mission report Cuba

Cuba Country Strategy and IUC Partner

Identification

Mission Report

November 2011Julie Carpenter

Carlos Alberto Vigil Taquechel

Table of contentsAcronyms iv

1. Mission Context and Background 1

1.1. Introduction 1

1.2. Geography 1

1.3. Socio-economic analysis 1

1.4. Political structure 2

1.5. Economic performance 3

1.6. Development priorities 41.6.1. Food security 41.6.2. Agricultural sector reform 51.6.3. Environment and climate change 5

1.7. The Cuban higher education system 5

2. Mission Objectives and Expected Results 9

2.1. Objectives 9

2.2. Expected results 9

3. Mission Activities 10

3.1. Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) 10

3.2. MES 10

3.3. Ministry for Foreign Trade, Investment and Cooperation (MINCEX) 12

3.4. Delegation of the European Union (EU) 12

3.5. Universidad de Matanzas (UMCC) 13

3.6. Cuba National Seminar 13

3.7. Universidad de Camaguey (UC) 13

3.8. Universidad de Oriente (UO) 14

3.9. Universidad de Granma (UDG) 15

3.10. Universidad Central de Las Villas (UCLV) 15

3.11. Universidad de Cienfuegos (UCF) 16

3.12. UNDP Representation in Cuba 17

3.13. Universidad de la Habana (UH) 17

3.14. Title level 2 Instituto Superior Politecnico Jose Antonio Echeverría (ISPJAE) 18

3.15. Universidad de Ciencias Informaticas (UCI) 18

Cuba Country Strategy and IUC Partner Identification Mission Report

3.16. Universidad Agraria de La Habana (UNAH) and the Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (CENSA) 19

3.17. Officina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana (OHCH) 20

3.18. UNESCO Regional Office for Culture, Havana 20

4. Mission Findings and Accomplishments 22

4.1. Higher education and research: status and policy environment 224.1.1. University extension 224.1.2. Strategic focus on national development priorities 224.1.3. Governance and sustainability in MES HEIs 234.1.4. Collaboration and networking in HE and research 23

4.2. Observations resulting from the interaction with local stakeholders 244.2.1. MES views on strategic directions for Flemish university cooperation 244.2.2. The impact of budget deficiencies on infrastructure and facilities 244.2.3. Overall assessment of strengths of HEIs visited 254.2.4. Internal and external ICT network access 264.2.5. Staff mobility 274.2.6. Potential for HEIs to develop income-generating initiatives/partnerships 284.2.7. Transferring research into policy and practice 284.2.8. International profile of Cuban HE 284.2.9. Existing links and contacts with Flemish universities 29

4.3. Strategic niches for VLIR-UOS 314.3.1. Regional focus 314.3.2. Themes 314.3.3. Transversal needs and opportunities 334.3.4. Domains 354.3.5. Collaboration within networks 394.3.6. Partnership modalities (portfolio of intervention types) 394.3.7. Non-academic partners and stakeholders 404.3.8. Potential IUC partners 414.3.9. Contribution and opportunities for Flemish non-university HE institutions 41

4.4. SWOT analysis of a VLIR-UOS strategy with Cuba 41

5. Lessons Learned 43

5.1. Strong national experts 43

5.2. Lack of experience in strategic planning among HEIs 43

5.3. The length of the mission 43

Annex 1: Programme outline 45

Annex 2: Main stakeholders and contacts 51

Annex 3: Cuba strategy summary status report 57


Annex 4: Local seminar report (participants, programme) 64

Annex 5: Completed VLIR-UOS institution fact sheets 70

Annex 6: Country strategy framework from Flemish (north) seminar) 141


AcronymsAECID Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional al Desarrollo

ALBA Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América

CAELTIC Centre for Advanced English Language Training for International Collaboration

CAPES Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Brazil)

CENSA Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria

CIDA Canadian International Development Agency

CIDEM Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Estructuras y Materiales

CIGB Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología

CIM Centro de Inmunología Molecular

CIMAGT Centro de Investigación para el Mejoramiento Animal de la Ganadería Tropical

CITMA Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente

CNIC Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas

CNPq Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Brazil)

COSUDE Agencia Suiza para el Desarrollo y la Cooperación

CTG Close the Gap

CUC Cuban convertible pesos

CUJAE Ciudad Universitaria José Antonio Echeverría (see also ISPJAE)

CUP Cuban non-convertible pesos

EEPFIH Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes "Indio Hatuey"

EU European Union

FAO Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations

GIS Geographical information system

HE Higher education

HEI Higher education institution

HRD Human resources development

ICA Instituto de Ciencia Animal

ICT Information and Communication Technology

IFAL Instituto de Farmacia y Alimentos

IFS International Foundation for Science

INCA Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Agrícolas


IPK Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri

ISPJAE Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverría (see also CUJAE)

IUC (VLIR-UOS) Institutional University Cooperation

JAN Junta de Acreditación Nacional

K.U.Leuven Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

MDG Millennium Development Goals

MES Ministerio de Educación Superior

MINCEX Ministerio de Comercio Exterior, Inversión Extranjera y Cooperación

MINED Ministerio de Educación

MINSAP Ministerio de Salud Pública

NGO Non-governmental organisation

OHCH Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana

PCM Project Cycle Management

UC Universidad de Camagüey

UCF Universidad de Cienfuegos

UCMH Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de La Habana

UCI Universidad de Ciencias Informáticas

UCLV Universidad Central de Las Villas

UDG Universidad de Granma

UG Universidad de Guantánamo

UGent University of Gent

UH Universidad de La Habana

UHOLM Universidad de Holguín Oscar Lucero Moya

ULT Universidad de las Tunas

UMCC Universidad de Matanzas Camilo Cienfuegos

UNAH Universidad Agraria de La Habana

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNICA Universidad de Ciego de Ávila

UNISS Universidad de Sancti Spíritus

UO Universidad de Oriente

UPR Universidad Pinar del Rio

USD United States dollar


VLIR Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad (Flemish Interuniversity Council)

VLIR-UOS VLIR University Development Cooperation

VUB Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Table of figures

Figure 1: Distribution of Cuban HEIs by Province 5

Figure 2: Total academic staff in MES HEIs in academic year 2010-2011 6

Figure 3: Enrolled full-time students MES HEIs in academic year 2010-2011 7

Figure 4: Total staff in MES HEIs with postgraduate qualifications: academic year 2010-2011 8

Figure 5: Identified research themes and sub-themes prioritised by Cuban HEIs 29

Figure 6: Summary of Flemish academic priority themes and research interests 30


1.Mission Context and Background

1.1. IntroductionThis mission is part of a process of country strategy identification and IUC selection rolled out by VLIR-UOS in the context of the implementation of the political agreement signed in 2010. This agreement necessitates VLIR-UOS to formulate a strategy for each of its 20 VLIR-UOS partner countries. This will be done in a phased manner, Cuba being one of the first six countries for which a strategy will be formulated by the end of 2011. Missions are conducted by country teams consisting of two experts (one international and one local expert), a member of the Bureau UOS and the VLIR-UOS country desk officer.

1.2. GeographyThe Republic of Cuba is a free socialist, sovereign, and collective State. Cuba is an archipelago located in the western- most part of the Caribbean Sea, comprising the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and some 1,600 smaller islands and keys, for a total land area of 110,860 km2. Cuba is the largest island of the grouping of the Caribbean, situated west of Hispaniola island (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and 145 km south of Key West, Florida (US).

Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and 1 special municipality (Isla de la Juventud). The former province of La Habana was recently (2010) divided into 2 new provinces: Mayabeque and Artemisa. 75.8% of Cubans live in urban areas. In recent years, population growth has slowed significantly. Cuba is characterized by uniformity in the geographical distribution of its population and the variables that comprise it. The central provinces and the capital have older populations.

1.3. Socio-economic analysisCuba's population stood at 11.24 million at the end of 2009. The population has largely stabilised, with average annual growth of less than 0.5 percent per year over the past decade, a level which is well below the Latin American average of 1.6 percent. According to official figures, in 2008-09 the population increased slightly, with annual net emigration since 2000 averaging around 30,000 (around 0.3 percent of the population), of whom 20,000 legally migrate every year to the US under a bilateral migration agreement. Both birth and death rates are low compared with the regional average. The demographic profile is one of a rapidly ageing population due to low death rates and emigration, and therefore a rising old age dependency ratio. According to the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the percentage of the population over 65 years rose from 8.4 percent in 1990 to 9.6 percent in 2000, and will rise to 15.8 percent in 2020. The Cuban authorities are concerned with the ageing of the population as well as with the exodus from rural to urban areas. The government is in the process of analysing scenarios of population shifts for the next 15 years.

Cuba’s population replacement rate has not been guaranteed since 1978. In 1975, the number of children born per woman was only 1.5. Approximately 79% of deaths occur among the population


aged 60 and older. In Cuba, infant mortality and mortality among child under 5 have markedly decreased. The increase in life expectancy at birth is a faithful reflection of the country’s significant reduction in mortality. At the beginning of the20th century, life expectancy was 40 years. In 2005, life expectancy was more than 77 years.

Since the beginning of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, particular emphasis has been placed on support policies in the social sector, including education, health and social security, as an essential element of the 'social contract' between the Communist government and the Cuban people.

The Human Development Index (HDI) for Cuba is high, at 0.86315, which means that the country ranks 51st out of 182 countries for which data are available. While Cuba ranks second in adult literacy, it comes only 95th in the GDP per capita poverty measure. However, its Human Poverty Index (HPI-1) ranking is 17th among the 135 developing countries for which the index has been calculated.

The emphasis placed by the government on the universal provision of basic health care has made Cuba's health statistics comparable to those of industrialised nations. In 2009, life expectancy at birth was 77.97 years (the highest in Latin America and Caribbean region after Chile and Costa Rica) and the infant-mortality rate was 4.7 per 1,000 live births (the lowest in the region). A preventive health care system, based on family doctors serving small patient groups, was developed in the 1980s. Cuba has the highest ratio of doctors to population in the world (633 per 100,000 in 2007). Since around 20,000 physicians out of a total of 71,000 work abroad, the number available on the island is significantly less, but still high by international standards.

The state is Cuba's main employer, but the share of state employment has fallen since 1990, when it accounted for 95 percent of total employment. By 2000 it had slipped to 77 percent, but since then it has crept back up to over 80 percent. The main non-state jobs are in the agricultural sector, where traditional private small farmers were joined by members of newly created farm co-operatives, which replaced many of the large state landholdings. New categories of self-employment and family businesses that have been legalised since 1993 have had to operate under tight regulation and high taxes.

There are huge disparities in wages between different employment sectors, and especially between those working in tourism with access to Cuban convertible currency (CUC) or other hard-currency, and the rest of the population, which relies on salaries in non-convertible pesos (CUP). A senior specialised physician earns a salary equivalent to €40 per month in CUP, while a parking keeper can earn five times more with tips in CUC. The average monthly salary of a state employee is around the equivalent in United States dollars (USD) of $1533.

1.4. Political structureThe Communist Party of Cuba has been the only legal political party since 1965. The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (the National Assembly of People’s Power) is the paramount state institution, “representing and expressing the sovereign will of the Cuban people”. Elections to the Assembly take place every five years; the most recent ones were held in 2008. Under the current legislature, the Assembly includes 611 members of which 43 percent are women.

Fidel Castro was Head of State and Government from 1959 (marking the date of the revolution that overthrew the regime of General Batista) to February 2008. Raul Castro was elected President of the Council of State by the National Assembly on 24 February 2008. Following his appointment as


President of the Council of State, Raul Castro announced a series of reform measures ranging from largely symbolic reforms, such as allowing Cubans to own mobile phones, stay in international hotels or buy DVDs, to farther-reaching reforms such as the lease of agricultural land, the decentralisation of some decision-making in this sector and the liberalisation of private taxi transport.

The Party Congress had not met for 12 years when it finally took place in April 2011. The Congress decided on an important number of economic reforms amongst other the liberalisation of limited form of free enterprise and the reduction of the number of civil servants.

The US sanctions law precludes any major shift in US policy while either Fidel or Raúl Castro is in power. However, in March 2009, Washington lifted Bush-era restrictions on travel and remittances, and relaxed limits on the sale of food and medicine. Washington announced another round of easing restrictions on remittances and travel in late 2010/early 2011. Any more substantive US opening is likely to come very slowly. In 2006 Cuba signed a “'Peoples' Trade Agreement” with Venezuela and Bolivia, and the resultant access to Venezuelan oil on favourable terms is now a critical part of Cuba’s economy. Other countries have also forged closer ties with Cuba in recent years, including Russia, Brazil, China and other Asian countries like Vietnam. Cuba is very wary of heavy dependence on any one relationship.

1.5. Economic performanceCuba has a dual monetary system. Two currencies are in circulation: the CUC is equivalent to 1.08 USD and to 24 Cuban pesos (CUP). Although there are plans to formulate a strategy to move towards a single currency, which is expected to remove a major barrier to economic growth, the slowing down of the economy in 2009 delayed efforts to bring the two national currencies (CUC and CUP) into closer alignment.

The economy has a rather competitive external component (nickel, tourism, biotechnology, services) for which the CUC is used, and a protected and not very efficient domestic component managed in CUP, as well as a parallel economy.

In view of its geographical and economic characteristics – small economy, overall poorly developed industrial base, low productivity of the agricultural sector – Cuba depends mostly on imports for its current operation. In 2008, asset imports rose by 43.8 percent and exports by 2.1 percent. The result is a negative trade balance of 10.7 billion CUC (11.5 billion USD), which increased by 4 billion compared to 2007, i.e. a progression equivalent to almost 70 percent of the deficit.

Three key trade partners have emerged since the beginning of the decade: a) Venezuela, under the Caracas and Petro Caribe agreements, b) China, with priority being given by the authorities to purchases of consumer and industrial goods of Chinese origin, and c) the United States, which became Cuba’s 5th largest partner in 2007 in spite of the embargo (one way – Cuba can not export to the US). Imports from the US, which had been prohibited by US law since 1961, resumed in 2002, but trade with the US is restricted to imports of food and agricultural and pharmaceutical products. Canada and Spain also carry considerable weight.

In 2008, Cuba spent 50 percent of its current budget on agricultural and energy imports. Cuba has the world’s third largest reserves of nickel and cobalt; it exports high quality cigars and rum, and has a service industries, high-tech biotechnology and a high level of performance in ICT and health. Offshore oil drilling operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), initially planned for 2009, have


been postponed. The Cuban government estimates that there could be 20 billion barrels of oil reserves in its offshore fields. Cuba currently imports 50 percent of its oil from Venezuela on highly preferential terms.

Tourism is another important source of income for Cuba, with over 2 million visitors every year bringing gross revenues of 2 billion USD. If the US Congress decided to lift its ban on US citizens travelling to Cuba, this could represent a potential further flow of 2 to 3 billion USD annually.

The living conditions of Cuban people are not easy. Overall, the current economic situation of Cuba is serious. Adding to the structural weaknesses of the economic system, coupled with the long-standing impact of the US embargo, the Cuban economy was seriously affected by the combined effect of the 2008 hurricanes (500,000 houses destroyed or damaged, temporary evacuation of some three million Cubans, and overall damage and losses estimated at almost ten billion dollars, i.e. over 20 per cent of Cuban GDP), rising food prices (Cuba imports 80 percent of its food).

The whole economy is controlled by the state, which acts not only as a provider of both commercial and non-commercial services, but also as a controller of trade in services. In 1990, the agriculture sector accounted for 10.8 percent of GDP; today, it is estimated at less than 4 percent, even though it employs 18.57 percent of the population. The decline of the sugar industry, a lack of finance for agricultural imports and the weak incentives for farmers have all resulted in a fall in the share of agriculture in the Cuban economy.

Until 2002, sugar accounted for around one half of the land area under cultivation, but a radical restructuring programme initiated during that year has halved this area. Today, there are 700,000 hectares devoted to sugar cane in the country, of which close to 50 percent are harvested each year. Eventually, this is expected to facilitate an expansion of other export crops (mainly citrus and tropical fruits), as well as food crops and forestry.

Industry accounted for an estimated 25 percent of GDP in 2007, down from 32 percent in 1990. After a sharp decline in industrial production in the early 1990s, new investments have brought a recovery in some industries. These include: nickel mining, steel production, light industries supplying the tourism sector and -since the launch of a new housing programme in the second half of 2005 - the construction materials industry.

1.6. Development priorities

1.6.1. Food securityFood security has been declared an issue of national security. The effects of the 2008 hurricanes, the rapid and sustained increase in international food prices, the lack of foreign currency both for imports and for food production inputs, and energy constraints have contributed to ensure that increasing national food production, especially by using endogenous resources and appropriate (low-input) technologies, is a national overarching priority. In this context, a series of measures are gradually being put in place to increase food production by small-holders, as well as improving its efficiency and quality.


1.6.2. Agricultural sector reformAs such a reform of the agricultural sector is crucial in order to ensure the sustainability of the process. Main challenges are modernisation, diversification and increase of production. A further difficulty is the economic sustainability of food production in a double currency system. Whereas 60% of inputs are obtained in CUC, by state decree, 90% of sales are in (non-convertible) CUP, thus providing little economic incentive to farmers and cooperatives. Given the above, the sustainable expansion of food production in the Cuban smallholder agricultural sector will primarily depend on the capacity of the Government to facilitate access to inputs (for production and processing) and credit.

1.6.3. Environment and climate changeEconomic growth and the promotion of a sustainable and equitable social development, while safeguarding the environment and rationalising the use of natural resources, are at the very heart of Cuba's national policies. However, although Cuba has the knowledge, the human capacity and a clear understanding of its needs and priorities, it lacks the financial resources to expand its efforts and to undertake further environment-related studies and investments in key sectors.

1.7. The Cuban higher education systemThe Cuban higher education (HE) system comprises 68 HEIs (not including military universities): these include 47 universities, 9 higher institutes, 8 schools/academies and 4 independent faculties. All HEIs are public. The Ministry of Higher Education (MES) is responsible for policy in matters of undergraduate and postgraduate education. It controls teaching, methodology, courses and programmes and the allocation of student places. MES is also responsible for the evaluation and accreditation of the whole university system but only 17 institutions are directly under the control of this Ministry.


Figure 1: Distribution of Cuban HEIs by Province

A significant number of HEIs are under the control of other state bodies, such as the pedagogical institutions that belong to the Ministry of Education (MINED), in charge of primary, secondary, technical and vocational education, or the medical sciences institutions belonging to the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP).

Accreditation

A University System Accreditation Programme (SUPRA) was established in 1999, implemented by a National Accreditation Board - Junta de Acreditación Nacional (JAN). The Board grants the different categories of accreditation to evaluated academic programmes and institutions.

SUPRA includes the Evaluation and Accreditation System for undergraduate programmes (SEA-CU), the Evaluation and Accreditation System for Master’s Degree programmes (SEA-M), the Evaluation and Accreditation System for Doctoral programmes (SEA-DR) and the System for the Evaluation of Institutions (SEI).

The accreditation categories granted to post-graduate programmes are as follows: authorised, ratified, certified and excellence for programmes at masters level; and authorised, certified and excellence for programmes at doctoral level.

Student and staff numbers

According to official figures from the MES, more than 150,000 professionals are involved in academic and /or research work in HEIs: 62,500 of these are full time professors. The same source indicates that since 1959 the Cuban HE system has graduated 1,081,815 professionals (91,902 during the academic year 2009-2010) of which 31,528 were foreign.


Figure 2: Total academic staff in MES HEIs in academic year 2010-2011

UIJ

ISMMM

UNISS UG ULTUNICA

UCFUNAH

UDGUPR

UMCC

UHOLM UCISP

JAE UO

UCLV UH0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

Part timeFull time

At the beginning of the academic year 2010-2011 a total of 473,309 students (286.761 women representing 60.5% of the total) were enrolled in some of the 94 undergraduate programmes offered by the Cuban HEIs. A percentage analysis of the number of undergraduate students by areas of science reflects that a significant number of the students were enrolled in the following areas: medical sciences (31.4%), social and human sciences (23.9%) and pedagogical sciences (14.2%).

Figure 3: Enrolled full-time students MES HEIs in academic year 2010-2011

UIJ

UNISS UG

ULT

ISMMM

UNICA

UNAHUCF

UDGUPR

UHOLMUMCC UC

UCLV UO

ISPJA

E UH

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

With regard to postgraduate studies more than 150,000 students are enrolled in Masters and specialist courses and around 4,000 are registered on doctoral programmes. On average, about 500


PhD theses have been defended per year in the last few years and the total of PhD graduates since 1969 is about 10,000. Analysis of PhD theses defended until 2009 shows PhD studies in the following proportions: technical sciences (24%), natural sciences (21%), agricultural sciences (16%) and social and human sciences (14%).

Postgraduate studies

Postgraduate education include masters programmes (of two or three years), doctoral programmes (varying between three and five years), and short ‘diploma’ courses of between six to 18 months duration).

