Advanced Education and Research Network Being Set up

Advanced Education and Research Network Being Set up
República Dominicana, Santo Domingo, 06/17/2011

Dominican President, Leonel Fernández, led the signing ceremony for the legal basis for the Advanced Dominican Network for Education and Research (RADEI in Spanish) which will be in charge of creation, access, dissemination and exchange of scientific and technical knowledge.

The organization will facilitate connections between the different Dominican universities and research centers with similar centers abroad as well as other networks worldwide. …

The organization will facilitate connections between the different Dominican universities and research centers with similar centers abroad as well as other networks worldwide. The organization will raise the quality of higher education, strengthen research and promote science and technology, according to the President’s Office of Information, Press and Publicity.

The signing, in the Ambassadors Salon of the National Palace, included rectors from seven universities and representatives from research centers, which are part of the organization, including Ligia Amada Melo, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MECyT), and David Pérez, president of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications.

The organization, RADEI, will be presided over by the MECyT in the position of president; the Iberoamericana University (UNIBE), as vice president; the Pro-Education & Culture University (UNAPEC) will function as treasurer and the secretary post will be done by the Pontifical Catholic Madre y Maestra University (PUCMM). Members will include the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), Technology Institute of Santo Domingo and the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL).

Ligia Amada Melo, Minister of the MECyT and president of the Board of Directors of RADEI, said the organization will fundamentally promote the production of knowledge, access to knowledge and information, the sharing of information and, especially, the strengthening of research in the DR.

“This will allow us to be in contact, among ourselves, with other universities and international networks and will, doubtless, result in the increased quality of higher education and, more importantly, will strengthen research in our country.”

She confirmed that there has already been growing interest and development of research in the universities throughout the country. Now, with RADEI, we will have many more opportunities, Ms. Melo pointed out that. “This is an advance for the education community and for research.”

She stressed that the organization will offer and guarantee wide band Internet connection through NAP of the Caribbean and eventually through C@RIBNET in order to increase network reliability and to strengthen links within the Caribbean and Latin America and other advanced networking communities. In addition, they seek to explore advances in the area of networking technology and Value Added Services.

Ms. Melo explained that it is possible to provide the country with international connectivity, fiber optics and a large number of technology service providers, especially from NAP of the Caribbean.

Ms. Melo explained that it is possible to provide the country with international connectivity, fiber optics and a large number of technology service providers, especially from NAP of the Caribbean.

The RADEI project will be financed by all its members with the major part being shouldered by the State through INDOTEL and MECyT. The following organizations will also provide support: the General Assembly, the Board of Directors and the Executive Office. The organization will operate in MECyT’s headquarters.

Signatories of the RADEI statutes were Rectors and representatives of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), the Pontifical Catholic Madre y Maestra University (PUCMM), the Pro-Education & Culture University (UNAPEC) and the Technology Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC).

Also supporting the program is the Iberoamericana University (UNIBE), the Catholic University of Santo Domingo (UCSD), the Technology Institute of the Americas (ITLA), the Research Center of the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), the Council of the General Hospital of Health Plaza, the Diagnostic and Advanced Medicine Center, Medical Conferences and Teleconferences (CEDIMAT), the Research Center of the General Archives of the Nation, the Technology Institute of Santo Domingo, the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MECyT).