On April 14th 2008, the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information will hold the inaugural meeting of the Network of Research Centers on ICT in Latin America. This cross-disciplinary academic network seeks to advance knowledge on the social and economic impact of ICTs in Central and Latin America, and examine the policy and regulatory issues that affect its broad-based development.
After a preparatory meeting held at the Universidad de San Andrés (Buenos Aires, Argentina) on October 2007, the network has cemented to include some of the leading ICT research centers in the region, as well as a selected group of research centers from North America and Europe. As of today, 14 research centers from Latin America, 4 from North America and 1 from Europe have joined the network. New centers are expected to join this initiative in the near future.
The key goals of the network are:
Examine and learn from policies that accelerate digital inclusion in the region
Learn about each others' research, shape the research agenda and present analysis and research and subject them to peer critique
Look into ways that could result in the modernization of networks
Advance the adoption of new technologies with business models appropriate for the region
Assist policymakers in designing different models of national Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) strategies and evaluating the impact of new technologies in socioeconomic development
Educate policymakers and the general public about the importance of ICT investments in the delivery of education, health and other government services
Facilitate dialogue and promote public-private partnerships around ICT policy objectives
Disseminate successful experiences (and failures) and promote exchange of ideas around ICT policy across the region
Holding an annual academic conference with participation from key industry leaders and government representatives will be one of the main activities of the network. The launching conference on April 14, 2008 will address four key issues: next-generation regulatory frameworks, the future of broadcasting services, future technology platforms appropriate for the region, and future telecommunications services for emerging markets.
Research centers affiliated so far with the network:
Argentina:
Centro de Tecnología y Sociedad, Universidad de San Andrés
Brazil:
Centro de Políticas, Derecho, Economía y Tecnologías de las Comunicaciones, Universidad de Brasilia
Departamento de Antropología, Política e Filosofía, Universidad Estadual Paulista
Chile:
Departamento Ciencia de la Computación-Facultad de Ingeniería Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Centro de Estudios Públicos – Universidad de Chile
Colombia:
Centro de Estudios de Competitividad, Universidad de Los Andes
Ecuador:
Diploma Conjunto en Economía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador
Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Cuenca
Mexico:
Programa de Investigación en Telecomunicaciones, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económica
Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
Escuela de Graduados en Administración y Dirección de Empresas, Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey
Peru:
Instituto Perú, Universidad San Martín de Porras
Instituto para Estudios Avanzados
Venezuela:
Maestría en Información y Comunicación para el Desarrollo, Universidad Central de Venezuela
Spain:
ENTER – Centro de Análisis de la Sociedad de la Información y las Telecomunicaciones, Instituto de Empresa.
United States:
Columbia Institute for Tele-information, Columbia University
Annenberg Research Network on International Communication, University of Southern California
Quello Center for Telecommunications Management & Law, Michigan State University
Center for the Study of Hispanic Marketing Communication, Florida State University
Press Releases
Network of Research Centers on ICT in Latin America to be launched at Columbia University on April 14, 2008
On April 14th 2008, the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information will hold the inaugural meeting of the Network of Research Centers on ICT in Latin America. This cross-disciplinary academic network seeks to advance knowledge on the social and economic impact of ICTs in Central and Latin America, and examine the policy and regulatory issues that affect its broad-based development.