A total of 439 Master programmes are being developed with the approval of the JAN of the MES. The distribution by areas of sciences is as follows: technical sciences (84), pedagogical sciences (78), biomedical sciences (75), social and human sciences (61), economical sciences (60), agricultural sciences (41) and natural and exact sciences (40). Only 39 Master Programmes have been evaluated with the highest level category of accreditation (excellence) including the Universidad de La Habana (UH) with 14 excellency Master programmes, the Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverria (ISPJAE) with nine and the Universidad Central de Las Villas (UCLV) with four.

Figure 4: Total staff in MES HEIs with postgraduate qualifications: academic year 2010-2011

UIJ UGUNISS ULT

UDG

ISMMM UCF

UNICAUNAH

UHOLMUMCC

UPR UC UOISP

JAE

UCLV UH0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

MScPhD


2.Mission Objectives and Expected Results

2.1. ObjectivesUndertake an assessment of national priorities in terms of HE and poverty reduction, as also the possible strategic niches for cooperation between Cuban and Flemish higher education institutes;

Consult, through visits, interviews and the hosting of a local seminar, with a wide spectrum of local stakeholders in terms of strategically chosen areas where (1) ‘matching’ of needs and interests should be possible and (2) a VLIR-UOS intervention could yield an optimal result;

Undertake an assessment of pre-defined local academic institutions in terms of their IUC potential, per institution and overall;

Based on the above, formulate recommendations in terms of a VLIR-UOS strategy, including the relevance and appropriateness of the various VLIR-UOS intervention types.

2.2. Expected resultsOverview of strategic niche for cooperation taking into consideration the local needs and the Flemish supply;

Shortlist of potential in terms of IUC and other initiatives; strengths and weaknesses of each visited institute; link with national priorities, etc.

Recommendations formulated in terms of:

potential for transversal support initiatives;

the best possible portfolio (combination of intervention types) for VLIR-UOS cooperation in the country

generic opportunities and constraints for university cooperation for development with the country


3.Mission ActivitiesThe following paragraphs summarise the main findings from meetings and discussions with Cuban and non-Cuban stakeholders during the mission. The full mission programme is provided in Annex 1 and the list of persons met in Annex 2.

3.1. Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID)

Historically the most active HEIs working with AECID have been UH, ISPJAE, UCLV, UNAH and UO. Other universities in the East such as UDG and UHOLM have increased their participation in AECID projects in the last few years.

In the last four years 175 projects have been approved with a financial value of more than €6,6 million. The objective of these projects has been to contribute to development of institutional and scientific capacity in Cuban HEIs.

Considering the geographical priorities defined by the government the 2011 call for project proposals was focused on the Eastern region: only HEIs from the East will be able to coordinate interuniversity cooperation projects funded by AECID. The main priorities in this cooperation are local development, environment, quality of water, food production, energy and the improvement of the hospital infrastructure. One of the most important assessment criteria is the prioritising of gender components in the implementation of the projects. Spanish cooperation has also given special attention to rehabilitating Cuban architectural heritage.

Joint cooperation projects between Cuba and other Latin American countries with joint funding from AECID and VLIR-UOS could be considered as a possibility and may be of interest to the Flemish institutions [projects 2x1 or 2x2].

Constraints on the implementation of AECID funded projects in the last two years include:

the lack of flexibility in Cuba to access funds from international cooperation projects if these external financial sources are not already included in the annual budget of the institution;

the lack of availability in the national market of products and services that may be required during the project implementation. As a consequence of this, in most of the AECID projects funds have been held only in Spain, with the Spanish partners assuming the role of buyers and suppliers to the Cuban institutions.

3.2. MESMES highlighted the special role of higher education (HE) in the implementation of the economic changes defined during the recent Congress of the Cuban Communist Party (2010). One of the main missions of the HEIs will be human resource development for properly implementing the new economic and social development policies until 2015. Another important mission in this period will be


assistance to local governments in the management and implementation of their policies on local development.

The main thematic priorities indicated by the MES are: agro industry and food security, environment, water and soil management, natural and public health disaster prevention, industry and energy, biotechnology, pharmaceutical industry, local development and housing development.

Concerning a new potential IUC Programme, the officials of the MES defined their preferred programme on the Eastern region coordinated by the Universidad de Oriente (UO). In their vision, a new programme should have a similar impact to the IUC Programme implemented in the UCLV with more than 50% of the funds allocated to UO for improving its institutional capacity - essentially PhD and MSc programmes and the quality and dimension of its research capacity (see Figure 4 above). From the MES viewpoint the remaining funds should be allocated to foster the development of the Eastern region through the implementation of national networks on priority scientific fields such as: food production and food security which should include participation by the Universidad Agraria de La Habana (UNAH), and the Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (CENSA), Instituto de Ciencia Animal (ICA), Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Agrícolas (INCA), as well as the Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes "Indio Hatuey" (EEPFIH) in Matanzas, UCLV, Universidad de Camagüey (UC), Universidad de Granma (UDG) and UO. MES also envisages a network on applied computer sciences as well as telecommunications with the participation of UO, UCLV, Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverría (ISPJAE) and the Universidad de La Habana (UH) and the participation of other HEIs.

It was emphasised that HE is responsible for 50% of the scientific results and 20% of the innovation of the country. For the improvement of these indicators, the officials mentioned the necessity of prioritising PhD Programmes (with an MSc incorporated in the first phase) that reinforce the research activity in the universities as well as their innovation and technology transfer capacity.

The improvement of research Infrastructure and ICT in the HEI networks were also indicated as the main priorities for raising standards and quality in HE. These are considered as the major technological problems of Cuban HEIs and, in general, they are addressed by all international cooperation projects that include a budget line for equipment.

It was recognised that a major constraint on the sustainability of the HE system is the salaries of the teaching staff which are not competitive in the labour market. There is a significant age gap in the teaching staff of the Cuban HEIs, in which more than 55% of the staff are younger than 35 years old or older than 60.

Regarding international cooperation, VLIR-UOS was acknowledged to be the largest single international cooperation donor in HE, in terms of both funding and length of engagement with Cuban HEIs. The following countries/institutions were mentioned among the other donors to the Cuban HEIs: AECID (Spain), COSUDE (Switzerland), CIDA (Canada), CAPES and CNPq (Brazil) and bilateral cooperation with the higher education systems of Mexico and Venezuela as well as other member states of the Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América (ALBA). In general, most of the international projects implemented by Cuban institutions have as main outputs the fostering of academic and scientist mobility.


3.3. Ministry for Foreign Trade, Investment and Cooperation (MINCEX)

It was confirmed that the biggest national thematic priority is food production. As Cuba imported around the 80% of the food consumed by its population, the government considered essential the fostering and consolidation of its national agricultural system, including the emerging private sector (cooperatives and individual producers). It was also confirmed that the Eastern region is the national geographical priority because of its relative poverty.

It was acknowledged that among constraints on the implementation of international projects include

the lack of availability in the national market of products and services that may be required during the project implementation;

the inconvenience of currency exchange; and

the lack of flexibility of the Cuban financial system considering it is necessary to include international funds in the annual budgets of the institutions if they are to be accessed for project implementation.

MINCEX confirmed its intention to facilitate the implementation of new VLIR-UOS projects in Cuba and suggested the possibility of creating a Committee comprising representatives from VLIR-UOS, MES and MINCEX for the periodic follow-up of projects and trouble-shooting solutions to minimize these identified constraints and problems.

3.4. Delegation of the European Union (EU)The main sector for EU cooperation is food security, providing equipment and supporting small scale agriculture (cooperatives and individual farmers) and decentralised management of food production. The response to hurricanes and other natural disasters is also a focus of special attention. Some funds have been allocated to infrastructure rehabilitation and the reconstruction and conservation of the Cuban architectural heritage.

The EU funds have been channelled through United Nations (UN) agencies and European non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in agriculture, food security, environment and climate change, social cohesion and cultural cooperation. It was recognised, however, that there are some constraints on attracting European private sector and NGOs to Cuba because of high operation costs.

The EU Delegation pays special attention to the improvement of the local institutions as a way to reinforce the economical potential of the municipalities.

The EU Delegation does not have much contact with MES and Cuban HEIs. MINCEX, as the national focal point for international cooperation, is its main and only national counterpart. This protocol can pose obstacles to the dissemination of information on EU Programmes and initiatives, as well as the involvement of HEI in some projects supported by the EU. From the viewpoint of the Delegation there is a lack of international cooperation culture and project management competences in most Cuban institutions, including HEIs.

The participation of Cuban universities in regional programmes of the EU such as ALFA or AL-INVEST, in international student mobility programmes such as Erasmus Mundus or Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Windows and the EU´s 7th Framework Programme for Research and


Development is extremely limited. The potential for Cuban HEIs to increase their participation in all these platforms of academic and scientific cooperation was recognised.

3.5. Universidad de Matanzas (UMCC)UMCC is a local university of medium size in the context of the Cuban HE system. Its activity is mainly focused on contributing to provincial economic and social development. UMCC lacks potential for an Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) programme, but it has relevant experience in some key areas with the potential for the university’s involvement in other VLIR-UOS projects and programmes: for example:

In line with the main economic development areas in Matanzas province, UMCC has significant capacity in the agricultural sector (sugar industry, the production of potatoes, rice and citrus fruit), in the chemical and oil industry (mainly in heavy oil refining), and in environment and tourism.

a very important role could be developed by the EEPFIH, a research centre with a large experience in the thematic area of food security and agricultural production;

UMCC also has some limited potential for international cooperation in its main research areas: food production, plant biotechnology, pastures and forage, obtaining probiotics, supramolecular chemistry, renewable energy, tourism and heritage planning and conservation.

3.6. Cuba National SeminarSee the seminar report in Annex 4.

3.7. Universidad de Camaguey (UC)UC is located in the province of Camaguey, one of the largest of the country and with Camaguey city the third largest in Cuba with 311,000 inhabitants. The province is one of the strategic territories for food production in Cuba (25% of cattle production; 30% of freshwater fish and 50% of shrimp production). Consequently, one of the main research lines of the university is aimed at supporting agricultural development in the Central and Eastern zones of the country.

The UC is one of the most multidisciplinary universities of the country with 9 faculties. Its strongest areas are: agricultural sciences, natural sciences, technical sciences and economic and social sciences. In all these areas the university demonstrates good cooperation with other Cuban HEIs. UC also has a number of dynamic research centres with potential for international cooperation, particularly Centro de Estudios Multidisciplinarios de Turismo (CEMTUR) [Cultural Tourism Development and Management], Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo de la Producción Animal (CEDEPA) [Food Security and Agricultural Production] and Centro de Estudios de Dirección Empresarial (CEDET) [Local and Rural Development]. Although the university has few existing contacts with Flemish universities there is potential for development of contacts in fields such as biotechnology in agriculture, livestock management, dairy production and transport


The UC shows a reasonable involvement in international cooperation with some postgraduate courses taught in various Latin America countries (Venezuela, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru and Dominican Republic) and postgraduate students from UC have studied in VUB (informatics). Although UC would not yet have the capacity to implement a full IUC programme it has potential, and could now be an active stakeholder in other cooperation initiatives with Flemish universities, such as joint research projects (currently termed Own Initiatives or OIs) and inclusion in a national food security network with UCLV. UCLV is important for UC and they have good relations.

3.8. Universidad de Oriente (UO)UO meets almost all the criteria required by VLIR-UOS for a full IUC programme. It is one of the longest-established and most complete universities in Cuba. It is located in the city of Santiago de Cuba (the country’s second most important city), in the Eastern region. During the visit, the university presented a very well structured policy and strategy for the development and management of science and innovation, with a functional structure of all the strategic areas headed by the Vice Rector of Research and Postgraduate Studies. These policies, strategies also demonstrated a clear awareness of the potential of working across academic structures on multidisciplinary research themes and in cross-disciplinary research teams.

The UO has a range of research/study centres of great scientific and technological relevance that offer opportunities of cooperation in various scientific fields. Among the most significant are: Centro de Estudios de Educación Superior (CEES) [Quality of Higher Education], Grupo de Energías Renovables Aplicadas (GERA) [Renewable Energies], Centro de Biofísica Médica (CBM) [Bioengineering and Biomedicine], Centro Nacional de Electromagnetismo Aplicado (CNEA) [Applied Sciences to Industry, Medicine, Biotechnology, Agriculture and Environment], Centro de Estudios de Biotecnología Industrial (CEBI) [Environment, Industrial Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutical Products], Centro de Estudios de Neurociencias, Procesamiento de Imágenes y Señales (CENPIS) [Biomedical Research and Bioengineering], Centro de Estudios de Eficiencia Energética (CEEFE) [Clean and Efficient Energy], Centro de Estudios Turísticos (CETUR) [Socio-cultural and Tourism Development], Centro de Estudios Multidisciplinarios de Zonas Costeras (CEMZOC) [Environment and Coastal Zone Management], Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo Integral de la Cultura (CEDIC) [Local Development] and Centro de Estudios Cuba - Caribe (CECUCA) [Socio-Cultural Development and Regional Integration].

The university participates actively in several national scientific networks, especially those in which the institution has significant capacity, such as: biotechnology, energy, environment, food production, medical equipment and technology, business management, integrated water management, and integrated coastal zone management. UO also seems to have good level of collaboration with enterprises, industries and the provincial governments in the Eastern Region for the implementation of actions in the field of innovation and technology transfer.

UO is one of the most active Cuban universities in the field of international cooperation, and is a member of several international university associations, such as Unión de Universidades de. América Latina y el Caribe (UDUAL), Inter-American Organisation for Higher Education (OUI) and Ibero-American Association for University Postgraduate (AUIP) and implements various international projects financed by CAPES (Brazil), AECID (Spain), COSUDE (Switzerland) and CIDA (Canada). The university has good connections with universities in Spain, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela as well


as the Caribbean region. However, the institution has not developed many contacts or any cooperative partnerships with academics in Flemish institutions.

Among the main constraints on international research cooperation with UO are the general lack and obsolescence of infrastructure and facilities for research and postgraduate activities and the absence of general support services to research.

3.9. Universidad de Granma (UDG)UDG originated as an agricultural institution of higher education, and its main institutional strengths are still concentrated in the faculties of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, to match the main productive sectors of Granma province: agriculture (40% of the rice production in the country and a one of the major producers of coffee) and livestock. UDG is responsible for the coordination of undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine in the Eastern region.

The university has shown very good results in training and advising local farmers, working with cooperatives and independent farmers in the territory in order to improve their production capacities and increase the commercialisation of agricultural products.

UDG has a reasonable international cooperation record relevant to its academic and scientific potential: teaching and scientific staff participate in mobility actions and some research projects in cooperation with institutions in Germany, Belgium (one VLIR-UOS OI in saline crop research), Spain, Canada, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and the Dominican Republic, although in the last few years, most collaboration has been focused on Venezuela and Angola. UDG also collaborates extensively at the national level with institutions in the agricultural development networks such as UNAH, CENSA, ICA, UCLV, UC and UO.

The campus is located far from the nearest city (Bayamo) with poor transport infrastructure. During the visit, more infrastructure and institutional management shortcomings and problems were evident than in other Cuban universities visited: for instance, buildings and campus facilities showing significant external signs of lack of maintenance and upkeep, buildings and departments were poorly signposted. However, the central library environment and facilities appeared to be attractive, openly accessible and well managed.

The institutional strategic vision presented by the administrative board, in terms of academic and scientific development, was the weakest and less structured of all the universities visited. UDG is too weak for the implementation of an IUC programme. Its involvement in cooperation with Flemish universities should remain essentially in the thematic areas of food security, agricultural production and rural development in which the university has experience and good institutional capacity.

3.10.Universidad Central de Las Villas (UCLV)The visit to UCLV allowed the Country Team to verify the great impact that the VLIR-UOS IUC Programme has had on the institution, in terms of infrastructure development and the capacity and human resource development.


The university proposed a role for itself in providing specialised assistance and a range of support services to Cuban HEIs in the context of future international cooperation with Flemish universities: this new cooperation framework could include:

Functioning as the central node of a technological network for the improvement of distance education within Cuban HE; including training academic staff in the use of ICT and the creation and development of laboratories for the production of educational materials;

Providing a platform for the development of joint doctoral programmes based on the scientific links already established between academics in UCLV and Flanders as well as the laboratory infrastructure already installed in the UCLV under the IUC programme;

Transferring to other universities the pedagogical model adopted in the Centre for Advanced English Language Training for International Collaboration (CAELTIC) for improving quality in English language communication and writing for academic and scientific purposes, including the training of English teachers from other HEIs;

Training of academic and administrative staff from other HEI on Project Cycle Management (PCM);

Human resource development in the area of ICT systems and administration and informatics;

Hosting ICT services and applications (for example, Web Hosting, Virtualization-VPS cluster computing, etc.) to many universities and centres of the national HE network.

In addition to UCLV’s own proposals there is clearly a role, building upon VLIR-UOS supported interventions to date, for UCLV as active coordinator of a national food security network to meet the goals of MES (see paragraphs and ).

3.11.Universidad de Cienfuegos (UCF)UCF is a small, local university in Cienfuegos province in Central Cuba and its activities are mainly focused on contributing to provincial economical and social development. The university plays an active role in training and advising the main enterprises and industries of the territory (thermoelectric industry, electrical energy production, oil refining, sugar industry, fishing, coffee, citrus, cement and fertilisers).

In the context of the current identification mission, the main strength of the university lies in the Centro de Estudios de Energía y Medio Ambiente (CEEMA) which was until recently participating in a VLIR-UOS OI. This research centre develops research in energy efficiency, and it has as a primary objective human resource development in rational energy use and conservation of the environment, training personnel from energy organisations across Cuba. The CEEMA coordinates the energy efficiency network of the Cuban HE system.

UCF has developed good cooperation links with other Cuban universities, especially with institutions in the Central and Eastern regions and the institution has cooperation links with universities and institutions in Canada and Spain and participates in several Latin American networks and projects. CEEMA coordinates the Ibero-American network on the management of efficient energy (GEESOS - Gestión y Eficiencia Energética para un Desarrollo Sostenible). CEEMA was also involved between 2008-2010 in the development and finalisation of the International Standard on Energy management Systems (ISO 50001) for the International Standards Organisation.


Other areas in which the UCF has scientific potential are the integrated management of coastal zones, the sustainable management of cultural heritage and cultural tourism development.

Despite its small size, UCF seems to be well structured and organised, and the rector gave in his presentation evidence of the solid strategic vision of the institution in terms of academic and scientific development. Although UCF does not currently meet the criteria required by the VLIR for an IUC partnership, the university would be a valid stakeholder in cooperation initiatives with Flemish universities in its specialist areas.

3.12.UNDP Representation in CubaUNDP in Cuba has five main areas of intervention: local human development, food security, prevention of natural disasters and mitigation of risks, environment and energy for sustainable development, and Prevention of HIV/AIDS. Some universities participate in local projects funded by UNDP but in general participation of HEIs in the initiatives promoted by the different bodies of the UN in Cuba is still limited.

The Resident Coordinator expressed her interest in fostering the greater involvement of universities in UNDP projects, considering them as key stakeholders for the implementation of sustainable projects. She also expressed her interest for maintaining links with the VLIR-UOS with the objective of identifying potential areas of joint cooperation in the future.

3.13.Universidad de la Habana (UH)Founded in 1728 the UH is undoubtedly the strongest of the Cuban HEIs from any perspective. Its size and national scope and the recognised quality and professionalism of its academics and researchers in Cuba and abroad are its best credentials, though it suffers from poorly resourced and poorly maintained facilities and infrastructure in common with other HEIs. UH already receives considerable external funds through its many international cooperation initiatives (including three VLIR-UOS OIs). UH is made up of many different and quite autonomous faculties, centres and units, and there was little evidence of clear governance and management, including whole institutional policies and strategic vision.

UH could not be considered as a candidate for an IUC programme, because of its location and existing strengths in international and national investment. However, the diversity of research lines developed in a multi-disciplinary approach by its 18 faculties and 15 research centres would allow the university to be a key stakeholder in many cooperation themes identified. In the context of the current identification mission, UH’s potential involvement could be considered in departmental/research centre level projects in the following areas:

Environment: climate change, biodiversity, renewal energy and coastal zone management through the involvement of the Faculties of Chemistry and Biology, the Centro de Investigaciones Marinas (CIM), the Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Materiales (IMRE), the Centro de Biomateriales (BIOMAT) and the Centro de Estudios de Medio Ambiente (CEMA).


Public Health: preventative medicine through the involvement of the Faculty of Biology and the Instituto de Farmacia y Alimentos (IFAL) and the Centro de Estudios de Salud y Bienestar Humano (CESBH).

ICT and applications: artificial intelligence and computer sciences, bioinformatics, statistics and biostatistics through the involvement of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Sciences.

