The regional network of research and education in Latin America just turned 9 years. In this interview, who has directed RedCLARA since its inception, shares his views on advanced networks and global collaboration.

What comes to your mind when you hear that a researcher is talking about collaboration?
I think on Latin American researchers working together in solving big common problems that are affecting the region, such as: forecasting of natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, etc..), the discovery of drug and treatment of infectious diseases (Chagas disease, malaria, cholera, etc..), adding value to our basic goods by discovering new processes, uses and trading forms, etc.. I think on generating a critical mass in our region, joining forces of small groups to form relevant groups at a global level. Well, I think on the huge possibilities of an integrated region.

What would you identify as the main importance of research and education networks?
The vision of the future, the ability to discover the new applications and uses that will shape the way in which we work, study and entertain during the upcoming years. The collaboration between university and research systems that seeks to integrate teams of large size and capability to solve major regional and global problems. The ability to make contributions to the advancement of technology, as was the Internet, the WWW and now the IPv6 or optical networks controlled by the user, or data roaming systems or identity federations, etc. In summary, the NRENs are an causal agent of technological change, academic collaboration and vision of the future.

How would you describe the role of RedCLARA at both a regional and a global level?
RedCLARA is a major initiative of regional collaboration that integrates the efforts of the National Networks, among themselves and with the rest of the world. For the Global community RedCLARA represents a success in terms of collaboration within a region that it's on its way of integration of its research and university systems. That is why other regions are analysing how we have managed to have an organization in which all the Latin American countries cooperate unreservedly and generously. An organization that has earned the prestige of responsibility and efficiency, both with international and regional institutions; an organization that is leading the development of services for researchers and research groups and that is actively collaborating at a global level.

How important is for RedCLARA to collaborate with other regional networks and in what ways do you collaborate at a global level?
Collaboration with other regions is essential. Nowadays research and education are global, our academics need to be integrated with research teams from other continents to exchange data, access to instruments, use computer facilities, etc. Without that collaboration, no matter how efficient and powerful our networks can be, they would be truncated, and would fail to meet its mission of integrating Latin America into the world.

The collaboration can adopt multiple shapes. First with the interconnection of our networks and the contributions from international organizations and projects, that along with our counterparts in other continents, especially in Europe, had help us to build what we have. Without such cooperation, RedCLARA would not exist in the way it does today. Second, through the exchange of information for collaboration between our researchers, the permanent contact that allows us to identify persons and institutions with which our researchers can collaborate on specific subjects, and, of course, with agreements in areas such as: identity federations, application sharing (e.g. videoconferencing), mobility (roaming), etc.

How do you think global collaboration among regional networks will change in the coming years?
It should tend to further integration, especially for those applications that promote collaboration. For a researcher, it should be as simple as using a phone to carry out a videoconference meeting, sharing documents, working together to manage a project, organizing a conference, etc. And this should be done without the need of identifying yourself separately in several systems, but ensuring the security of applications, data, documents and people. The key is the integration of services.

Could you describe your vision of R&E networks in the future?
For me they are the spearhead of technological advancement and integration of our global capabilities for research and academic activities in general. As institutions of higher education and research are where knowledge is shaped, and above all, where young people that will build the future is trained, it is their ability of collaboration and integration what will define what we will do or stop doing tomorrow. The Research and Education Networks are and should be the spaces for the proposition of new applications and ways of working in this hyper-connected society that we are building.