IRCU – REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND UNIVERSITY COOPERATION

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Description and objectives
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This thematic section of CIRPS works for the implementation of international initiatives in the field of regional integration and university cooperation, mainly in Latin America, but also in sub-Saharan Africa. In the field of regional integration, in South America, IRCU is currently carrying out the third phase of the Higher Education Program for managers in the MERCOSUR countries. This is a cooperation initiative between the Italian Republic and the Southern Common Market (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela) launched in 2007, aimed at realizing practical experiences of human resources training at MERCOSUR, using project design and management tools.

The program financed by the Italian Cooperation (initially DGCS, now AICS) was implemented first by the ITACA Department of “Sapienza”, by CIRPS and by the CFI and in this third phase directly by CIRPS, with the participation of the IILA – Italian-Latin American Institute.
The local counterpart is represented by the MERCOSUR International Cooperation Group, with the support of the International Technical Cooperation Unit, an operating body linked to the MERCOSUR Secretariat.

In the field of regional integration, in Central America IRCU participated in the realization of one of the Courses (the one on Energy) of the analogous program, commissioned to the IILA by the Italian Cooperation (DGCS-MAECI), “Higher Education program for managers of the countries of the SICA (Central American Integration System)”.

Officials from Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic attended the course, which took place in El Salvador with a final internship in Europe.

On the subject of university cooperation, IRCU has activated the program “Somali Web University – Web TV Project in support of the Somali National University” funded by the Italian Cooperation and entrusted to CIRPS. The project aims to strengthen the attractive role of higher education in Somalia towards young Somalis, also by improving the availability of educational material through the university website. The project also aims to strengthen the role of the Somali National University in the processes of overcoming tribal differentiation and enhancing the use of the Somali language.
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Areas of interest
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• Higher education program for MERCOSUR managers:
  The general objectives of the Program include: contributing to the reinforcement of the attractive role of university training for young Somalis; contributing to strengthen the role of the University in the processes of overcoming tribal differentiations; contributing to increase the use of Somali language in the face of the increasing dominance of Arabic and English; recovering the traditional exchange channel at the university level between Italy and Somalia.
  Topics of high-level training courses for managers of MERCOSUR countries:
  • Science, technology and innovation to strengthen MERCOSUR;
  • Cooperation in the energy and environment sectors;
  • Integrated regional development of transport;
  • Integration of the agri-food sector;
  • Training of operational officers of MERCOSUR;
  • Vertical integration in MERCOSUR;
  • Policies of social inclusion in the construction of MERCOSUR.
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• Support program for the Somali National University (U.N.S.)
  The fields of study of the Somali Web University Support Program were:
  • Agriculture;
  • Economy;
  • Law;
  • Medicine;
  • Veterinary.
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Composition of the Section
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Coordinator:

Components:

• Prof. Roberto Cippitani – Perugia University
• Dr. Thais Palermo Buti – FOCEM – Fondo para la Convergencia Estructural del MERCOSUR

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International scientific collaborations:
In addition to the network established for the implementation of the Higher Education Program for MERCOSUR managers, the Section participates in the activities of the Universitates network, the University – Business Integration network for South America, managed by CAS Progetti di Roma.
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Activities

• Higher education program for MERCOSUR managers:
  • 1° Edition: Training in Montevideo and ODL: Apr-Oct 2007, stage in Europe: May 2008;
  • 2° Edition: Training in Montevideo and ODL: Nov 2008-Apr 2009, stage in Europe: Oct 2008;
  • 3° Edition: Training in Montevideo and ODL: May 2018-Oct 2018, stage in Europe: Nov 2018.