3.14.Title level 2 Instituto Superior Politecnico Jose Antonio Echeverría (ISPJAE)

ISPJAE is the largest technical university in Cuba and coordinates national collaboration in this field within the HE System. It has six faculties and 10 research centres. While there are evident problems of renewal and maintenance of equipment and facilities on the ISPJAE campus, the institution is recognised for the quality of its teaching and research staff as well as for its active and diverse links with the productive sector, providing assistance to a wide network of enterprises and industries throughout the country. The institution has an active policy of internationalisation which is evidenced through its participation in international projects and networks with many institutions in Europe and Latin America (including two VLIR-UOS OIs and three South Initiatives).

While ISPJAE is not a candidate for an IUC programme because of the regional priority and strength of its existing international and national programmes , in the context of the current identification mission, the potential involvement of the ISPJAE should be considered in projects in the following areas:

Environment: clean technology and production, clean and efficient energy and renewable energy through the involvement of the Technology Department of the Architecture Faculty, the Geosciences Department of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and the Centro de Estudios de Tecnologias Energeticas Renovables (CETER).

ICT and applications: artificial intelligence and computer sciences, bioinformatics, bioengineering, through the involvement of the Bioengineering Department of the Faculty of Electric Engineering and the Centro de Estudios de Ingeniería de Sistemas (CEIS).

3.15.Universidad de Ciencias Informaticas (UCI)UCI was created on the site of a former Russian military base in 2002 as an initiative of Fidel Castro with the twin objectives of training Informatics Science professionals, highly committed to the development of the country, and the production of software and informatics services based on the study-work pedagogical model, serving as a support for the development of the Cuban software industry. UCI was developed under the control of the Ministry of Communications, but its transfer to the MES is currently underway.

This institution has been provided with excellent facilities and the technological infrastructure and equipment reach far higher standards than most other HEIs in Cuba. Considering that this is a national and governmental priority institution it is remarkable that only national students have been enrolled in its courses since its foundation. Most of the software and services produced by its students have been developed for Cuban and Venezuelan organisations.


Despite its impressive infrastructure, UCI remains a weak institution in terms of its academic and scientific potential. The number of PhD among its teaching staff is very low in comparison with other technical universities of the country and most of the members of the academic staff are former students of the institution. Nonetheless, the university seems to have a good strategy for resolving this weakness in the coming years.

It has potential as a stakeholder in future cooperation projects and has offered its facilities as a host of a national centre for postgraduate training on informatics and computer sciences, possibly in collaboration with UCLV (see Error: Reference source not found). At this stage, this seems to be an excellent way of involving UCI in the future VLIR-UOS programmes in Cuba.

3.16.Universidad Agraria de La Habana (UNAH) and the Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (CENSA)

UNAH, CENSA, ICA and INCA integrate a specialist academic and scientific national centre of excellence. This group of institutions has a leading role in the implementation of national policies in the agricultural sector, and these institutions coordinate most of the academic and scientific networks within the HE system. At the same time, the institutions work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture as well as with other research and production institutions related to this economical sector.

The university and three research centres have built a good cooperation network with academic and scientific institutions in Latin America and Europe and collaborate with international organisations and NGOs in the implementation of different projects in fields like the rural development and food production.

Of particular significance is a pilot project on local management and development of agricultural production that UNAH began to implement recently in the new provinces of Mayabeque and Artemisa (territories of the former Province of Habana). This pilot project is a result of the new economic policy implemented by the national government to empower the private sector and decentralised the national economy. Through this project the UNAH is experimenting new models for the organisation of the agricultural sector. The project includes training and advice to local governments (municipalities), cooperatives and local producers on agricultural business management.

Among the main lines of research developed in a coordinated scheme by the 4 centres are:

Sustainable rural development

Sustainable agricultural production

Plant health

Animal health

Animal and plant biotechnology

Animal reproduction

Genetics and animal breeding

Nutrition and bio-fertilisation plant

Production and quality of milk and meat


Soil management

Conservation of soil, water and genetic resources

Development and production of diagnostic kits and drugs for veterinary and agriculture use

Development of technologies for pest management

Applied bioinformatics

Considering the definition of food security and agricultural production as the biggest national priority, the involvement of the four institutions that make up UNAH in any projects implemented in this area would be relevant and a significant strength. UNAH has a long history of collaboration and cooperation with Flemish universities including several OIs.

3.17.Officina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana (OHCH)

OHCH is the coordinating institution of a unique project in Cuba, for its implementation the National Government gave facilities to the OHCH: under the auspices of the government an entire business system has been established that has allowed the architectural and cultural rehabilitation of the Old Colonial Havana (declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982). Consequently, for the implementation of this socio-cultural project, the OHCH has been gradually creating a wide network of infrastructures (hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, shops, real estate facilities, museums, art galleries, concert halls, etc) that generate significant revenue for the country, which funds further restoration and about 35% of which is invested in housing and other social programmes for the benefit of the resident population Old Havana City. Many of the inhabitants of the old city have also been employed by OHCH. These elements make this project an interesting model of sustainable local development with the potential for transfer to other regions in Cuba and abroad.

OHCH has excellent cooperative links with UNESCO, UNDP, EU, and AECID among other international institutions with which it has been working on the implementation of various heritage and social projects. Considering its experience and institutional capacity in such projects, the OHCH has the potential to be a key stakeholder for the implementation of any project focused on the Socio-Cultural and Tourism Development. The existence of a national network of history and conservation offices in all the Cuban world heritage cities (Old Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Cienfuegos and Camaguey) may be of great assistance for the development of sustainable projects in this field.

3.18.UNESCO Regional Office for Culture, HavanaThe UNESCO Office in Havana implements diverse programmes in Cuba and other Latin America countries in the global programme areas of UNESCO, including culture, education and natural sciences. The Havana office is the Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its work seeks to directly address the countries development priorities. The office implements its projects in close coordination with the National Commissions for UNESCO, governmental agencies and numerous institutions at regional, national and local level as well as with a large number of NGOs.


HE is not a priority programme area for UNESCO (globally). Nonetheless, reasonable contacts exist with MES and UH, which coordinates three of the six UNESCO Chairs in Cuba, (University Management, Information Management in Organisations and Biomaterials). Other important UNESCO Chairs are being established in Cuba on Integrated Conservation Sciences for Cultural and Natural Property, coordinated by the National Centre for Conservation, Restoration and Museology (CENCREM), and on Culture and Development coordinated by the National Training Centre for Culture (both centres belong to the Ministry of Culture).

During the meeting it was agreed that potential exists for cooperation with Flemish and Cuban universities in a VLIR-UOS programme or projects in the area of sustainable management of cultural heritage, particularly in a joint programme of training of human resources on the management of cultural heritage, for which UNESCO will develop a preliminary proposal and ideas.


4.Mission Findings and Accomplishments

4.1. Higher education and research: status and policy environment

4.1.1. University extensionFour basic principles underpin HE in Cuba, namely:

1) a broad profile curricula, with two leading ideas:

the combination of instruction and education,

a close link between studies and work;

2) continuing education in all fields of knowledge;

3) research as an integral part of the university mission;

4) university extension (that is, into the local communities) as the integrating process of university work.

Since the year 2000 significant moves have been made to broaden access to HE for the least favoured social sectors. These initiatives include HEIs opening a number of university extension ‘campuses’ throughout all municipalities to increase access and reduce the dropout rate among working and part-time students, accompanied by investment in distance education methods and modalities. A close relationship is maintained between HE and all of Cuban society, particularly with local communities, for whom undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are offered to meet the needs of a specific productive sector or of a given region.

4.1.2. Strategic focus on national development prioritiesResearch in HEIs and university research centres is required to contribute directly to Cuban socio-economic development, characterised by MES1 as requirements to produce

Strategic results for high value-added and high-impact exportable production

Technological developments and results that apply technology for more competitive traditional production

Innovative technological results to develop and revitalise local and industrial economies.

In MES strategic planning to 20152 the priority areas for institutional international cooperation match the broad national development priorities (see Error: Reference source not found above) and are:

Higher education and ICT

Biotechnology and medical equipment

1 La educacion superior en Cuba. Presentation by MES at the VLIR-UOS Seminar, Havana 17th October 20112 ibid


Agribusiness and the environment

Industry and energy

Basic and social sciences

Also in line with national development priorities, MES places emphasis on the development of institutional capacity, doctoral programmes and research and innovation in institutions in the Eastern region of Cuba, although activities supported by international cooperation in Eastern institutions would also benefit other MES HEIs in the national network (see paragraph 4.1.4).

4.1.3. Governance and sustainability in MES HEIsUniversity and other HEI rectors are responsible directly to the MES (and Vice Ministers). They are appointed by a Ministerial resolution. Within the decision-making structure of the MES, rectors are at the same level of the Directors of Divisions of the Ministry. There are no formal governance or decision-making structures at provincial level, but typically HEI rectors maintain active and close contacts with the General Secretaries of the Provincial Communist Party and the Presidents of the Provincial Governments. In many cases, these officials are members of the HEI Governmental Executive Boards.

4.1.4. Collaboration and networking in HE and researchAcademic and research collaboration, including joint curriculum development for masters course, information sharing and skills transfer, is one of the strengths of the Cuban HE system, and indeed is a mandatory requirement for MES institutions. MES HEIs are all part of a MES university network (“Reduniv”) and there are also thematic networks maintained by individual HEIs on behalf of the academic and research community, such as the “RedMa: Portal de Medio Ambiente” (an Environment portal) maintained by ISPJAE3.

Collaborative activities, beyond information sharing through intranet and web-based networks, email and occasional meetings are seriously constrained by lack of funds to cover travel costs and poor national and local transport infrastructure. For example, in the past Cuba HEIs collaborated in an effective inter-library loan and publications exchange system, which no longer functions.

Apparently recent changes in the regulations have been initiated that should make it possible for HEIs and staff to be remunerated (in cash or in kind) for their work supporting network activities and on behalf of institutions other than their own.

3 http://redma.cujae.edu.cu/articles.php?article_id=2


http://redma.cujae.edu.cu/articles.php?article_id=2

4.2. Observations resulting from the interaction with local stakeholders

4.2.1. MES views on strategic directions for Flemish university cooperation

In the preliminary meetings with the Team (see Error: Reference source not found), Directors from MES set out and reinforced the Ministry’s favoured strategic directions: these included

Reiterating the national development role of HEIs in Cuba and the particular developmental priority of institutions in the Eastern region (see paragraph 4.1.2 - ).

Emphasising the main thematic priorities of a) reducing food security risks and dependencies on importing food; and b) the environment, in particular introducing renewable energy sources, and biotechnology, with a particular local role for universities to address specific and locally relevant environmental issues, such as water.

Reinforcing the human resource development aspects of international cooperation and the need for a programme to make a significant impact on raising both capacity (numbers of doctorates in key fields - see Figure 4) and capability (teaching and technical) in key areas. Mobility for academic staff is the priority, especially for those young academics with Master qualifications but few opportunities to study for their PhD.

Stressing the need for any programme of activities to take advantage of, and spread benefits through the national HE and research network infrastructure (see paragraph 4.1.4). It was acknowledged, however, that network connectivity (both intranet and internet access) is not evenly or equally distributed among HEIs, and that institutions in the Eastern half of the country face greater connectivity challenges than those in, for instance, Havana.

Improving skills, competences and facilities for the application of ICT within key thematic areas, such education, environmental sciences and medicine, is also a MES priority. It was suggested that this could be supported through a national programme of doctoral and / or masters scholarships in applied computer studies.

4.2.2. The impact of budget deficiencies on infrastructure and facilities

MES provides HEIs with budget allocations for staff salaries, running costs (electricity, water etc) and maintenance of buildings. These budgets have been declining in real terms for a number of years at the same time as the number of university sites has been expanding (for example, the development of outreach campuses and sites within municipalities). Most of those HEIs visited by the Country Team face significant challenges, such as:

The maintenance and repair of campuses and buildings (many built during the 1970s): wear and tear from the weather is evident everywhere and aging furniture and facilities in constant use cannot be easily replaced or upgraded.


Reliance on outdated and/or inadequate equipment and materials, for instance, in technical workshops and science laboratories, in library books and other materials for students, in computing hardware for administration, study and research.

Capital or special project investment funding is rarely available for those HEIs controlled by MES (and almost certainly other ministries such as MINSAP), unless it comes in the form of international cooperation or through other international donor initiatives.

The inescapable conclusion is that Cuba has too many HEIs, more than the country needs considering its size, population and economic capacity. Available government funds for HE (under MES and other Ministries) and institutional allocations are now spread very thinly indeed across the range of institutions and campus locations. The creation of campuses in all the municipalities has exacerbated the situation, with inevitable and negative implications for quality in education and research.

4.2.3. Overall assessment of strengths of HEIs visitedThe HEIs visited (with the exception of UCLV) by the Country Team during the mission (see Annex 1 for full programme) were assessed by the International and National Experts against a number of criteria relevant to VLIR-UOS programming and strategic institutional development. In a subjective qualitative assessment (low/poor, fair, good or excellent) was assigned to each institution for each of the following criteria:

Contribution of university to national development

Contribution of university to local /regional development

Active engagement in collaboration within Cuban HE

Active engagement in international cooperation

Institutional management and policy-making

Existing collaboration with Flanders

Accreditation of postgraduate courses

Percentage of academic staff with Doctorates

ICT infrastructure and systems

Table 1 shows the results of this assessment. It should be emphasised that this is a comparative and non scientific assessment intended as a tool to assist in future planning and not as a sole basis for decision-making.

UCLV was not included in this assessment as its potential in research and other cooperation with Flemish institutions under the new Country Strategy is assured and not open to question.


Table 1: Overall assessment of strengths of HEIs visited by Country Team

Con

trib

utio

n of

uni

vers

ity to

na

tiona

l dev

elop

men

t

Con

trib

utio

n of

uni

vers

ity to

lo

cal /

regi

onal

dev

elop

men

t

Act

ive

enga

gem

ent

in

colla

bora

tion

with

in C

uban

HE

Act

ive

enga

gem

ent i

n in

tern

atio

nal

coop

erat

ion

Inst

itutio

nal m

anag

emen

t and

po

licy-

mak

ing

Exis

ting

colla

bora

tion

with

Fl

ande

rs

Acc

redi

tatio

n of

pos

tgra

duat

e co

urse

s

% o

f aca

dem

ics

with

Doc

tora

tes

ICT

infr

astr

uctu

re a

nd s

yste

ms

UH Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Good Good Excellent Good Fair

ISPJAE Excellent Excellent Excellent Fair Good Fair Good Fair Fair

UNAH Excellent Excellent Excellent Fair Good Fair Fair Fair Fair

UO Good Excellent Good Fair Excellent Poor Fair Fair Fair

UCF Fair Good Fair Fair Good Fair Fair Poor Fair

UC Fair Good Fair Low Fair Low Fair Low Fair

UMCC Low Fair Fair Low Fair Low Fair Low Poor

UDG Low Fair Fair Low Poor Low Low Low Poor

UCI Low Low Low Low Fair Low Low Excellent

4.2.4. Internal and external ICT network accessThe MES HEIs (and other research centres) are connected to a HE intranet, which facilitates communication and sharing of research information and resources between institutions, and offers access to the various thematic and research portals and networks, maintained by MES and other specialist institutions. While the intranet connectivity appears to be relatively robust in most of the HEIs visited, it is not clear whether the internal networking infrastructure is the same standard in all institutions and on all campuses of individual institutions including outreach campuses within municipalities. Those far from Havana are likely to face particular infrastructure challenges.4

Local management of the intranet, and of individual institutional resources available on it, appear to vary considerably between institutions (for example, some HEIs such as UO have developed

4 "Not all universities have the same conditions or the same services, or the same levels of technology, and although the MES has tried to equalize this it has not been possible. There are universities that have more external Internet capacity than others, and the truth is that it has not been possible to correct this situation, although we have been able to help some less developed centres "Quote from Francisco Lee Tenorio, Director of Informatization, MES, translated from Juventud Rebelde at http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2011-10-08/extrana-desconexion-en-las-universidades/


http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2011-10-08/extrana-desconexion-en-las-universidades/

http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2011-10-08/extrana-desconexion-en-las-universidades/

comprehensive institutional portals on the intranet through which a range of resources and sites can be accessed; others are less well-developed). It was not possible in the time available for the Team to make a proper assessment of research information and resource sharing policies and practice.

National limitations on the existing telecommunications network and infrastructure (progress on establishing the Venezuela/Cuba undersea cable link appears to have stalled for technical and funding reasons) have a severe impact on internet access for all HEIs. Bandwidth capacity for an individual institution rarely exceeds 3GB (UCLV) and very often capacity is considerably lower than this and unreliable. Systems management practices, which differ from institution to institution, have an impact on internet access for staff and students. UCLV, benefiting from the VLIR-UOS IUC work done on systems administration, probably represents the optimal standard for effective management among the MES HEIs.

UCI is the exception in bandwidth capacity among HEIs, benefiting from significant government investment in connectivity and infrastructure on its central campus, which allow up to 10GB capacity.

4.2.5. Staff mobilityThere are many limitations on international mobility for academic staff in Cuban HEIs. Financial constraints and lack of access to hard currency mean that staff cannot attend conferences or engage in academic exchange visits. Except in the context of an international cooperation project or through foreign funding grants few HEIs have the ability to pay the costs of this kind of academic mobility. This is the reason for the MES emphasis on using international cooperation as principally a channel for opening up opportunities for staff mobility (see ).

The Country Team also noted the general lack of national mobility among academic staff: very few staff members, on gaining on gaining Masters or PhDs, move from their home university to take up vacant or new posts in other Cuban HEIs. Four factors inhibit this kind of transfer of skills and expertise around the national HEI network:

Cuban society is characterised by a strong sense of community and institutional loyalties and strong family ties to one’s place of birth, implicitly encouraged by government policies. Nonetheless, this has not prevented the drift of population from the provinces to the capital city, Havana;

Until very recently there has been little or no possibility for people to sell or buy houses, thus facilitating movement within Cuba, though this may be set to change 5;

Mobility within the academic hierarchy – from junior positions up through the ranks to more senior posts – is constrained across all HEIs under these circumstances; aging professors do not opt for retirement, so posts rarely become vacant;

Under existing governance structures and regulations it would be very hard for a Rector of a university to deliberately seek or identify a particular academic from another institution in a different province to take up a new or vacant post; something which is extremely common in most countries’ HE systems and which contributes to the renewal and refreshment of academic study and research within the system.

5 See for example http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/06/cubans-can-sell-homes-home-raul-fidel-castro


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/06/cubans-can-sell-homes-home-raul-fidel-castro

4.2.6. Potential for HEIs to develop income-generating initiatives/partnerships

HEIs in Cuba are financed entirely by the government and at present universities do not have any institutional mechanisms for fostering research or training associations with industries/enterprises for commercial or revenue-generating purposes, in the way that these kinds of links are encouraged in other countries. UCI, under the Ministry of Communications, is the exception in this case, as the university has been developing products and services for Cuban and Venezuelan clients (including for instance hospitals, government agencies etc). Though the UCI model of remuneration is not clear the university has in some way been receiving benefits from the services they have been offering. The model will undoubtedly be modified within the MES structure.

4.2.7. Transferring research into policy and practiceThe Country Team noted that HEIs all appear to have mechanisms to work with local stakeholders, in agriculture, energy and environmental conservation, for example, through provision of part-time distance and on site education and training in municipal campuses, and through full-time programmes of work-related social and community development.

However, what appeared to be missing in most of the HEIs visited (with the possible exception of CEEMA at UCF, UH and UNAH) was capacity and programmes to address the transfer of research findings, outputs and best practice to higher level policy-makers and planners within Cuban national and provincial government, enterprises and industry. Given that the main challenges in assuring food security are modernisation, diversification and increase of production, and the new national economic policy is to empower the private sector and decentralise the national economy, the need to improve human resource capacity and transfer management know-how at the highest levels would appear to a priority area for HEIs.

4.2.8. International profile of Cuban HEDespite quite a wide range of international donors and stakeholders in Cuban HE (see ), operating in the country for most of the last decade, the impact on human resource and research development in HEIs has not been great. The combined resources available for international cooperation projects in HE are not large (VLIR-UOS’s contribution through the IUC with UCLV and over a decade of OIs far outstrips that of any other single donor or country) and the scale of individual projects is normally quite small – between €20,000-€50,000. The impact has been weakened by the continued expansion of HE in numbers of institutions and campus locations.

Although Cuban HE and research are widely regarded as being of remarkably high quality considering the infrastructure and research facilities available in the country, Cuban HEIs do not score highly in terms of international published research outputs in the form of research articles and papers (see Table 2). Constraints are recognised as being language barriers (considering that international research dissemination channels are dominated by English language publications) among Cuban academics, relative lack of opportunities to collaborate in international research projects and teams, and limitations on Cuban internet connectivity which constrain academic and research access to information and research resources.


