The EU-CELAC Academic and Knowledge Summit took place in the University of El Salvador on 5-6 October. The event represents a step forward in the Europe-Latin America higher education and research cooperation, which was established in 1999 by the Heads of State and Government in the Rio de Janeiro Summit. 

The event involved over 250 participants of the EU, Latin American and Caribbean academic and scientific community and it aimed to take input from representative associations and networks of both regions in view of the next EU-CELAC Heads of State Summit, due in 2019. 

The summit was an important occasion for many HE networks to work collectively towards defining common messages for Heads of State. Among these networks there were the Central American University Council (CSUCA), the Latin American Higher Education Space (ENLACES) and its pro-tempore committee, represented by the Grupo Montevideo Association of Universities (AUGM), the Association of Colombian Universities (ASCUN), ANNUIES (Mexico), UNICA (representing Caribbean Universities, UDUAL), and the platform for EU-CELAC rectors conferences meetings, now re-named the EU-CELAC University Council. 

The themes covered by the Summit were numerous, ranging from the alignment of science, technology and innovation and the role of universities, to the role of universities in achieving sustainable development goals, to higher education and research ‘areas’ and the tools that underpin them, such as mobility programmes, quality assurance collaboration and qualifications frameworks. 

The result of the Summit is a declaration on the importance of education, science, technology and innovation as important elements of the priorities of the bi-regional strategic partnership. The declaration also contains guide actions for the Heads of State Summit in 2019.  More information