The Director of International Cooperation, Academic Relations and Communications of RedCLARA, Mark Urban, and the Manager of Liaison with NREN of the regional network, Cecilia Ortiz, met with stakeholders, representatives of universities and institutions of Panamá on December 1, on the occasion of the "Panamanian science and education meeting for regional collaboration through advanced networks ”. The visit of RedCLARA representatives had the aim of strengthening ties with the academic community of the country and accelerating the process of creating a national research and education network (NREN) in Panamá.

At the event organized by the National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (Senacyt). Urban and Ortiz had the opportunity to present what RedCLARA and the NRENs are, as well as the BELLA Program and its new phase, BELLA 2, to an audience that also included the participation of Rafael Maldonado, Executive Director of the Colombian NREN RENATA, and Carlos Kan, innovation director of the Government Innovation Authority (AIG), who is working together with Senacyt for the creation of the Panamanian network .

For Senacyt's director of scientific research and technological development, Milagro Mainteri, regional alliances such as those proposed by RedCLARA are increasingly important in a more technological world. “The covid-19 pandemic accelerated digitization. Today, connectivity represents great opportunities for education, scientific and technological research, and regional and international collaboration to address common problems”, she said.

According to Mark Urban, the meeting was an important step in the relations between RedCLARA and the country's Science and Technology authorities. “The effective creation of a new network will depend on the roadmap that Senacyt and AIG are building, but this was an important moment for all the actors involved in this process to become aware of the importance of regional collaboration. RedCLARA is pleased to be a strategic ally of Panama in this discussion”, he celebrated. During the event, Rafael Maldonado has also participated with a presentation on RENATA, which helped the presenters to have a proper perspective on how an NREN operates from within.

For more information on the "Panamanian science and education meeting for regional collaboration through advanced networks", read the Senacyt note at https://www.senacyt.gob.pa/la-senacyt-realizo-el-encuentro-de-ciencia-y-educacion-panamena-para-la-colaboracion-regional-a-traves-de-redes-avanzadas/.