Table 2: SCOPUS abstract and citation database 2004-2009: ranking (number published articles) of some Cuban HEIs among 1200 Latin American and Caribbean universities6

HEI Ranking HEI Ranking

UH 55 UNAH 402

UCLV 137 UNHOLM 411

UO 183 UCI 422

UMCC 244 UCF 483

ISPJAE 248 UDG 514

UPR 369 UNISS 650

UNICA 387 UG 805

UC 401 ULT 810

4.2.9. Existing links and contacts with Flemish universitiesFlemish universities and individual academics have been engaged in collaboration and human resource development initiatives in Cuba since 1996. With the start of the UCLV IUC programme in 2003 the level of activity has significantly increased.

6 Extracted from La educacion superior en Cuba. Presentation by MES at the VLIR-UOS Seminar, Havana 17th October 2011


Table 3: Summary of existing Flemish cooperation in HE and research7

SUB-THEMES/AREAS

Regions Partners

CONTENT BASED THEMES

Food security & agriculture

Rural development and soil systems

Western Cuba - Pinar del Rio, Havana and Matanzas Province, Eastern Cuba

UNAH, UDG

Food production and food chain

Plant and animal sciences

Vila Clara, Sancti Spiritus

UCLV, UNICA, CIMAGT

Environment

Clean Technologies, Biofuels, Renewable and efficient energy

Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus

UCF, UNISS, ISPJAE

Climate Change,

Water and basic sanitation

Pinar del Rio/Havana Province

UNAH

Environmental issuesCienfuegos and Vila Clara

UCF, UCLV

Economic and social development, cultural issues

Cultural heritage - revitalization of botanical garden

Vila Clara UCLV

Health

HIV/Aids Havana and Cuba IPK

Pharmacology, drug testing , medicinal plants

Havana and Vila ClaraIFAL (UH), UCLV, CIDEM

Medical statistics Havana UH

SERVICE/SUPPORT BASED INSTITUTIONAL THEMES

Institutional strengthening

Research policy and culture (incl. statistics for research)

Havana and Vila Clara UH, UCLV

Educational policies (QA, accreditation, language and communication)

Vila Clara UCLV

7 From PDL’s presentation at National Seminar, 17th October, Havana


SUB-THEMES/AREAS

Regions Partners

Information culture and management

Library and information culture development

Santa Clara (+ national for library automation)

UCLV

ICT

ICT in education (E-learning & other)

Vila Clara (+ national for free software)

UCLV

Computer sciences & ICT infrastructure

Santa Clara UCLV

4.3. Strategic niches for VLIR-UOS

4.3.1. Regional focusThe Country Team was given the strong steer from government (MINCEX and MES) that the priority for development through future international cooperation should be among HEIs in the Eastern provinces of the country – that is, Camagüey, Las Tunas, Holguin, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo. Given also the highly collaborative nature of HE within Cuba, however, this regional focus on the East does not rule out the inclusion of strong specialist partners from among HEIs and research centres in other parts of Cuba in projects and cross-cutting programmes of cooperation with Flemish institutions.

The needs of HEIs in the Eastern region for greater internationalisation and human resource development through international cooperation programmes are evident even without the strong governmental steer. HEIs in Havana City and the (former) province of Havana are disproportionately advantaged in comparison with more distant institutions, in terms of many of the factors that attract international interest and engagement; for instance, transport and telecommunications infrastructure, links with Ministries and other government agencies in the capital.

4.3.2. ThemesAs HEIs in Cuba are required to focus their activities on the national development priorities (see Error:Reference source not found) the Country Team noted broad similarities in research and development priorities among the individual institutions visited, tempered by their specialist capacities and provincial location. Five themes for international cooperation in research and human resource capacity development were identified and validated during the visits to HEIs:

Food security and agricultural production

Environment

Public Health

Socio-cultural and tourism development


ICT and applications

There is considerable scope for multidisciplinary research approaches to these themes: Figure 5 shows potential synergies between the themes and sub-themes identified by the Country Team.

Flemish priorities and interests

Figure 6 (below) summarises the thematic priorities and research interests (and potential synergies between these) of those Flemish academics who expressed interest in working with Cuba and communicated with the Expert Team through interviews or correspondence. These interests were either based upon

existing or past OI projects with Cuba,

experience of working in the UCLV IUC programme,

contacts or collaboration with Cuban institutions outside of a VLIR-UOS context, or

no specific contacts with Cuba but interest in developing these based on research collaboration experience in other countries.


Figure 5: Identified research themes and sub-themes prioritised by Cuban HEIs

Public health

Preventive medicine

Community health

Epidemiology / ICT and health


Sustainable management of cultural heritage

Cultural tourism development and management

Environment

Impact of climate change

Soil and water systems

Clean technology and production

Clean and efficient energy

Coastal zone management

Food security and agricultural production

Food and livestock production

Veterinary sciences

Plant and animal biotechnology

Rural development and agricultural management


Artificial intelligence and computer sciences

Bioinformatics

ICT and education

As can be seen there is a good match between the identified strategic priorities of Cuban HEIs (Figure5) and the interests of Flemish academics as expressed thus far (Figure 6).

4.3.3. Transversal needs and opportunitiesThe Country Team also confirmed among the Cuban HEIs significant interest and need for action in three cross-cutting or transversal themes, in which the priority would be institutional capacity development rather than research, in transversal actions open to any Cuban HEI in the national network. Three themes were first identified through the activities and results of the UCLV IUC programme and validated during the mission:

1. ICT and applications

ICT Systems and administration

Statistics and bio-statistics

Learning platforms development

2. Language and communications

English language learning and communication


Figure 6: Summary of Flemish academic priority themes and research interests

Computer science

Bioinformatics, computer simulation, artificial intelligence

Cloud computing; electrical engineering; machine learning

Software engineering, databases, ontology

Public health

Microbiology: infectious diseases; new antibiotics

Pharmaceutical care, drug therapies

Virology, molecular biology, diagnostics

Medical biostatistics, epidemiology

Speech and voice disorders; acoustic tools for assessment and treatment

Biodiversity

Microbiology and ecophysiology, food security such as drought or salinity stressplants

Clean production in industry

Nematology: marine and plant-parasitic nematodes

Dairy cattle genetics

Drug discovery using anti-microbials

Culture and development

Rural, urban and regional development; food security and agroeconomics

Preventive conservation of built environment, community-based conservation models

Cultural identity in the humanities and social sciences

Urban architecture, city planning and conservation

Writing & presentation for academic purposes

3. Information management

Library & information services management

Access to research information and resources


VLIR-UOS and the Flemish universities and university colleges have built up significant experience and capacity to deliver transversal training programmes in ICT systems and administration aimed at institutional management and administrative personnel, both in Cuba, drawing on the experience of UCLV (see below), and in Flanders. Several Cuban HEIs have already benefited from training courses and advice delivered under the UCLV IUC programme.

Statistics and biostatistics capacity is an essential part of basic and advanced research knowledge among postgraduate students, independent of their scientific field. Capacity development in this area would build on existing experience among Flemish universities (particularly UHasselt) to provide training and independent learning opportunities for academic staff and teachers by students (building on the CROSS_STAT project) in a transversal action, as well as supporting the establishment of masters level courses within specific HEIs (possibly as part of an IUC partnership or departmental OI).

Most Cuban HEIs are developing administrative and academic services using institutional learning platforms (sometimes called virtual learning environments), mainly using open source applications such as Moodle. The extension and growth of distance education makes this a priority area for capacity development both in the development of customised learning platform applications and services and materials development. Transversal capacity development projects would ideally be aimed at systems developers as well as academic staff using the platforms for course delivery.

Language and communications

The UCLV IUC project 4A - Capacity building for communication in English for academic purposes in international collaboration – established the highly transferable model of CAELTIC. This could form the basis of both transversal actions such as training courses and independent learning opportunities open to all Cuban HEIs (in for example, writing and presentation for academic purposes), as well as institutional actions to develop English language and communication in-house capacity in modified versions of the UCLV CAELTIC (as part of an IUC programme or OI).

Information management

Cuban HEIs face many challenges in the maintenance and development of library services to their undergraduate and postgraduate communities. While VLIR-UOS support could not prioritise support to university library per se, Flemish universities have built up considerable expertise and experience in supporting improvement of library and information services through transversal initiatives (such as STIMIUC Training at VUB). In Cuba such actions should focus on training staff in library and information services management related to information and services for postgraduate and research students and staff, which might include (for example) ICT applications, information retrieval and database searching, information architecture and the development of digital libraries, information resource sharing within the HEI network, and the development and management of institutional repositories.

Access to research information and resources is also a great challenge for Cuban HEIs due to the low connectivity speeds experienced by most institutions, and the high subscription cost of key


international journals and information databases, and exacerbated in the case of some publications by the restrictions of the US embargo. Transversal activities in this area could include supporting library and information staff to improve their own knowledge and understanding of the range of potential sources (both subscription-based and toll-free or open access) in key scientific and technical areas, and in improving their support to academic staff and research students to become more efficient and effective in information search and retrieval using internet and database sources.

4.3.4. DomainsTable 4: Country Strategy Framework summarises the potential domains in which these themes and sub-themes could be pursued in a programme of VLIR-UOS supported cooperation. It also takes into account where the Flemish interests lie, as articulated in the North seminar on Cuba and subsequent interviews (see Annex 6 for the original country framework as proposed at the North seminar). There is potential for constructive and valuable cooperation at masters and PhD levels, though doctorate level should be considered the more important of these two, given the problems Cuban HEIs currently face in student mobility, the relative lack of professors with doctoral qualifications in many institutions.

There is also considerable potential for VLIR-UOS support to academic staff capacity development and updating – in relation, for example, to basic research methods using ICT such as statistical analysis, in laboratory methods and techniques, and in pedagogical approaches, particularly relating to distance education. This potential area of need could be addressed through either transversal and institutional programme or project interventions, such as training courses, opportunities for staff exchanges and placements in Flemish universities, etc.


Table 4: Country Strategy Framework

DOMAINS

THEMES EDUCATION RESEARCH EXTENSION MANAGEMENT

MAIN THEMES

SUB-THEMES /AREAS

Regions / Provinces

Possible partners

Masters

PHDShort courses

Multi- disciplinary research

Research output

Collaborative training

Community services

HRD

International networking and linkages

EFFECT


Food security & agricultural production

Food and livestock production

National

UNAH, UMCC, UCLV, UC, UDG

* * * * * *

THEMATIC CAPACITY

Veterinary sciences

National

UNAH, UMCC, UCLV, UC, UDG

* * * * *

Plant and animal biotechnology

National UNAH, UH, UMCC, UCLV,UNICA, UC, UO

* * *

Cuba Country Strategy and IUC Partner Identification Mission Report 33

DOMAINS


MAIN THEMES

SUB-THEMES /AREAS

Regions / Provinces

Possible partners

Masters

PHDShort courses


Research output


Community services

HRD


EFFECT

Rural development and agricultural management

National

UH, UNAH, UMCC, UCLV, UC, UDG, UO

* * * * *

Environment

Impact of climate change

Central and East

UO, UCF * * * *

THEMATIC CAPACITY

Soil and water systems

Havana, Central and East

UNAH, UC, UDG, UO

* * * * *

Clean technology and production


ISPJAE, UCF, UO

* * * * *

Clean and efficient

Central and

ISPJAE, UMCC,

* * * * *


DOMAINS


MAIN THEMES

SUB-THEMES /AREAS

Regions / Provinces

Possible partners

Masters

PHDShort courses


Research output


Community services

HRD


EFFECT

energy EastUCF, UNISS, UO

Coastal zone management

NationalUH, UO, UCF

* * * * *


Sustainable management of cultural heritage


UH, UO, UC, UCF, UMCC

* * * * *

THEMATIC CAPACITYCultural

tourism development and management


UH, UO, UC, UCF, UMCC

* * * *

Public health

Preventive medicine


IPK, UH, UO

* * * * * THEMATIC CAPACITY


DOMAINS


MAIN THEMES

SUB-THEMES /AREAS

Regions / Provinces

Possible partners

Masters

PHDShort courses


Research output


Community services

HRD


EFFECT

Community health

Central and East

IPK, UCLV

* * * * *

Epidemiology / ICT and health


IPK, UCLV

* * * *


Artificial intelligence and computer sciences


UH, ISPJAE, UCLV, UCI, UO

* * * *

THEMATIC CAPACITY

Bio-informatics

National UH, ISPJAE, UCLV, UO, UNAH, IPK, UNISS

* * * *


DOMAINS


MAIN THEMES

SUB-THEMES /AREAS

Regions / Provinces

Possible partners

Masters

PHDShort courses


Research output


Community services

HRD


EFFECT

ICT and education

Central and East

UCLV, UO * * * * *

TRANSVERSAL AND CROSS-CUTTING THEMES


ICT Systems and administration

Central and East

UCLV, ISPJAE, UO, UC, UCF, UDG

* * *SUPPORT, CAPACITY, ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

Statistics and bio-statistics

National UH, UCLV * * * *

Learning platforms development

National UCLV * * *

Language and communications

English language learning and communication

National UCLV, UO, UC, UCF, UDG

* * * * * SUPPORT, CAPACITY, ENABLING ENVIRON


DOMAINS


MAIN THEMES

SUB-THEMES /AREAS

Regions / Provinces

Possible partners

Masters

PHDShort courses


Research output


Community services

HRD


EFFECT

MENT

Writing & presentation for academic purposes

NationalUCLV, UO, UC, UCF, UDG

* * * * *

Information management

Library & information services management

Central and East

UCLV, UO, UC, UCF, UDG

* * * * SUPPORT, CAPACITY, ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

Access to research information and resources

Central and East

UCLV, UO, UC, UCF, UDG

* * * *

EFFECT

NEW PROGRAMMES, IMPROVED TEACHING QUALITY ETC.

RESEARCH CAPACITY, CULTURE, OUTPUT

EXTENSION CAPACITY, CULTURE, OUTPUT

VISION, STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES, PROCEDURES


4.3.5. Collaboration within networksThe MES has strongly emphasised the importance of academic networks within Cuba through which the benefits of international cooperation are shared between HEIs and national collaboration in research is encouraged (see Error: Reference source not found). The Country Team also strongly advocate a network strategy for VLIR-UOS support and Flemish cooperation with Cuban HEIs, building in particular on the strengths and achievements of the UCLV IUC programme in developing capacity and skills at UCLV itself, and the Flemish contacts with other institutions that have resulted.

UCLV as coordinator of network cooperation

MES supports a ‘Network University Cooperation Project’ through UCLV, and has made particular reference to such a role in ICT, leadership training, English language training and possibly other national network support. MES also wishes to see a strong national network developed around the issues of food security (see paragraph ).

UCLV has itself proposed a number of network service areas in which it could take a leading role (see Error: Reference source not found) and the Country Team experts fully endorse these proposals. A greater research coordination and support role for UCLV could also exist in the area of food security, offering biotechnology laboratory facilities and expertise to institutions in the Central and Eastern regions.

Whatever options are chosen or taken up, the principles that underlie the network coordination role must include:

Avoiding unnecessary duplication of investment on the part of VLIR-UOS, for example, in laboratory equipment where possibilities exist to share facilities already established at UCLV;

Building on the existing expertise of UCLV academic and other staff that have benefited from capacity development under the IUC programme, to extend these benefits to other institutions in key skills areas, such as laboratory management and technicians, ICT systems and administration;

Ensuring that UCLV itself is remunerated in an appropriate way for developing and delivering its services and support to ensure that its own capacity and ability to develop does not suffer.

4.3.6. Partnership modalities (portfolio of intervention types)Cuban HE offers Flemish partners an extremely wide and diverse range of research cooperation opportunities within the thematic priority areas (see Error: Reference source not found), and can ensure the availability of high quality and dedicated academic research staff and students in these areas, though research facilities and infrastructure are somewhat lacking. Cuban HE therefore has the potential to benefit from the fullest range of partnership and cooperation modalities.


Table 5: Summary of potential in various partnership modalities

Level Remarks

National/transversal

Because of culture and practice of national HE networking and sharing of capacity development and achievements, transversal programmes have great potential, particularly in the areas defined by the mission (). There is a slight risk that the need for and practice of skills transfer could overwhelm the Flemish and Cuban resources and capacity to deliver at the expense of more mutually important research cooperation projects, and this should be monitored closely.

Institutional but network based

The potential UCLV support network (see ) could offer a ‘menu’ of services and support to individual HEIs (both those involved directly in VLIR-UOS projects and others in the national network), which could be drawn on and remunerated appropriately through VLIR-UOS and / or MES modalities.

InstitutionalGiven the national priorities on regional development and subject focus, there is general consensus that only one institution among has the potential to develop and cooperate in a full IUC Programme.

Sub institutional

Among the MES HEIs there are several with highly effective and expert Faculties and research Centres that have considerable potential to develop joint research proposals with Flemish partners (some building on existing OIs) (see section 3). VLIR-UOS might consider reflecting this potential by balancing the overall country allocation in favour of slightly reducing the anticipated IUC programme allocation and thus providing an expanded allocation for individual joint research project proposals in a regional or country-wide competitive application process.

Individual (scholarships)

The MES has expressed interest in a national programme of scholarships in some key fields, to directly address the lack of student mobility among young academics and postgraduate students (see 4.2). These key fields and standards for qualification for awards should be selected very carefully – the national need is great and far outstrips VLIR-UOS resources.

4.3.7. Non-academic partners and stakeholdersWithin the thematic priority area of socio-cultural and tourism development (see Figure 5) there is considerable potential to collaborate with several non-academic partners in research projects that would directly impact on the lives of communities and enterprises: these potential partners and stakeholders include:

the OHCH and the national network of Oficinas Historiadores in the cities that are World Heritage Sites in Cuba (Old Havana, Trinidad, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba);


UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Havana, which has expertise in human resource development programmes and leveraging external funding to support its core programme areas such as the World Heritage network and culture and development.

4.3.8. Potential IUC partnersWithin the established government national development and geographical priorities, there is only one potential IUC partner in Cuba – the Universidad de Oriente in Santiago de Cuba (UO).

4.3.9. Contribution and opportunities for Flemish non-university HE institutions

Also within the thematic priority area of socio-cultural and tourism development (see Figure 5) there is potential for contributions from Flemish non-university HE institutions (for example, the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten, Artesis Hogeschool Antwerpen).

4.4. SWOT analysis of a VLIR-UOS strategy with CubaStrengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

Positive commitment and active cooperation of the MES in strategic planning, facilitating partnerships and problem-solving.

Centralised government systems of policy-making, planning and budgeting (including budget allocation) are bureaucratic and opaque.

Changes announced in the 2010 Communist Party Congress may open up the HE system to greater flexibility in budgeting and revenue-generation through service delivery and product development.

Change is a slow and relatively unpredictable process in Cuba.

Very poor national internet connectivity has and continues to constrain HE and research in many different ways.

As international research moves more and more to the digital and online modalities the gap between Cuban research capacity and knowledge base and that of other countries is widening

Cuban HE and research benefits from

Widening access to HE has weakened

A pool of expert and committed academics

Standards in basic education have slipped


many decades of high basic education standards and the HEI intake of students have been well-educated and dedicated to achieving educational and research goals

educational quality and put great strain on HE and research infrastructure, facilities and budgets.

are currently available and enthusiastic to develop joint research activities.

during the past decade and it may be difficult for Cuba to sustain educational quality throughout the system in the coming years.

The national HE and research networks coordinated by MES and individual HEIs, and the culture of collaboration; provide a strong framework for research and training cooperation and skills transfer.

The networks exist but actual operations and active sharing of capacity and resources is severely constrained by lack of connectivity, money and transport around the country. Outside of Havana these problems escalate.

VLIR-UOS can make a significant (but focused) contribution using these established networks.

There is a long history of effective research cooperation and scholarly exchange between HEIs in Cuba and Flemish institutions.

The success of the UCLV IU Programme and the extensive contacts and links already fostered with Cuban academics in the Eastern region of the country through the UCLV projects provide a good basis for new initiatives and collaborative networking.


5.Lessons LearnedFrom the Cuba mission a number of lessons emerged about the organisation and implementation of the VLIR-UOS Country Strategy Formulation process.

5.1. Strong national expertsThe need for a strong and experienced national expert in the organisation and implementation of the country mission is evident from the Cuba experience. The Cuba mission benefited greatly from the knowledge and in-country contacts of the National Expert, particularly in establishing good links with government, deciding on priorities for the visits and providing informed local context and background to the rest of the Country Team.

In Cuba the MES provided excellent support to organisation and facilitation of the mission, but not all Country Strategy teams will be so well-supported by central government agencies, making the choice of National Expert even more important.

