and heads of cooperation from European countries.
On 16 and 17 November, RedCLARA and CIEMAT, the Spanish government's public research organization, will jointly hold the event "Digital transformation as a facilitator for improving food security and the transition to clean energy".
The topic was one of three selected by the EU-LAC International Foundation, in its 6th Annual Call for Co-Organization of Events, on issues relevant to the bi-regional association between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean.