LAUNCH OF THE DIGITAL CAMPUS OF THE COPERNICUSLAC CENTER PANAMA

The General Directorate of International Partnerships of the European Union (DG INTPA) and the European Space Agency (ESA), together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIRE), the National Authority for Government Innovation of Panama (AIG) and the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (Senacyt), announced today the opening of the Digital Campus of the Copernicus Center for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) based in Panama (CopernicusLAC Panama).

The CopernicusLAC Digital Campus is a platform connected to the CopernicusLAC Panama center website that will contain training materials for the use of Copernicus data and massive open online course (MOOC) modules for users.

The material will be the basis of the different training activities that are planned to be provided by the CopernicusLAC center over the next four years. The objective of the Digital Campus is to provide this material to interested users and to users of the national institutions of LAC that will participate in the training activities. This approach reflects the Training of Trainers (ToT) method of CopernicusLAC Panama capacity development activities by providing the means to further disseminate information and skills in the respective national institutions of LAC.

The CopernicusLAC regional center will locally host Copernicus open data and information, while supporting Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities in a region particularly vulnerable to climate change-induced weather events and geological threats. The activities of the CopernicusLAC Panama Center are carried out within the framework of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, which reinforces bi-regional cooperation on digital and spatial issues.

It will promote stakeholder engagement, knowledge transfer and capacity development through a tailored education and training programme, as well as business support activities through EU-LAC Hackathons and industrial matchmaking meetings. 

The launch of the Center is a key initiative of the Global Gateway, which promotes the green and digital transition in Latin America and the Caribbean, and promotes sustainable investments. It is implemented by ESA within the framework of the EU-ALC Digital Alliance through a contribution agreement with DG INTPA, and in collaboration with MIRE, AIG and Senacyt.