5.2. Lack of experience in strategic planning among HEIsThe VLIR-UOS requests the completion in English of a factsheet in advance of the country mission from every potential partner or collaborating HEI (see Annex 5). In Cuba none of these were completed in advance and most institutions found it a challenge to pull information together and summarise their institutional priorities and strategies in this format. Indeed, it became clear from several of the visits that strategic thinking and putting forward clear, relevant priorities for development are not generally strengths in the HEIs. Many VLIR-UOS IUC partnerships have encountered this shortcoming in other countries.

It is more realistic for VLIR-UOS to assume that few HEIs will provide satisfactorily completed factsheets in advance of the country mission, and that they are unlikely therefore to contribute greatly to the planning and execution of institutional visits. On the contrary, the completion of the factsheets is likely to be the subject of much negotiation and discussion between the National Expert and the HEIs during and after the mission has ended.

These factsheets are important summaries which will be valuable to Flemish institutions in planning and decision-making once the Country Strategy is agreed. It is more important that they are completed well and comprehensively than that the information is provided early to inform the mission visits.

5.3. The length of the missionThe Cuba mission allowed about eight days for institutional visits by the Country Team to HEIs and other potential programme stakeholders (not including protocol visits to Ministries and other government and international donor agencies). In Cuba, where there are many good universities, this


was hardly enough. At least one full day should be dedicated to each HEI, if not more, where campuses and research institutions are widely separated. A one-day visit would allow Country Teams to assess infrastructure and facilities, and give a better opportunity to the HEI to put their own case more effectively. In some countries this may imply visiting fewer HEIs or being in country for longer than initially planned.


Annex 1: Programme outline1 Members of the Country Team

Julie Carpenter, Expert in international cooperation

Carlos Alberto Vigil Taquechel, National Expert

Prof. Marc Nyssen, Member of the Bureau UOS

Mr. P. De Lannoy, South Coordinator VLIR-UOS and desk officer for the Cuba Identification

2. Travel schedule

Saturday 8 October, 2011

Time Activity Participants Location

All day long

Travel to Cuba, from Porto to Havana via Madrid. Carlos Alberto Vigil Taquechel (CAVT)

Tuesday 11 October, 2011


09h30 – 11h30

Meeting at the Ministry of Higher Education (MES) with Maria Victoria Villavicencio [Director of International Relations Division of the MES], Raul Hernandez Perez [Head of the Department of Cooperation at the International Relations Division of the MES] and Eliana Veliz [Specialist in charge of the cooperation with Belgium at the MES] to analyse the programme of the mission and define specific tasks.

CAVT MES, Havana

Thursday 13 October, 2011


09h00 – 10h30

Working meeting with Nelson Coda Eguis [Specialist in charge of interuniversity cooperation] at the representation in Cuba of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID).

CAVT AECID, Havana

14h30 – 16h00

Meeting at the MES with Maria Victoria Villavicencio [Director of International Relations Division of the MES], Raul Hernandez Perez [Head of the Department of Cooperation at the International Relations Division of the MES] and Eliana Veliz [Specialist in charge of the

CAVT MES, Havana



cooperation with Belgium at the MES]

Travel to Cuba, from London to Havana via Madrid.

Julie Carpenter (JC)

Travel to Cuba, from Brussels to Havana via Madrid.

Peter De Lannoy (PDL)

Friday 14 October, 2011


09h00 Working meeting with a group of Directors from different divisions (Science & Technology, Postgraduate Studies and International Relations) of the MES as well as representatives from other divisions such as the National Accreditation Board and the National Committee for Scientific Degrees.

JC, PDL & CAVT MES, Havana

11h30 Working meeting with Carmen Campillo [Specialist in charge of the cooperation with Belgium] at the Ministry for Foreign Trade, Investment and Cooperation (MINCEX).

JC, PDL & CAVT MES, Havana

13h00 Lunch with Koenraad Adam, Belgian Ambassador.

JC, PDL & CAVT Ambassador’s residence

14h30 Working meeting with Anne-Sophie Houée and Marie Augouy, attachés at the UE Delegation.

JC, PDL & CAVT EU Delegation, Havana

Travel to Cuba, from Brussels to Havana via Paris.

Marc Nyssen (MN)



09h00 Travel to the Province of Matanzas All team members Havana - Matanzas

10h30 -13h00

Working visit to the Universidad de Matanzas (UMCC), meeting with the Administrative Board of the University.

All team members UMCC,

Matanzas


Sunday 16 October, 2011


09h00 Working team meeting in preparation for the National Seminar.

All team members National Hotel, Havana

Monday 17 October, 2011


09h00 – 16h30

National Seminar with the participation of a wide range of Cuban stakeholders.


18h30 – 20h00

Cocktail party hosted by the Belgian Ambassador for all participants in the National Seminar

All team members Ambassador’s residence, Havana



06h30 Travel to the Province of Camaguey All team members Havana - Camaguey

13h30 -18h00

Working visit to the Universidad de Camaguey (UC), meeting with the Administrative Board of the University.

All team members UC, Camaguey

Wednesday 19 October, 2011


06h30 Travel to the Province of Santiago de Cuba All team members Camaguey – Santiago de Cuba

14h00 -19h00

Working visit to the Universidad de Oriente (UO), meeting with the Administrative Board of the University headed by its rector, Martha del Carmen Mesa Valenciano.

All team members UO,

Santiago de Cuba

Thursday 20 October, 2011


08h30 -12h30

Continuation of the working visit to the Universidad de Oriente (UP).

All team members UO,

Santiago de Cuba

13h30 Travel to the Province of Granma All team members Santiago de Cuba - Granma


15h00 -19h30

Working visit to the Universidad de Granma (UDG), meeting with the Administrative Board of the University.

All team members UDG,

Granma



07h30 Travel to the Province of Villa Clara All team members Granma – Villa Clara

14h00 -19h00

Working visit to the Universidad Central de Las Villas (UCLV), meeting with the Administrative Board of the University headed by its rector Jose Ramon Saborido Loidi.

All team members UCLV,

Villa Clara



07h30 Travel to the Province of Cienfuegos All team members Villa Clara - Cienfuegos

09h30 -13h00

Working visit to the Universidad de Cienfuegos (UCF), meeting with the Rector, Juan B. Cogollos Martinez, and some members of the Administrative Board of the University.

All team members UCF,

Cienfuegos

13h00 Return to Havana All team members Cienfuegos - Havana

Sunday 23 October, 2011


09h00 Working team for the assessment of the results and the achievement of the mission during the first period.


11h00 Working meeting with Barbara Pesce-Monteiro, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

All team members UNDP Residence

13h00 Working lunch with the First Vice Minister MES, Rodolfo Alarcon Ortiz


Monday 24 October, 2011



08h30 Working visit to the Universidad de La Habana (UH), meeting with the Vice Rector, Cristina Isabel Díaz López, and members of the International Relations Office as well as some project coordinators.

All team members UH, Havana

10h30 Working visit to the Instituto Superior Jose Antonio Echeverria (ISPJAE), meeting with the Vice Rector, Orestes Llanes Santiago, and members of the International Relations Office as well as some project coordinators.

All team members ISPJAE, Havana

14h00 Working visit to the Universidad de Ciencias Informaticas (UCI), meeting with the Vice Rector, Angel Vega, and staff of International Relations Office.

All team members UCI, Havana

20h00 Departure of Peter De Lannoy PDL & CAVT



08h00 Meeting with the Belgian Ambassador to brief on the results and achievements of the mission.

MN Ambassador’s residence, Havana

08h30 Working visit to the Universidad Agraria de La Habana (UNAH) and the National Centre for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA). Meeting with the Rector, Maria Irene Balbín Arias, and members of the International Relations Office as well as some project coordinators and representatives from the National Research Centres of this scientific agricultural pole.

JC & CAVT UNAH, Mayabeque

11h30 Working visit to the Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana, meeting with Vivian Cabrera Perez, Specialist of the International Cooperation Office.

JC & CAVT UH, Havana

14h00 Working meeting with Fernando Brugman Alvarez de Toledo, Programme Specialist and Culture Team Coordinator of the Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean of the UNESCO.

JC, MN & CAVT UNESCO Office, Havana

18h00 Departure of Marc Nyssen MN & CAVT Havana


Wednesday 26 October, 2011


10h00 -16h00

Experts meeting to analyse the documents, make a first assessment of the mission and define the basis of the report.

JC & CAVT National Hotel, Havana

20h00 Departure of Julie Carpenter. JC & CAVT Havana



20h00 Departure of Carlos Alberto Vigil Taquechel. CAVT Havana


Annex 2: Main stakeholders and contacts

Full Name PositionInstitution

EmailSeminar

Meeting

Nelson CodaSpecialist in charge of interuniversity cooperation

AECID [email protected] X

Dr. Tania Rivas Quintero

Director of the International Relations

CENSA [email protected] X X

Silvia Hernandez

International Relations Office

CENSA [email protected] X X

Dr. Oscar Valiente


CIM [email protected] X

Osvaldo Ruiz Crego


CITMA X

Koenraad Adam AmbassadorBelgian Embassy

[email protected] X X

Marina OgierCooperation and Culture

Belgian Embassy

[email protected] X X

Marieta Martinez Lavin MSc.


ICA [email protected] X

Dr. José María Ameneiros Martinez


ISPJAE [email protected] X X

Dr. Leonardo Goyo Perez

Academic. Project Coordinator

ISPJAE [email protected] X X

Dr. Heidi TrujilloProject Officer of the International Relations Office

ISPJAE [email protected] X

Dr. Tania Rodriguez Moliner


ISPJAE X X


mailto:[email protected]











EmailSeminar

Meeting

Dr. Royer Sierens

Belgian Promoter ISPJAE [email protected] X

Dr. Orestes Llanes Santiago

Vice-rector ISPJAE [email protected] X

Dr. Francisco Lee Tenorio

Director of the Informatics Division

MES [email protected] X X

Dr. José Luis Garcia Cuevas

Director of the Division for Science and Technology


Dr. Julio Castro Lamas

Director of the Division for Postgraduate Studies


Dr. Ricardo Fundora

Coordinator of the Project Office of the International Relations Division


Dr. Rodolfo Alarcón Ortiz

First Vice Minister MES alarcó[email protected] X

Dr. Nora Espí Lacomba

Director of the National Accreditation Board

MES [email protected] X

Eliana VelizSpecialist in charge of the Belgian Cooperation


María V. Villavicencio MSc

Director of the International Relations Division


Raúl Hernandez Perez

Head of the Department of International Cooperation


Dr. Carlos Peniche Covas

Secretary of the National Commission for Scientific Degrees

MES [email protected] X

Carmen Campillo

Specialist in charge of the Belgian

MINCEX [email protected] X X











EmailSeminar

Meeting

Cooperation

Vivian Cabrera Perez

International Cooperation Office

[email protected]

X

Bárbara Pesce-Monteiro

United Nations Resident Coordinator

[email protected]

X

Dr. Santiago Lajes

Rector UC [email protected] X

Ernesto Perez Cerezález MSc.


[email protected]

X X

Dr. Hilda Oquendo Ferrer

Vice-rector UC [email protected] X

Adrian E. Cancino Gutiérrez MSc.

Director of the Centre for Information Management

UC [email protected] X

Dr. María Elena Betancourt Garcia

Director of the Study Centre for Tourism

[email protected]

X

Dr. Juan B. Cogollos Martinez

Rector UCF [email protected] X X

Dr. Juan José Cabello Eras


UCF [email protected] X X

Dr. Mario Alvarez Guerra


UCF [email protected] X

Dr. Lourdes Teresita Pomares Castelón


UCF [email protected] X X

Dr. Anibal Borroto Nordelo

Study Centre for Energy and Environment

UCF [email protected] X













EmailSeminar

Meeting

Dr. Beatriz Aragón Fernandez


UCI [email protected] X X

Dr. Ivonne Collada Peña

Dean UCI [email protected] X X

Dr. Angel Vega Garcia

Vice-rector UCI [email protected] X

Dr. Angel Rubio Vice-rector UCLV [email protected] X X

Dr. José Ramón Saborido Loidi

Rector UCLV [email protected] X

Dr. Luis Hernandez Santana

IUC Programme Coordinator

UCLV [email protected] X X

Dr. Roberto Vicente Rodriguez

Dean UCLV [email protected] X

Dr. Alina Montero


UCLV [email protected] X X

Dr. Eduardo Garbey


UCMH [email protected] X

Dr. Raúl Carlos Lopez Sanchez


UDG [email protected] X X

Ana Velia Dominguez León



Sergio Rodriguez



Dr. Quirino Arias Cedeño

Rector UDG [email protected] X

Anne-Sophie Houée

Higher Education and Regional Programmes EU-AL

[email protected]

X















EmailSeminar

Meeting

Marie Augouy Attaché [email protected]

X

Dr. Carlos VallinAcademic. Project Coordinator

UH [email protected] X X

Dr. Ricardo Seco Hernandez


UH X

Dr. Cristina Isabel Diaz Lopez

Vice-rector UH [email protected] X

Marianela Constanten

Head of Projects of the International Relations Office

UH [email protected] X X

Dr. Vivian Sistach


UH X

Dr. Roberto Gonzalez Sousa


UH [email protected] X

Dr. Roberto Vizcón Toledo

Vice-rector UMCC [email protected] X

Jorge Alpizar Muní


UMCC [email protected] X X

Miguel Sarraff Gonzalez

Rector UMCC [email protected] X

Dr. Mabelin Armenteros Amaya


UNAH [email protected] X X

Dr. Maria Elena Ruiz


UNAH [email protected] X X

Dr. Maria Irene Balbín Arias

Rector UNAH [email protected] X

Dr. Adianez Taboada Zamora

Vice-rector UNAH [email protected] X











EmailSeminar

Meeting

Herman van Hooff

Director UNESCO [email protected] X

Fernando Brugman

Programme Specialist and Culture Team Coordinator

UNESCO [email protected] X

Miguel LlivinaEducation Programme Officer

UNESCO [email protected] X X

Dr. Osvaldo Romero Romero


[email protected]

X

Dr. Osmaira Mendez Hernandez


UNISS [email protected] X

Dr. Martha Mesa Valenciano

Rector [email protected]

X

Luisa Villafruela Loperena MSc.


UO [email protected] X X

Dr. Liliana Gomez Luna

Head of Science and Technology

UO [email protected] X










Annex 3: Cuba strategy summary status report

1. VLIR-UOS country strategy formulation processOn behalf of the Flemish HE institutes, VLIR-UOS manages a government funded programme directed at partnerships in the context of university cooperation for development. Currently, VLIR-UOS is in the process of formulating strategies for 20 partner countries. Country strategies are policy documents that will guide funding decisions of VLIR-UOS and allow for strategic impact based on programme coherence and contextual relevance. The Cuba strategy will be finalised by the end of 2011, and serve as a reference for a 2013-2018 strategic programme based on a 2012 call for proposals.

VLIR-UOS funds partnerships of willing academics (Flemish academics offer their time on a voluntary basis) on themes that are developmentally relevant and result from a shared interest. Interventions may be in the form of scholarships are projects at institutional or sub-institutional level. Capacity development aimed at furthering the ability of HE institutions to serve as actors in development, is at the centre of the VLIR-UOS programme.

In the past months, the Flemish areas of interest in working with Cuba have been captured (supply side). The planned identification mission, is meant to identify the needs (demand side) and identify (thematic, regional, institutional) the space and opportunities for both to match. Need identification will be done through visits to pre-selected HE institutions, authorities and other stakeholders. In addition, the hosting of a local seminar will allow for further inputs and discussions.

2. Desk studyThe preparatory work consisted of a survey of Northern and Southern institutions and a desk study of various Cuban and international (policy) documents. Among other, The Ministry of Higher Education (MES) –international cooperation department (DCI), the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation and investment (MINCEX) were contacted, as also a number of Cuban partner institutions. Also, VLIR-UOS could draw on the findings obtained during 2010 monitoring missions (Universidad 2010, IUC UCLV follow-up mission) on the occasion of which various stakeholders,


SUPPLY

STRATEGIC NICHE FOR

PROGRAMMING

NEEDS

including MINCEX and MES-DCI were visited. In addition, a “Country Day” was organised in the context of an UCLV steering committee meeting in Brussels in June 2011 during which country-level discussions were held with representatives of the Cuban Embassy in Brussels. Early September 2011, further contact on the country strategy identification process was made with the Cuban Embassy in Brussels, the Belgian Ambassador in Cuba, representatives of EU DEVCO – Latin America and of the EU delegation in Havana. For Cuba, Belgium and in particular VLIR-UOS is the lead agent in terms of aid for higher education.

All the information collected, including the results of a survey among academic stakeholders in Flanders resulted in a draft Cuba Fact Sheet, including thematic/geographical overviews of present VLIR-UOS cooperation as compared to national and HE priorities. This document, as well as further information on the preparatory work can be found on the Cuba webpage.

3. Cuba seminar in Belgium

3.1. Overall context and introductionSome 45 participants representing a variety of different actors, attended the seminar. During the opening session and subsequent discussion, and among other, the following topics were covered:

The EU provides numerous opportunities for academic cooperation that are currently underutilised by Cuba, in part because at some stage this was discouraged by the Cuban authorities. Also, the need to involve Cuban institutes in a consortium makes a linkage to bilateral partnerships more difficult;

Experience to date has shown that partnerships with Cuban HE institutes are rewarding in developmental terms (motivation, dissemination through authorities, making a difference) provided prior investments in infrastructure and human resources are done. Also sustainability is a challenge in view of limited hard currency;

Joint Ph.D. programmes offer opportunities for academic return, language, access to information and communication facilities are limiting (transversal) factors.

Big national impact of VLIR-UOS in Cuba; VLIR-UOS most important external donor in Cuba as to higher education.

3.2. Issues taken up in the various discussionsDuring the group discussions the participants were asked to report on their experiences in working with Cuba and to point out opportunities for future cooperation.

Part of the discussions dealt with generic needs and opportunities for transversal support issues in the domains of English language, ICT in education, access to information etc. In general, the need to ensure that all clearances are obtained prior to the start of a project in Cuba was very much underlined. In this respect, a number of crosscutting concerns were put forward as the state of ICT facilities for hardware or software applications, administrative burdens (procurement, mobility), etc. Content wise, linkages to the bio-tech valley in Havana could be appealing to all.


In terms of content, the presented strategic framework of VLIR-UOS expertise in Cuba on the basis of current findings was largely endorsed. A variety of broad overarching multidisciplinary themes are covered in the Flemish cooperation with Cuba, but it is clear that Flanders could offer expertise that would seem to match the developmental needs of Cuba. A number of themes were put forward during the discussions, as there are: food security and agriculture (including rural development, plant & animal sciences), environment (incl. environmental management, drugs discovery/medicinal plants, biofuels & clean and efficient technologies, energy) cultural and human development (cultural heritage, language and culture, city conservation and planning, human settlements), health (collaborations with ITG; biomedics and statistics), and computer sciences and ICT in education.

As elsewhere, the choice to invest in already established institutes or rather start from the basics in less developed institutes is a fundamental one. The latter is increasingly difficult given the output pressure on young academics. This choice could be avoided by utilising former partner institutions and stronger academic centres as hubs to reach out to weaker ones. In regional terms, this could involve using UCLV and other institutions to reach out to potential new partners and in particular to the Eastern part of the country, thereby complying with the national policy.

In terms of intervention strategy, it was also expressed that a country strategy for Cuba should include a wide portfolio with a mix of interventions going from national theme-based initiatives, opportunities for classical departmental/thematic initiatives and potential for institutional university cooperation with a limited number of partners should also be investigated. While Flemish university colleges have more practical expertise to offer, calls should remain open to all actors.

As for the national initiatives, further elaboration on the earlier mentioned ‘hub/platform’ function would be needed so that a framework for national initiatives (hub/twining/networks) could be put in place. The suggestion was made that these would need to be limited to a number of clearly defined thematic lines. In terms of IUC approach, the focus should be on ‘making a difference’. This can more easily be done in regionally embedded and sub-top universities that host sufficient expertise to be academically rewarding.

The list of South/North of partner institutions with sufficient cooperation potential was also discussed during the group sessions and were largely endorsed by the group. The visit programme for the missions will need some further elaboration, but it is clear that a visit to the East and a number of medium-sized universities in the Central areas would be advisable. In this also the Cuban side would have an important say.

Dissemination to end users (private actors) deserves more attention but is easier to achieve in research institutes.

3.3. Conlusions A close involvement of the Cuban authorities from the outset is important to ensure that

administrative processes and authorisations are obtained and streamlined prior to commencing partnerships;

A hub approach with focus on specific thematic lines, and a renewed attention for the East of the country could form part of a possible strategy and deserve further exploration. Theme wise, the VLIR-UOS domains comply with national priorities;


Further interaction with other players (EU, Spanish cooperation) is required in order to ensure that capacity is built efficiently;

The matrix summarizing areas of interest of Flemish academics, is validated as was the list op partner institutions with strong cooperation potential;

A specific justification for university cooperation for development with Cuba will have to be provided for, given the fact that Cuba is not among the DGD partner countries;

Input will also be asked from the Belgian ambassador in Cuba, who has always been supporting university cooperation for development with Cuba, including facilitating linkages with other interested parties, such as firms, etc.

4. Report on interviews of stakeholdersOut of 94 representatives of universities and stakeholders approached, 23 were actually interviewed, the majority representing Flemish HE institutions. On the whole, the following 4 broad and inter-disciplinary subject areas surfaced: Biodiversity, Public Health, Computer Sciences and Social Sciences – Culture and Development.

There are clear synergies between these four thematic areas: in particular Biodiversity and Public Health. Computer Sciences could have applications in several different thematic fields, such as Public Health (acoustic tools for speech and voice disorders). Culture and Development could be closely aligned to rural development themes such as agroeconomics.

4.1. Four thematic areasThe Biodiversity and Public Health thematic areas are well-developed in terms of pre-existing contacts and collaboration with Cuban partners, dominated by UCLV and a number of national institutions, particularly IPK, and in terms of considerable synergies between the different interests of Flemish institutions and a close knowledge of what colleagues are doing in particular fields.

Biostatistics and bioinformatics emerges (led by UHasselt) as a potential cross-cutting theme with significance for all the medical and life sciences research interests, and which could draw on the previous experience of in setting up successful Masters course in other IUC programmes.

Equally Computer Sciences has potential to develop a number of different applied research areas, relating to life sciences, modelling, diagnostic and remedial tools. It was mentioned that there are important synergies between Computer science research and ICT systems development (institutional strengthening) within an IUC – obvious areas are education (setting up Masters Courses) and applied tools.

The social sciences/culture and development theme is a new one for Cuba and the interested Flemish academics lack significant experience in Cuba though they have a number of relevant contacts there in academic institutions and city councils. Nonetheless, there may be scope for developing this theme within a rural development context, particularly considering the recent investment priorities in Cuba of AECID and UNESCO (to be explored).


4.2. Cross-cutting themesLanguage and Communication based on the UCLV IUC Project, and ICT systems set-up and support within an institution must be seen as institutional strengthening and cross-cutting themes. In the case of the former, UCLV could provide a model to roll out into any significant new partnership, perhaps coordinated and partly resourced by UCLV. In the case of ICT, it was agreed that significant support in both development and ongoing technical assistance would be almost impossible to resource solely from among Flemish partner institutions, and that other solutions would need to be sought. These could include

Using UCLV as a ‘hub’

Out-sourcing: internationally and in Cuba.

5. Prevailing themes, trends and issuesIn terms of subject areas/themes, the following clusters of Flemish interest have been identified: (1) Biodiversity, (2) Public Health, (3) Computer Sciences, (4) Culture and Development. All of these themes can also be closely aligned with regional priorities (more attention for the East of Cuba) and to rural development. Language& communication, ICT and statistics come forward as clear transversal support areas where a more crosscutting approach, in some cases using UCLV or other institutions as a ‘hub’ could be an opportunity.

Among other, the following are issues that the identification mission is expected to clarify:

1. The strategy for higher education in Cuba considering the financial situation of the Cuban state;

2. The impact of the embargo and limitations for certain research oriented projects;

3. Limitations in terms of student and staff mobility;

4. The policy in terms of postgraduate and doctoral programmes;

5. Governance and sustainability at public universities, also in view of the internal audit reports of the Cuban higher education institutes. Findings may guide VLIR-UOS in terms of working with higher education institutes in Cuba;

6. The interest and feasibility of UCLV and other institutions to act as a hub for certain research domains or transversal network initiatives;

7. The manner in which VLIR-UOS could/should complement its strategy with interventions of AECID and the EU;

8. The potential and feasibility of ICT, language and statistics as transversal support programme;

9. The portfolio composition that would be most suitable in view of the HE context and current linkages with Flemish HE institutes.


6. Indicative mission programmeThe identification mission will be conducted from 13 till 26 October 2011, with the local seminar taking place on Monday 17 October 2011.

During the mission, the following HE institutions and Research Centres will be visited.

1. Universidad de Oriente (UO)

2. Universidad de Granma (UDG)

3. Universidad de Camagüey (UC)

4. Universidad Central de Las Villas (UCLV)

5. Universidad de Cienfuegos (UCF)

6. Universidad de Matanzas (UMCC)

7. Universidad Agraria de La Habana (UNAH)

8. Universidad de La Habana (UH)

9. Instituto Superior Politécnico José A. Echeverría (ISPJAE)

10. Universidad de Ciencias Informáticas (UCI)

11. Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri (IPK)

The following HE institutions and Research Centres will be contacted in preparation and during the mission. They will also be invited for the Country Seminar:

12. Universidad de Holguín (UHO)

13. Universidad de Ciego de Ávila (UNICA)

14. Universidad de Sancti Spíritus (UNISS)

15. Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (CENSA)

16. Instituto de Ciencia Animal (ICA)

17. Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Agrícolas (INCA)

18. Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de La Habana (UCMH)

19. Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA)

20. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas (CNIC)

21. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología (CIGB)

22. Centro de Inmunología Molecular (CIM)

23. Centro de Investigación para el Mejoramiento Animal de la Ganadería Tropical (CIMAGT)

Also, contact will be made with selected line ministries who will also be invited at the local seminar:

1. Ministerio de Comercio Exterior, Inversión Extranjera y Cooperación (MINCEX)

2. Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente (CITMA)

3. Ministerio de Salud Pública (MINSAP)


4. Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana

The following international institutions will be visited/contacted/invited at the local seminar:

5. UNESCO

6. UNDP

7. Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional al Desarrollo (AECID)

8. FAO

9. Delegatie van de EU

In addition, the Belgian Ambassador is providing his full support to the organisation of the mission and will be an important stakeholder during the local seminar. Finally, to the extent possible, other stakeholders (donors, civil society etc.) will be consulted.

7. Further information and contactsUnderneath please find the Cuba team composition and contacts.

Position Name Contact

International expert Miss. Julie Carpenter [email protected]

Local expertMr. Carlos Alberto Vigil Taquechel [email protected]

VLIR-UOS Board member Prof. Marc Nyssen [email protected]

VLIR-UOS South Coordinator and Desk officer for

Cuba Mr. Peter De Lannoy [email protected]




Annex 4: Local seminar report (participants, programme)

VLIR-UOS Strategy formulation process: Cuba seminar 17 October 2011, Havana, Cuba

Programme

08h40 Welcome.Maria Victoria Villavicencio, Director of the Division for International Relations of the Ministry of Higher Education.Koenraad Adam, Belgian Ambassador to Cuba.Prof. Marc Nyssen, VLIR-UOS board member.

09h00 VLIR–UOS university cooperation for development and the new country strategy approach.Mr. Peter De Lannoy, Coordinator South of VLIR-UOS.

09h25 The International Cooperation Policy and strategic priorities of Cuban Higher Education. Priorities and strategic opportunities for cooperation with European partners, in particular with the Flemish universities and higher education institutes.Dr. José Luis Garcia Cuevas, Director of the Division for Science and Technology of the Ministry of Higher Education.

09h45 Questions and answers session, chaired by Mrs. Maria Victoria Villavicencio, Director of the Division for International Relations of the Ministry of Higher Education.

10h00 Coffee Break.

10h20 VLIR-UOS institutional university cooperation (IUC) with Universidad Central de Las Villas, Cuba. Main results and lessons learned in view of future opportunities of Cooperation between Flemish and Cuban universities.Prof. Angel Rubio Gonzalez, Vice Rector of UCLV.

10h40 Opportunities for cooperation identified with Flemish academic stakeholders.

Mrs. Julie Carpenter, International expert.

11h00 Group sessions 1 - Generic needs in Cuban HE that could be addressed by interuniversity cooperation. (2 groups).Group 1: Capacity Building, chaired by Julie Carpenter, International consultant.

Group 2: The internationalisation of the Higher Education Institutions, chaired by Carlos A. Vigil Taquechel, International consultant.

12h00 Group reports, chaired by Peter De Lannoy, Coordinator South of VLIR-UOS.


12h30 Lunch

14h00 Group sessions 2 – priorities in terms of thematic interventions and issues that receive particular attention (3 groups).Group 1: Thematic focus: Food security and environment, chaired by Peter De Lannoy, Coordinator South of VLIR-UOS.Group 2: Thematic focus: improvement of the quality of life and public health, chaired by Prof. Marc Nyssen, VLIR-UOS board member.

Group 3: Thematic focus: Social Sciences and Cultural Development, chaired by Julie Carpenter, International consultant.

15h15 Coffee Break.

15h45 Group reports and plenary discussion session, chaired by Raul Hernandez Perez, Head of International Collaboration at the Division for International Relations of the Ministry of Higher Education.

16h30 Closing session.Prof. Marc Nyssen, VLIR-UOS board member.Dr. Julio Castro Lamas, Director of the Division for Postgraduate Studies of the Ministry of Higher Education.

Participants

47 participants representing a wide range of Cuban institutions attended the seminar. The institutions represented were as follows:

Representing the Higher Education Institutions and Research Centres of the MES:

Universidad de Oriente (UO)

Universidad de Granma (UDG)

Universidad de Camagüey (UC)

Universidad Central de Las Villas (UCLV)

Universidad de Cienfuegos (UCF)

Universidad de Matanzas (UMCC)

Universidad Agraria de La Habana (UNAH)

Universidad de La Habana (UH)

Instituto Superior Politécnico José A. Echeverría (ISPJAE)

Universidad de Sancti Spíritus (UNISS)

Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (CENSA)

Instituto de Ciencia Animal (ICA)

Representing the Higher Education Institutions and Research Centres of other ministries

Universidad de Ciencias Informáticas (UCI)

Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de La Habana (UCMH)


Centro de Inmunología Molecular (CIM)

Representing governmental bodies or international organisations

Ministerio de Educación Superior (MES)

Ministerio de Comercio Exterior, Inversión Extranjera y Cooperación (MINCEX)

Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente (CITMA)

UNESCO

Embajada de Bélgica

The full list of seminar participants is given in Annex 2.

Seminar overview. Main findings

Four introductory presentations were made in order to facilitate the debate. Presentations were focused on the definition of the context of a new strategy of the VLIR-UOS for Cuba and the different project modalities, the setting up of the thematic priorities defined by the MES for the cooperation with Flemish institutions, the sharing of experience, results and good practice resulting from the implementation of the IUC Programme in the UCLV as well as introduction of the potential thematic cooperation niches based on interests already identified by the experts during meetings with Flemish academics.

A first round of group sessions was developed for analysing generic needs. For this exercise two groups were created. The main findings of this exercise were:

Group 1- Capacity building in Cuban Higher Education.

Strengths

The higher education system ensures a good cooperation among the universities.

There are some well-structured research networks.

The PhD Programmes are mainly focused on priority areas of the country.

There are scientific poles and research centres working in close collaboration with universities.

High quality of the academic and researchers staffs.

Weaknesses

Several logistics and technology infrastructure problems (ICT, laboratories, equipments, transportation, communications, buildings and other facilities).

Limited access to databases and updated scientific bibliography.

Lack of culture on information management.

Problems of training in foreign languages, especially English.

Low participation in international scientific events.

Limited resources to the development of post-doctoral training.

Complexity of the process for the approval of joint PhDs.

Opportunities (in terms of cooperation with Flanders)


Possibility of increasing the mobility of academics and scientists.

Possibility of improving the training of human resources, especially younger academics.

Opportunity for improving the scientific production.

Opportunity for integration of joint research and training in priority areas (joint PhDs).

Financing for the improvement of the infrastructures.

Possibility of working together in applications of great economic impact.

Group 2- The internationalisation of the Cuban Higher Education.

Strengths

Experience of the Cuban Higher Education System and its universities in the implementation of international cooperation actions.

Appropriate system of international partnerships with universities and research centres of all over the world.

The existence of strategic guidelines for the implementation of international cooperation actions.

International prestige and reputation of the Cuban Higher Education.

Appropriate and transparent use of the financial means.

Weaknesses

The participation of Cuban academics in international networks, projects and events is still limited.

Higher education is not a priority within the international cooperation strategy of the country.

Lack of culture on international cooperation and project management.

Lack of specialized training of the international relations teams of the universities to carry out this activity.

Lack of information and knowledge on international programmes, calls for proposals and funding sources.

Lack of motivation of academic and scientists leaders to participate in international projects.

Complex mechanisms to implement projects in the country.

Financial constraints to participate in international actions.

Inadequate infrastructure to participate in major research projects.

Not all the university community is involved in the internationalisation processes.

Restrictions for the development of student mobility actions.

Opportunities (in terms of cooperation with Flanders)

Opportunity to use more efficiently the international cooperation options offered by the multilateral cooperation, especially those EU regional programs in which Cuba is able to participate.

Opportunity to develop triangular cooperation activities (Flanders-Cuba-Other Latin America/African countries).


Opportunity to effectively use the institutional capacity, infrastructures, contacts and experiences of the UCLV with Flanders to promote new cooperation activities with the Flemish universities.

Capacity of universities of the MES to work on networks, maximizing its potential in different thematic areas of mutual interest.

A second round of group sessions was developed for analysing thematic priorities. For this exercise three groups were created. The main findings of this exercise were:

Group 1. Food security and Environment

There is huge potential and diversity within the higher education system for contributing in this priority sector of the Cuban economy, especially on the improvement of the agricultural production. In order to consolidate this area with the support of the Flemish cooperation was considered essential:

Working on the improvement and homologation of the PhD training programmes on agricultural sciences/food security already existed in the Cuban universities.

Developing joint research thematic networks, bringing together the best research groups and scientists of the country in this field.

Promoting a dynamic scientific exchange (at national level as well as with the Flemish side) among the research groups working on food production and agricultural development.

Promoting the developing of new joint PhD programmes on agricultural sciences through specific scholarships.

Group 2. Quality of life and public health

The debate of this group was affected by the lower participation in the seminar of institutions of the public health sector. Nonetheless, the participants considered as a priority the fostering of research cooperation bonds in areas such as: preventative medicine, pharmacology, epidemiology, and applied informatics/software production for medical purposes.

The strength of the national health system was highlighted, in which is integrated a network of institutions of the MINSAP (hospitals and clinics, medical research centres and medicine universities) and which covers all over the country including the research departments and units in some of the universities that belong to the MES. It was also recognised that INFOMED –the intranet Portal of the National Health System- is one of the best scientific information services of the country.

Considering potential actions to implement with Flemish universities, the participants indicated the necessity of developing new joint PhD programmes on Health Sciences, Bioinformatics, Bioengineering and Telemedicine.

Group 3. Social Sciences and Cultural Development

In this group was debated the strength of the Cuban system in the training of social agents whose mission is to contribute to human well-being of the population. Other highlights included the role of women in social development (gender approach) and the national experience in cultural heritage management.

The main priority identified was the training human resources (PhD, MSc and other postgraduate courses) in the following areas:

local development


urban and rural cooperatives

cultural studies on the Caribbean context

intercultural communication

comparative studies in history and linguistics

English and other foreign languages.

Special importance was conferred to the training and joint research on tourism development and heritage management, which is a key sector of the national economic development.


Annex 5: Completed VLIR-UOS institution fact sheetsMost of the information included in the fact sheets was supplied by each Cuban university. Some information was added by the experts in order to complete key elements for their institutional assessment.


1. Basic institutional data1.1 Name university Universidad de Camaguey “Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz”

1.2Institutional contact details (Postal, tel/fax, website, e-mail..)

Postal address: Carretera de Circunvalación Norte, Km 5½ CP: 74650, Camagüey, Cuba

Phone number: (53 - 32) 262336, 261334, Fax: (53 - 32) 2611261.3 Foundation year 19751.4 Status (private, public) Public

2. VLIR-UOS/Flemish/Belgian linkages2.1 Submitting association VLIR-UOS

2.2 VLIR-UOS projects (past and current)

2.3Other links with Belgian actors

Dr. Koen Vanhoof, Hasselt University, Transportation Research Institute (IMOB), Full Professor Business Informatics ([email protected])

2.4 Other VLIR-UOS linkages (scholars, Flemish

3. Flemish interest in cooperation (country, region, institution)3.1 Flemish interest (names

and groups)-

3.2Flemish interest (themes, disciplines, content, context)

-

4. University: Summary qualitative appraisal

4.1Foundation, developmental milestones, management structure

The University of Camagüey was founded in November 6th, 1967. The Law 1294 of May 8th, 1975, made official the 4th Cuban university and the first created by the Revolutionary Government. From this high education centre, emerge the Pedagogical Institute José Martí, the Medical Science Institute Carlos J. Finlay and the Agriculture Institute of Ciego de Ávila. For many years the campus located at the Province of Las Tunas was part of the UC up to its conversion in University of Las Tunas.

4.2National position, leadership areas, most proud achievement

The UC has stabilized its position among the best 5 Cuban universities.



4.3Relationship with stakeholders (authorities, civil society, industry etc.)

Excellent relations with a diverse range of national stakeholders, especially in the Province of Camaguey and the neighbour territories. In this context, a fruitful cooperation is developed by the UC in some domains such as Food Security, Agricultural Production, Animal Production, Veterinary Medicine, Livestock, Local and Rural Development, Business Administration and Cultural Tourism Development and Management.

4.4Self assessment of research and publication ability and output

The assessment of its research activities and publications is satisfactory, with good results in some areas of expertise of the university. Nonetheless, the results are still lower than the academic and scientific capacities of its professionals.

4.5 Institutional strengths

High level of cooperation among the different organisations, faculties, departments of the University for the Achievements of the institutional goals.

Experience in the implementation of international actions and a good number of international contacts and partnerships.

Experience of its teaching staff.

Good prestige of the university within the Cuban Higher Education System and abroad.

High level of commitment of its academics and scientist.

4.6 Institutional weaknesses

Some buildings and facilities in the campus are not in good conditions. Poor and insufficient ITC infrastructures and laboratory equipments for developing academic and research activities.


5.1 Budget

% Government funded

EUR/student VLIR budget as %

VLIR EUR Trend, quality of funding100% Reduced institutional

budget

5.2 Staffing situation

5.2.1 Total # staff 26545.2.2 Total # academic staff 619 (full time)5.2.3 % female academic staff 55%5.2.4 % open vacancies

5.2.5 # Ph.D. Holders on staff 145


5.2.6 Staff-student ratio The student-staff ratio is approximately 19,9/1 professor.5.2.7 Teaching load The average teaching load per professor is 500

hours/academic year5.2.8 Staff turn-over The staff has stability5.2.9 Remarks staffing

5.3 Student body

5.3.1 Total # students 123655.3.2 % female students 65%5.3.3 Trend

5.3.4 Remarks (distance education etc.)

5.4 Strategic plan

5.4.1 Strategic plan Yes5.4.2 Time coverage The current plan covers the period 2012-2015

5.5 Education offered

Social Sciences Exact Sciences Biomedical sciences

5.5.1Bachelor (# programmes and # students)

Bachelor in Economics, Bachelor in Accounting, Bachelor in Tourism, Bachelor in Sciences of information, Bachelor in Socio-cultural Studies, Bachelor in History, Bachelor in Psychology, Bachelor in Sociology, Bachelor in Law Sciences

Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Informatics Engineering

Veterinarian Medicine, Agronomics Engineering, Bachelor in Food Production, Agro-industrial Engineering


5.5.2Master (# programmes and # students)

Managerial accounting, Management, Regional development, Business administration, Management of Science and innovation, Sciences of Higher Education, Social Work, New technologies for education, Preservation of the Historical Centre, Tourism management

Mathematics, Electric engineering, Applied informatics, Energetic efficiency, Process analysis of the Chemical Industry, Civil Construction

Sustainable Animal Production

5.5.3Ph.D. (# programmes and # students)

5 Programmes3 Programmes in Technical Sciences

1 Programme

5.5.4 Remarks (part time, distance etc.)

6. VLIR-UOS contact persons (meeting and/or for future communication)

6.1 Contact person 1

6.1.1 Family name + First name Dr. Santiago Lajes Choy

6.1.2 Contact details


Phone number: (53 - 32) 262336, 261334, Fax: (53 - 32) 261126

Website: www.reduc.edu.cu

Email: [email protected]

6.1.3 Academic position Rector6.1.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full Professor/Male

6.1.5 Prior contacts with Belgium/Belgian actors

6.1.6 VLIR-UOS history

6.1.7 Remarks, agreement future communication



http://www.reduc.edu.cu/


6.2.1 Family name + First name Dr. Hilda Oquendo Ferrer



Phone number: (53 - 32) 266586



6.2.3 Academic position Vice-rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies6.2.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full Professor/Female





6.3.1 Family name + First name MSc. Ernesto Perez Cerezalez



Phone number: (53 - 32) 266839



6.3.3 Academic position Director of International Relations6.3.4 Title/Gender MSc, Full Professor/Male




7. International Cooperation

7.1Main international donors/projects/budgetary importance (%)

AECID (Spain), CYTED.

7.2 Available audit and/or evaluation reports

Yes

7.3 Institutional handling of projects

The university has a reasonable experience in the implementation of international projects.






7.4Main South-South networks

The university is member of the following organisations: UDUAL, TWAS, Ibero-American Society of Electrochemistry, Ibero-American Academic Council, University Scientific Council of Eastern University, Latin-American Association of Faculties and Schools of Accounting, Ibero-American Foundation for Knowledge Management, Ibero-American Association for Enterprises Management, Ibero-American Association for Quality.

7.5Major challenges with regard to international cooperation

Increasing the participation of the university in international projects as an alternative for raising funds that allow the UC a major investment in deficient areas of key sectors for the development of the university.

7.6 Remarks

There is collaboration with the following countries: Angola, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Spain, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

8. Expressed needs, opportunities and modalities

8.1 Institutional Policy (Education, Research, Governance/policies, Service delivery or institutional support services, Infrastructure)

8.1.1Strategic Institutional Needs

Improving institutional infrastructure, especially computers and laboratory equipments.

Ensuring access to new technologies for research, scientific publication and data bases.

8.1.2Strategic priorities that can be addressed through academic cooperation (with justification)

Food production, Biotechnology, Information and Communication Technologies, Higher Education, Social Communities Development, Ecological Studies, Energy.

8.1.3Strategic priorities that are linked with national priorities in Higher Education


8.1.4

Strategic priorities that are linked with national priorities in development/ poverty reduction

Food production, Information and Communication Technologies, Social Communities Development.

8.2 Thematic and disciplinary needs/interest

8.2.1Disciplinary (theme) based strategic priorities



8.2.2Disciplinary (theme) based strategic priorities in view of developmental change, opportunities and impact


8.2.3Appreciation of relative institutional and societal importance of expressed Flemish interest in

8.2.4

Appreciation of institutional importance/interest of expressed Flemish interest in cooperation with 'country'.

The university can be a key stakeholder in potential actions to be implemented together with the Flemish universities and other Cuban Higher Education Institutions with the financial support of the VLIR-UOS in thematic areas of mutual interest such as: Food Production, Rural Development, Business Administration and Tourism Development.

8.3 Opportunities

8.3.1

Appeal factors for academic cooperation (Unique Selling Proposition) (co-funding etc.)

The institutional policy of the UC considers the Internationalisation of the university as one of the most important strategies for its own development. Its main objective is to contribute trough international cooperation initiatives to the consolidation of a better academic/research service to the community.

8.3.2

Opportunities for development relevant research and societal impact

The best opportunity is on Agricultural Production. In this field the UC has a very good work and maintains an excellent cooperation with territorial institutions such as the Provincial Government, the Provincial Delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and has been fostering in the last few years cooperation links with cooperatives and farmers. At the same time, the UC has a close collaboration with other institutions of the MES (CENSA, ICA, INCA, UNAH, the Biotechnology Centres of UCLV and UNICA, UO and UDG) and the CIGB of Camaguey. There is another remarkable opportunity on tourism development in which the university has been developing an excellent work through its Multidisciplinary Study Centre on Tourism (CEMTUR). In this field it is strength that the city of Camaguey is considered as one of the five UNESCO world heritage cities of the country.

8.3.3

Generic needs of Higher Education that should be addressed at supra- and inter-institutional level

Keep working on the improvement of the quality of the academic and scientific processes with the objective of maximising the institutional contribution to the economical and social development of the country, especially in the main productive sectors of the province.


8.4 Modalities

8.4.1

Preferred intervention level (institutional programme, departmental project, scholarships, mobility, student exchanges etc)

Institutional programme and academic mobility.

8.4.2Views on academic partnership (values, transparency etc.)

The UC can assure a rigorous transparency in the use of the financial means received in the context of international actions as well as a high performance of its academics and scientists in the implementation of the specific tasks that can be assigned to the institution within the project framework.

8.4.3Network or multi stakeholder strategy and opportunities

The UC is one of the most complete universities of the country and has very good collaboration bonds with a large number of institutions in Cuba and abroad.

9. Overall assessment with particular focus on IUC potential

9.1

Vision, leadership, governance and management capacity and stability

Evident strengths in leadership and management capacity among senior management team

9.2

Institutional policies and practices with regard to local, regional and national development policies and multi stakeholder orientation

9.3

Capacity (systems, infrastructure, academic level) to accommodate academic cooperation and manage related funding and mobility

9.4Thematic congruence with VLIR-UOS interest at academic and country level

9.5

Likelihood of effects and spin offs beyond campus (community, commercial, academic networks)

Strong positive community links and established member of national specialist networks


9.6

Relative suitability of VLIR-UOS intervention types in view of institution status and interest with particular focus on IUC potential.

Not currently a potential full IUC partner but with strengths in key areas.


1. Basic institutional data1.1 Name university Universidad de Cienfuegos "Carlos Rafael Rodriguez"


Postal Address: Carretera a Rodas Km. 4, Cuatro Caminos, Cienfuegos, C.P. 55400.

Tel (53)(43)521521 Fax: (53)(43)522762

Website: www.ucf.edu.cu


1.3 Foundation year 19791.4 Status (private, public) Public



Centre for cleaner production to contribute to the socio-environmental development of the province of Cienfuegos

2.3 Other links with Belgian actors

2.4Other VLIR-UOS linkages (scholars, Flemish students etc.)

3. Flemish interest in cooperation (country, region, institution)

3.1 Flemish interest (names and groups)

Prof. Luc Hens. Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO)


Cleaner Productions, Biomass use, waste revalorization, Sustainable Development



In 1972 was created as a small campus of the UCLV in the Province of Cienfuegos. In 1979 was founded as an independent higher education institution denominated “Institituto Superior Técnico de Cienfuegos”. Gradually the university was increasing the number of students and diversifying the undergraduate disciplines. It was declared a university in 1994.


Energy efficiency, Local Socio Economic Development Studies, Urban Agriculture, Pedagogy


Excellent at local, provincial and national level.



http://www.ucf.edu.cu/


In some areas such as energy and clean production some results have been achieved but in general the results in this field are still lower than the potential of the institution.


Successful projects have been implemented by the UCF fostering bonds with the community.

Good positioning in the context of the regional cooperation, mainly within the programmes of the ALBA Association.

Accreditation of masters and undergraduate programmes.

Good faculty training strategy with priority given to the younger members of the teaching staff.

The postgraduate offer meets the needs of the province for improving the growing of the economical sector in the territory.


The member of the teaching staff holding a scientific degree is limited.

Lack of scientific culture among the teaching staff.

Insufficient remuneration and recognition of the human resources

The number of publications in scientific journals is very low

The economical resources available are very limited


5.1 Budget

% Government funded


VLIR EUR Trend, quality of funding

100%Reducing, even in Cuban pesos and foreign currencies


5.2.1 Total # staff 8315.2.2 Total # academic staff 4395.2.3 % female academic staff 60,76


5.2.4 % open vacancies 135.2.5 # Ph.D. Holders on staff 595.2.6 Staff-student ratio The student-staff ratio is approximately 17,6/1 professor.5.2.7 Teaching load

5.2.8 Staff turn-over The staff has stability

5.2.9 Remarks staffing 40 % young people in academic staff

5.3 Student body

5.3.1 Total # students 77285.3.2 % female students 65%5.3.3 Trend


Part time education

5.4 Strategic plan




5.5.1 Bachelor (# programmes and # students)

Programs: 8 Students 3500

Programs: 9 Students 4228

5.5.2 Master (# programmes and # students)

4 Programmes 6 Programmes

5.5.3 Ph.D. (# programmes and # students)

2 Programmes 2 Programmes




6.1.1 Family name + First name Dr. Juan B. Cogollos



Postal address: Cuatro Caminos, Cienfuegos, CP 59430, Cuba

Phone number: (53 - 43) 521521



6.1.3 Academic position Rector6.1.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full Professor, Male





6.2.1 Family name + First name Dr. Alejandro R. Socorro Castro



Phone number: (53 - 43) 521521



6.2.3 Academic position Vice-rector6.2.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full Professor, Male





6.3.1 Family name + First name Dr. Juan J. Cabellos Eras



Phone number: (53 - 43) 521521



6.3.3 Academic position Project Coordinator6.3.4 Title/Gender MSc, Full Professor, Male








6.3.5Prior contacts with Belgium/Belgian actors

Project “A centre for cleaner productions to contribute to the socio-environmental development of Cienfuegos Province” financed by VLIR-UOS

6.3.6 VLIR-UOS historyProject “A centre for cleaner productions to contribute to the socio-environmental development of Cienfuegos Province” financed by VLIR-UOS



7.1 Main international donors/projects/budgetary importance (%)

CIDA (Canada), CYTED-AECID (Spain)


Yes


Satisfactory. UCF had experience in handling international projects since 1990´s

7.4 Main South-South networks

ALBA educational network in the context of Latin America


Cuba is not priority for many international donors or cooperation agencies.

7.6 Remarks





Raising the quality of the academic process including the courses developed in the facilities of the university located in the municipalities. Special emphasis should be made in the training of the government officials and enterprises professionals of the territory on management and administration.

Increasing the integral training of the academic staff, emphasizing on educational and scientific components.

Increasing the impact of the research and innovation in correspondence with the guidelines of the economic and social policy of the country.

Improving university management with the use of ICT and considering trends in higher education.

8.1.2

Strategic priorities that can be addressed through academic cooperation (with justification)


Increasing the integral training of the academic staff, emphasizing on educational and scientific components.



8.1.3

Strategic priorities that are linked with national priorities in Higher Education


8.1.4







Environment: climate change, soil, water, forests, biodiversity, environmental education and integrated management of ecosystems such as mountains, coasts, watersheds and bays.

Agri-business: crops (rice and grains), livestock, urban and suburban agriculture, sugar cane and derivatives, biotechnology, agricultural health, seeds, logistics and supply chains

Energy: electric generation and electro-energetic power system, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources

Tourism: management, quality, efficiency, diversification

Social Sciences: priority issues of the Cuban economy and society (economic management model)

Scientific and technological services and high value-added professional

Chemical and Petrochemical

8.2.2

Disciplinary (theme) based strategic priorities in view of developmental change, opportunities and impact

Environment: climate change, soil, water, forests, biodiversity, environmental education and integrated management of ecosystems such as mountains, coasts, watersheds and bays.

Agri-business: crops (rice and grains), livestock, urban and suburban agriculture, sugar cane and derivatives, biotechnology, agricultural health, seeds, logistics and supply chains

Energy: electric generation and electro-energetic power system, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources

Tourism: management, quality, efficiency, diversification

Social Sciences: priority issues of the Cuban economy and society (economic management model)

Scientific and technological services and high value-added professional

Chemical and Petrochemical


8.2.3

Appreciation of relative institutional and societal importance of expressed Flemish interest in cooperation with your institution


8.2.4



8.3 Opportunities

8.3.1


Our contribution will be only in kind.

8.3.2


Government priorities for socio economic local development initiatives

8.3.3


Improving access to ICT and quality of the laboratory infrastructure

8.4 Modalities

8.4.1


Institutional programme or Own Initiative to reinforce mobility


The UCF ensure the transparency in the use of all the funding allocated, as well as a professional behaviour of all the academics involved in the cooperation actions.

8.4.3

Network or multi stakeholder strategy and opportunities

The UCF is an active member of different thematic networks within the MES, mainly in the field of Energy. Excellent links of cooperation with all the Cuban universities.



1. Basic institutional data1.1 Name university Universidad de las Ciencias Informáticas


Postal address: Carretera a San Antonio de los Baños, Km 2 1/2. Torrens. Municipio Boyeros. Habana. Cuba

Phone number: (53 7) 835 8200 / (53 7) 835 8205

Fax: (53 7) 835 8196

Website: www.uci.cu


2. VLIR-UOS/Flemish/Belgian linkages2.1 Submitting association VLIR-UOS2.2 VLIR-UOS projects (past

and current)




3.1Flemish interest (names and groups)

Prof. Ann Nowé, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Computer Science Department and other Flemish universities Prof. Nowé has contacted about collaboration with the institution if financing is obtained.


Applied Computer Science, Business Information Systems, applications for E-government, Bioinformatics, Image Processing, Virtual Reality, High Performance Computing, Business Intelligence, Database Technologies, Computational Physics and Mathematics, Software Engineering, and Geographic information systems (GIS).


http://www.uci.cu/


2002: Creation of the university: 2200 students, 6 faculties.

2004: 10 faculties, 6000 students. First export software project in Venezuela (23.8 million dollars) and first national computerization project. Beginning of software development projects.

2005: 8000 students. Creation of ALBET (Commercializing Company). Participation in the organization of “Informática 2005” International Conference with the workshops on Software Quality and Open Source Systems, as well as participation in other workshops.

2006: 10000 students. Creation of the software production poles (groupings of projects according to specialization area or customer). Implementation of a Master’s Degree Programme on Project Management.

2007: First graduation (1500 graduates). Creation of the Direction for Quality Control. Implementation of the second Master‘s Programme on Project Management. Publication of the Cuban journal of Informatics sciences, centered at the UCI.

2008: Creation of 4 development centres (Health Management, Identification, ERP Systems and Software Advisory Centres). Establishment of commercial links with the German Company Gemalto.

2009: The university was authorized to develop PhD Programmes. Launching of Nova Operating System, developed by the university. Application of first phase of a new training model based on student’s learning from the software development process.

2010: - Organizational transformation started: Two of the faculties underwent a merger. Creation of development centres for the software development process. Centres are mainly distributed in the faculties and have a degree of specialization in software production and form a collaborative centre network. In September two more faculties merged.


The university was specially founded for fulfilling a strategic goal of the country: the development of Cuban software industry, both for national and international projects.



The UCI has the task of training the professionals in the field of informatics that Cuba needs in order to develop the Cuban software industry. The university is also in charge of computerizing all the sectors of Cuban society (healthcare, education, agriculture, government, industry, businesses, etc) in order to facilitate the updating of the Cuban economic model that is taking place. There is also an enterprise (ALBET) that functions as a commercial face of the university: it provides integral solutions to several national and international entities.


The UCI aims at training informatics professionals, as well as developing research and production of software solutions in different fields such as Applied Computer Science, Business Information Systems, applications for E-government, Bioinformatics, Image Processing, Virtual Reality, High Performance Computing, Business Intelligence, Database Technologies, Computational Physics and Mathematics, Software Engineering, and Geographic information systems (GIS).


The university enrols students from any province or municipality in the country. That is why all the students are boarding students, and all services and enrolment are free. The working force is used in different roles during the software development process carried out in the campus and commercialized by ALBET. As the University has a national scope, a call can be made to ask for experts to work on solving problems and working on the production process.


A very young university and having such a massive enrolment, it has had to recruit a very large number of young teachers with relatively low professional training. In its need to upgrade its faculty, it has been establishing collaboration relations with different countries and trying to find partners for scientific collaboration. In the current academic year, only 45 teachers are enrolled in PhD programmes and 120 master’s programmes graduates are estimated.


5.1 Budget

% Government funded




100%

Likely to reduce as UCI moves from Ministry of Communications to MES


5.2.1 Total # staff 66695.2.2 Total # academic staff 17985.2.3 % female academic staff

5.2.4 % open vacancies

5.2.5 # Ph.D. Holders on staff 355.2.6 Staff-student ratio

5.2.7 Teaching load

5.2.8 Staff turn-over

5.2.9 Remarks staffingA very young staff that include a lot of former students of the university. The university is focused on the upgrading of its professionals; more than 250 already hold a master degree.

5.3 Student body

5.3.1 Total # students 71105.3.2 % female students 37.6 %5.3.3 Trend


5.4 Strategic plan

5.4.1 Strategic plan Yes5.4.2 Time coverage 2011-2015










6.1.1 Family name + First name Dr. Angel Vega García



Phone number: (53 7) 835 8202 / (53 7) 835 8221

Fax: (53 7) 835 8196

Website: www.uci.cu


6.1.3 Academic position Vice-Rector Research and Postgraduate Studies6.1.4 Title/Gender PhD. Full Professor/Male





6.2.1 Family name + First name MSc. Beatriz Aragón



Phone number: (53 7) 835 8202 / (53 7) 835 8221

Fax: (53 7) 835 8196

Website: www.uci.cu


6.2.3 Academic position Director of International Relations6.2.4 Title/Gender MSc, Full Professor/Female


Dr. Francoise Cupere. Meeting with Mrs. Cupere at the Cuban Embassy in Brussels, Belgium, in 2009.





http://www.uci.cu/


http://www.uci.cu/


6.3.1 Family name + First name MSc. Yvonne Caridad Collada



Phone number: (53 7) 835 8202 / (53 7) 835 8221

Fax: (53 7) 835 8196

Website: www.uci.cu


6.3.3 Academic position Dean of Faculty 36.3.4 Title/Gender MSc. Full Professor/Female


Mrs. Lisbeth Francoise, International Relations Office, Ghent University (2002) and Prof. Ann Nowé, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Computer Science Department.


Prof. Yvonne Collada submitted a project proposal (own initiative) at VLIR call for proposals 2010 and it was not approved. Nonetheless, VLIR recommended to the promoters to work in the improvement of the proposal in order to be submitted again in 2011.




AUIP


Yes

7.3Institutional handling of projects

The University is currently involved in five international research projects with entities from Spain, Italy and some Latin American countries.


The University is a member of CLEI (Centro Latinoamericano de Estudios en Informática); it has a cooperation agreement with SELA.



http://www.uci.cu/


Get access to international research community and increase the actions in this regard, which, in the future, will lead to a higher amount of PhD professionals for our institution.

Participate in joint research projects that will contribute to improve the quality of our products, as well as the capacities of our personnel.

Get access to possible partners in business and international/cooperation projects.

Get funding for joint research projects to develop ICT areas in Cuba and other developing countries.

Promote exchange among professionals from Europe and other parts of the world to improve our current activities in education, research and production.

7.6 Remarks



8.1.1 Strategic Institutional Needs

To upgrade its faculty. To increase the level of R+D process.

8.1.2


Taking advantage of the infrastructure of the university and considering the main weakness of the institution, the UCI would like to promote a collaborative network between Flanders and Cuba for the implementation of joint PhD Programmes on Computer Science applied to Business Information Systems. In this context, the UCI can function as a host of a National Postgraduate Training Centre.

8.1.3


Improvement the quality of the teaching staff and the institutional capacity to participate in research activities of great impact.

8.1.4


The development of Cuban software industry as a way to contribute to the improvement of the economical management of the country.




Research in the thematic areas of: Bioinformatics, Image Processing, Virtual Reality, High Performance Computing, Business Intelligence, Database Technologies, Computational Physics and Mathematics, Software Engineering, E-government and Geographic information systems (GIS).

8.2.2


Research in the thematic areas of: Bioinformatics, Image Processing, Virtual Reality, High Performance Computing, Business Intelligence, Database Technologies, Computational Physics and Mathematics, Software Engineering, E-government and Geographic information systems (GIS).

8.2.3


Cooperation with UCI would have a great impact in the UCI and in Cuban society. A direct influence in capacity building would contribute to enhance the scientific and academic level of UCI professionals and so contribute to the quality of software developed for the country at the university and for strengthening Cuban software industry as a source of income for development. It would have a national impact for the capacity of UCI to computerize Cuban society, export software and contribute to nationwide capacity building in computer science and its applications.

8.2.4


Cooperation with Cuba would have importance for Flanders for it would have a serious cooperation partner (making sure resources are used efficiently and in an auditable way). Besides, Flemish researchers would have a great deal of opportunities to develop interesting and valuable research, due to the amount of talent and great creativity in Cuban researchers.

8.3 Opportunities

8.3.1


8.3.2



8.3.3


8.4 Modalities

8.4.1


Own initiative, scholarships, mobility.




9.1


-Some reservations about leadership and vision; the imminent transfer of the UCI from Ministry of Communications to Ministry of Higher Education (MES) will have implications for governance and management.

9.2


See above

9.3


Good – better infrastructure than other MES HEIs


Good


9.5


Will be increasingly prioritised under MES governance

9.6


Not IUC potential

1. Basic institutional data1.1 Name university Universidad de La Habana


Postal address: Colina Universitaria, calles L y San Lázaro, Vedado, La Habana, Cuba 10400.

Phone number: (53 7) 878 62 00 / (53 7) 879 8450

Website: www.uh.cu




2.2VLIR-UOS projects (past and current)

1. Production and evaluation of antigen from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Dengue Virus as tools in diagnostics and for vaccine development with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. 2. Establishment of animal models of cerebrovascular diseases as tools for development of neuroprotective strategies, with Vrije Universiteit Brussels (In evaluation) 3. Food Security, commercialization and regional development network: an analysis of territorial dynamics associated with changes of use and land tenure, and their effects on production and commercialization of agricultural products / Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. In managements process. 4. in Biostatistics Master´ s Programme with Hasselt University. Concluded in 2011.



http://www.uh.cu/


Past and current projects 1. Support to improvement of cocoa quality production in Cuba´s Eastern region: agronomic and environmental aspects. Dr Mayra Heydrich Pérez (Faculty of Biology), with the participation of Biology Faculty UH, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, and Vrije Universiteit Brussels. 2. Production and applications of a bio product from Cuban autoctunous vines in the coffee and cocoa plantation Dr. Mayra Heydrich (Faculty of Biology) and the participation of Vrije Universiteit Brussels. 3. Creation in the University of Havana of a competence pole in the study of aquatic means in the degree of contamination of Almendares river. Dr. Mayra Heydrich (Faculty of Biology) with the participation of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Vrije Universiteit Brussels. / Characterization, development and assessment of encouraging the growth of isolated biologic pestice of a rizobacteria in Cuba Dr. Mayra Heydrich (Faculty of Biology), with the participation of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Vrije Universiteit Brussels.


Scholars, Flemish students and academic exchange from Pharmacy and Food Institute, Biology Faculty, Mathematics and Computer Science Faculty, Marine Research Centre, Central Library of the University



1. Wilfrida Decraemer, Department Biology, Nematology and Marine Biology research unit, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. KUL Faculty of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Hasselt.

2. Jozef Anné, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Bacteriology.

3. G Molenberghs, Ziv Shkedy Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics.

4. Marten Loopmans, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven.

5. Miguel Ubarri , Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, University of Antwerp.



1. Nematology: marine nematodes; plant-parasitic nematodes/ Nematology and Marine. Biology

2. Infectious diseases. New antibiotics/ Microbiology.

3. Medical biostatistics, life sciences statistics, Modelling infectious diseases, epidemiology/ Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics

4. Rural/urban development, land reform and agricultural production, agroeconomics /Earth and Environmental Sciences.

5. Cultural identity in the humanities and social sciences (development)/Philosophy and Letters.

Thematic areas identified: Biodiversity, Public Health, Computer Sciences, Culture and Development. Transversal themes: ICT systems and administration, Language and communication




History: The University of Havana was founded January 5th, 1728, by Pontifical Resolution, in San Juan de Letrán Convent; it is the most important academic institution of the country in its contribution and participation in scientific, cultural, and political life. Its leading role in relevant events makes it an inseparable part of the nation´s history. Its patriotic humanistic and scientific tradition sustains the continuous formation of high level professionals in the fields of social sciences, natural, exact, and economic sciences, committed to the development of Cuban socialist society. The image of the University of Havana is strongly associated to National Culture. It is, to a great extent, the image of Cuban higher education. Its historic and symbolic strength gets to reproduce itself daily in the political, cultural, educational and academic space in which the university performs every day, also in direct contact with those tasks that allow the development of Cuban society. Because of its Professional, Postgraduate and Management Formation scope, as well as Research and Extension activities, all of it from the perspective of present higher education universalization, the University plays a significant role, not only in Havana City, but in all of the country as well. The University of Havana is a National University. Also, its community and local scope, its close relationship with political, cultural and academic institutions of the capital city, bestows it a special place in the capital city´s context.

The UH has suffered multiple transformations, being the most important the one which took place in 1962 with the passing of the Reform Law, which granted full access to university studies, without considering race, sex, and social condition; and it also defined the University Government structures. At that very moment five faculties remained: Technology, Sciences, Humanities, Medical Sciences, and Agrarian Sciences, and within them a total of 24 schools. Considering the country´s need for development, the faculties’ structures shifted, from various schools wide conception, to a more specialized concept of the former, in terms of disciplines; so at present the university has 18 faculties. Independent research centres were also created in order to encourage this activity, at present there are 15.The senior management structure of the UH is as follows: Chancellor, Academic Vice Chancellor, Research and Postgraduate Studies Vice Chancellor, Interinstitutional Relations Vice Chancellor, Universalization Vice Chancellor, Service Vice Chancellor and Economic Vice Chancellor. There is a Direction Council, made up by deans of the faculties, directors of research centres and directors of the



UH is a leader in many investigation topics in the country UH exhibits scientific leadership in Natural and Exact Sciences, Economic, Social, and Humanities areas. Since the Cuban Higher Education System is based on one - Curricula program for all academic undergraduate careers, and UH is the leading centre in the field of Natural and Exact Sciences for undergraduate and most graduate (master and PhD) programs, the support it will receive will straight forwardly have a multiplying effect in the whole national university system. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that these actions are always based on mutual benefit cooperation. Nearly 50 % of the staff has fulfilled PhD degrees, which will allow a rapid assimilation of the cooperation actions and their derivatives, hence leading to very short terms results In 2010, the UH was awarded 23 Cuban Academy of Sciences prizes, which represent 34,3 % of the total number of the ones awarded; they are the most scientific relevant ones in the country. Furthermore, this year, UH published 1 527 papers (1,47 per person), 453 in Data Base magazines (0,39 per person), and 210 ion Web of Science (0,18 per person). The UH commitment rises its importance regarding its local, provincial and national performance, so a higher integration in all spheres of society is expected.


Relationship with the authorities: The UH has friendly relationships with local, provincial and national government structures. The relationship with the Government of Havana City is excellent and is determined by the UH participation in the provincial Management Council Advisory Group, made up by different specialties professors. This has made possible the leading and control of officials and substitutes preparation and training, either professionals, as well as non-professionals. Furthermore, the UH has provided counselling, in terms of Strategic Planning and Objectives Directions to nineteen OACE´s (Institutions of Central State Administration); to Branch Schools in identifying learning needs and in training programs design; several comprehensive consultancies have been performed in different administrative institutions of the Provincial Government; due to its performance this governmental structure has awarded the UH in multiple occasions. Provincial and national authorities often request UH to carry out evaluation and policy research studies.



Indicators used to rank the universities in the country in terms of research output are good in UH. In 2010, the UH was awarded 23 Cuban Academy of Sciences prizes, which represent 34,3 % of the total number of the ones awarded; they are the most scientific relevant ones in the country. Furthermore, this year, UH published 1 527 papers (1,47 per person), 453 in Data Base magazines (0,39 per person), and 210 ion Web of Science (0,18 per person). These constitute high indicators in comparison with the rest of the universities in the country, but do not express the real potentials that UH has. The results are in many cases an expression of the international collaboration, through joint investigations which are carried out, as well as PhD thesis and other activities that allow excellent results, especially in the fields of natural and exact sciences. 57% of monographs correspond to these sciences, and 64% of published books come from social and economic sciences.


UH exhibits one of the most important historic and cultural legacy of the country, it also has tradition and prestige, as well as the capacity to nucleate the rest of the universities of the nation, since it has been the Alma Mater of Cuban higher education. UH has a large experience in the context of international relations, taking part in 43 cooperation networks and more than 170 international projects in different modalities. In all cases, honesty and transparency has featured the participation. It is remarkable that a number of actions are carried out with Latin American and Caribbean Countries; with particular relevance in the graduate studies field. UH has close relations with the government, the political organizations, and all Institutions that make up the State Central Administration (denoted by OACE), as well as with all kinds of institutions that operate in the country. For these reasons, it has always received their support for the actions towards achieving its academic goals. Currently UH, aside from the main campus, has an Unit in each of the 6 municipalities of Havana City, being this a decisive factor in getting support from the local organizations. Besides, there is a substantial incorporation of part-time professionals to the University Staff, which definitely contributes to the understanding on what actions should be carried out to reach local development and impact.



1. The old age of the staff most qualified segment is currently the anger for the preservation of the academic excellence reached in most University areas.

2. The scientific literature is insufficient and not updated, the informatization and connectivity networks are deficient, as well as the Internet access.

3. The current resources and facilities for the development of high – quality state of the art research in the field of Natural and Exact Sciences are few and mostly old, representing drawbacks for accomplishing standards in top scientific journals and PhD thesis of excellence. Today, most of the best research results achieved are thanks to the international cooperation, and are performed outside the country, which of course does not allow a development of the University areas in correspondence to their high scientific potential and consequently the results are of much lower impact than they could be.


5.1 Budget

% Government funded

EUR/student

VLIR budget as %


100%

Higher education in the country is completely free for all students in any type of teaching; books are also free as well as tuition. Scholarships are awarded for those students of less income, at present, 37% of Cuban students have scholarships, and the great majority of them come to Havana City as the career they have chosen is only studied at UH.



5.2.1 Total # staff

5.2.2 Total # academic staff 3684 (1787 Full time)5.2.3 % female academic staff 58.5%5.2.4 % open vacancies 25.2.5 # Ph.D. Holders on staff 6965.2.6 Staff-student ratio The student-staff ratio is approximately 27.7/1 professor.

5.2.7 Teaching loadThe average teaching load per professor varies between 15 – 20% of work time in science faculties and 20 -30% in social and economic faculties.


5.2.9 Remarks staffing

The old age of the staff most qualified segment, is currently the anger for the preservation of the academic excellence reached in most University areas, but we have also young researchers that are a guaranty of the staff turn- over

5.3 Student body

5.3.1 Total # students 255805.3.2 % female students 69.2 %

5.3.3 Trend

The tendency in full time courses is a discreet, though progressive, rise of students, while in workers part time courses there is a more significant decrease due to the possibility of studying in municipality units.


5.4 Strategic plan

5.4.1 Strategic plan Yes5.4.2 Time coverage Every three years


Social Sciences Exact Sciences Biomedical sciences5.5.1 Bachelor (# programmes

and # students)25 Programmes 11 Programmes


50 programmes 20 programmes 5 programmes


7 programmes 16 programmes





6.1.1 Family name + First name Dr. Cristina Díaz López



Phone number: (53 7) 878 62 00 / (53 7) 879 8450

Website: www.uh.cu


6.1.3 Academic position Vice-Rector for Interinstitutional Relations.6.1.4 Title/Gender PhD. Chemical Sciences, Full Professor/Female





6.2.1 Family name + First name Dr. Lourdes Alicia Díaz Fernández


Postal address: Calle J No 566 e/ 25 y 27. Vedado, La Habana

Phone number: (53 7) 878 62 00 / (53 7) 879 8450

Website: www.uh.cu


6.2.3 Academic position Director of International Relations6.2.4 Title/Gender PhD. Chemical Sciences, Full Professor/Female






http://www.uh.cu/


http://www.uh.cu/


6.3.1 Family name + First name Dr. Maria Eugenia Alonso



Phone number: (53 7) 878 62 00 / (53 7) 879 8450

Website: www.uh.cu


6.3.3 Academic position Director of Science and Technology6.3.4 Title/Gender PhD. Biology Sciences, Full Professor/Female






VLIR – UOS/Belgium, AECID/Spain, FNUAP/UN, MOE China, CIDA/Canada, CE, CUD/Belgium, IFS, APN Norway


Yes


The UH has more than 176 international projects in different modalities and an International Project Office that advises, facilitates, manages and supports the participation of the scientific community of the UH in international projects. A Cost Centre ensures economic and financial management of the resources, with a separate bank account.


Red iberoamericana Proteómica y quimiogenómica de inhibidores de proteasas de origen natural con potencial terapeútico en malaria.

Red universitaria de las Américas en estudios cooperativos y asociativismo (UniRcoop).

Desarrollo y manejo sustentable de sistemas de producción acuícola.

Red de Dirección Estratégica en la Educación Superior (RED-DEES).

Red Nacional de Biotecnologia Argentina- Cuba.

MESLATINCE.NET: Plataforma Web de recursos multimedia accesibles para la educación y la investigación y accesibilidad.



http://www.uh.cu/


To ensure that international cooperation contributes directly and significantly, with concrete actions to the fulfilment of the mission of UH, to the vitality of substantive actions (teaching, research, postgraduate and university extension), to recover part of the basic institutional infrastructure and the development of the country.

7.6 Remarks




Improving institutional infrastructure, computer and laboratory equipment for teaching and research, UH presence in international research projects prioritized by the country in both social and natural sciences and exacts, ensure the use of information technologies and communications, ensure access to new technologies for research, ensure the development of closed cycle research to measure in practice the results and their application for the development of the country, raise funds for I+ D+I projects aimed at developing the country, restoration and conservation of the university heritage.

8.1.2


1. Food security, commercialization and regional development networks. 2. Development of medical and diagnostic equipment for health. 3. Research and production of new drugs and new materials. 4. Development of technologies in Materials Science and Nanotechnology. 5. Development of Biotechnology and Food. 6. Research in environment and ecology. 7. Research on economic studies. 8. Research on politics and society. 9. Research on history and culture. 10. Research in education and science. 11. Research on human health and welfare. 12. ICT and educational computing. These areas are included in national priorities and can be addressed trough academic cooperation. Highly qualified staffs with stable research teams ensure a proper execution of the projects, ensuring teamwork.


8.1.3


1. Development of medical and diagnostic equipment for health. 2. Research and production of new drugs and new materials. 3. Development of technologies in Materials Science and Nanotechnology. 4. Development of Biotechnology and Food. 5. Research in environment and ecology. 6. Research on economic studies. 7. Research on politics and society. 8. Research on history and culture. 9. Research in education and science. 10. Research on human health and welfare. 11. ICT and educational computing.12. Food security, commercialization and regional development networks. These areas are included in the priority of the Ministry of Higher Education and are aimed at local development and improving the quality of human life, the country's development including economic studies, society and politics.

8.1.4


1. Food security, commercialization and regional development networks.2. Food and nutrition. Assessment and control of food 3. Research on politics and society. 4. Studies on regional development, rural, municipal and community from the standpoint of economic, social, sociological, psychological and quality of life. Geographical Studies - Environmental rural areas.5. Research on population studies in relation to gender, family, children, elderly, domestic violence. 6. Urban community studies, social and community prevention, legal and institutional relationships. 7. Planning, management and tourism development. Environmental impact assessment in the areas of tourism development. 8. Protease inhibitors with biomedical and biotechnological applications 9. Marine aquaculture. Ecology and marine biodiversity. 10. Research focused on the care or prevention of social problems linked to poverty, evaluation of social equity component in development projects and social programs.




1. Health: Biotechnology, Design and Drugs Development, Medicinal Plants and Natural Products, Vaccines and Medical Equipment. 2. Society and Environment: Local Development, Global Warming, Environmental Pollution, Biodiversity, Environmental Education. 3. Complex systems, Bioinformatics, New Materials. 4. Biotechnology and Food: Vegetal Biotechnology, Development of Food Industry. Sustainable growth hormones, seaweed crop for larva production. 5. Economic, Accounting, and Financing Studies. 6. Humanity and Social Sciences: History of Cuba, Cuban Society, Culture and Education. 7. Information and Communications New Technologies. 8. Renewable Energy.

8.2.2


Food, food sustainability, local development, plant biotechnology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, bioengineering, drugs and pharmacy, health and biomaterials for agriculture, nanotechnology, technologies and material sciences for health, agriculture and production of technological equipment, environmental studies, biodiversity and ecology, economic studies, financial accounting, chemistry, social sciences. The subjects expressed are based on the priorities of the UH and closely related to the development of the country, are change-oriented and designed to measure their impact on society. The UH has given to society highly qualified professional and has been contribute with the results of their research to the development of the country in all sectors

8.2.3


Collaboration with institutions in Flanders are in keeping with the strategic priorities of the university and contributed over the years to enhance the university processes and with tangible results and impact to the development of Cuban society and to improve their quality of life.

8.2.4


The collaboration with universities in Flanders has had a positive impact on the training of qualified staff, human resource training, including young women, in research related to tropical diseases, high-impact publications and improvement of institutional infrastructure. The training of human resources in Biostatistics is offered for the first time in Cuba with the participation of professionals in the health system and ensures the training of trainers in this field, which justifies the sustainability of this program.


8.3 Opportunities

8.3.1


The Internationalisation Strategy of UH is to contribute trough international cooperation for the best performance of the strategic goals of the institution (in terms of development and resources). Good relations between our countries and institutions, the scientific level of the parties and the possibility of teamwork.

8.3.2


The UH has an staff of excellence, 18 faculties and 15 research centres that contribute to national development and improved the quality of life. UH exhibits scientific leadership in Natural and Exact Sciences, Economic, Social, and Humanities areas. Since the Cuban Higher Education System is based on one - Curricula program for all academic undergraduate careers, and UH is the leading centre in the field of Natural and Exact Sciences for undergraduate and most graduate (master and PhD) programs. The UH cooperates with central state institutions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Sugar, Ministry of Armed Forces, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Education, among others, as well as with many other institutions. Those interactions are expressed in actions such as courses, seminars, workshops, advisory, participation in important scientific research and cultural events, etc. A new technological park will contribute with high technology equipment to the development of university and country research and is an opportunity for development relevant research and societal impact, including a high quality service to the National Health System and others research centres and institutions of the country.

8.3.3


The improvement of the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, research and, institutional strengthening in order to contribute to the development of the country.

8.4 Modalities

8.4.1


Institutional programme, Departmental project, scholarships, mobility.



UH has a large experience in the context of international relations and cooperation. In all cases, honesty and transparency has featured the participation of teachers and researchers, including transparency in the use of allocated resources.


One of the main characteristics of our research teams is the networking. Projects will ensure the timely establishment of multiple national and international networks in terms of the strategic directions of work.


9.1


9.2


9.3



9.5


9.6


UH should not be considered as a potential IUC given the scale and strength of existing international cooperation.

1. Basic institutional data1.1 Name university Universidad de Matanzas “Camilo Cienfuegos”



Postal address: Autopista a Varadero Km. 3. Matanzas, Cuba

Phone number: (53 - 45) 261992, Fax: (53 - 45) 253101

Website: www.umcc.cu












The institution was created on May 9, 1972 as a provincial campus of the Universidad de La Habana in order to implement undergraduate courses and specific professional training in line with the main economical development sectors of the province.

1972: Campus of the UH

1976: University Centre of Matanzas

1985: Higher Institute for Agro-industrial studies

1992: University of Matanzas



http://www.umcc.cu/


17 awards from the Cuban Academy of Sciences.

The EEPFIH (Estación de Pastos y Forrajes Indio Hatuey) was recognised with the merit scientific medal "Carlos J. Finlay awarded by the State Council of the Republic of Cuba.

4 national awards from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA).


The main economical sectors of the province are the chemical and oil industry, the agricultural production (especially the sugar industry, potatoes, rice, citrus and fruits), and tourism (Touristic pole of Varadero). The UMCC has a fruitful cooperation with the provincial government and the administrations of all these sectors. The educational and scientific services supplied by the UMCC have a great social, economical and technological impact in the provincial development.


The UMCC has more than 150 scientific publications in journals with high visibility in the Science Citations Index. Nonetheless, the results achieved until now are lower than the academic and scientific potential of its professionals.


Prestige of the university within the Cuban Higher Education System and good international recognition, especially within Latin America, where the UMCC has a large number of international contacts and partnerships.

High level of cooperation within the Higher Education System as well as with the organisations of the province.

Experience and institutional commitment of its teaching staff.


Due to financial constraints, some buildings and facilities in the campus are not in very good conditions, but the main problem of the university is computer infrastructure and laboratory equipments.


5.1 Budget

% Government funded

EUR/student VLIR budget as % VLIR EURTrend, quality of funding


100% Reduced institutional budget


5.2.1 Total # staff 2555 (academic year 2010-11)5.2.2 Total # academic staff 1870 (685 full time) (academic year 2010-11)5.2.3 % female academic staff

5.2.4 % open vacancies

5.2.5 # Ph.D. Holders on staff 1485.2.6 Staff-student ratio

5.2.7 Teaching load


5.2.9 Remarks staffing320 Professors hold a master degree. The UMCC has the commitment to increase in the coming years the number of PhD of its staff.

5.3 Student body

5.3.1 Total # students 14887 (2195 full time regular students)5.3.2 % female students 68,9% (academic year 2010-11)5.3.3 Trend


5.4 Strategic plan














6.1.1 Family name + First name Prof. Miguel Sarraff Gonzalez



Phone number: (53 - 45) 261992, Fax: (53 - 45) 253101



6.1.3 Academic position Rector6.1.4 Title/Gender Full Professor/Male





6.2.1 Family name + First name Dr. Roberto Vizcón Toledo



Phone number: (53 - 45) 261992, Fax: (53 - 45) 253101



6.2.3 Academic position Vice-rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies6.2.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full Professor/Male





6.3.1 Family name + First name MSc. Jorge Alpizar Muni



Phone number: (53 - 45) 261992, Fax: (53 - 45) 253101



6.3.3 Academic position Director of International Relations



http://www.umcc.cu/


http://www.umcc.cu/


http://www.umcc.cu/

6.3.4 Title/Gender MSc, Full Professor/Male






AECID, CYTED, IFS, CIDA, ALBA, COSUDE, CAPES


Yes


The university has a reasonable experience in the implementation of international projects.


The UMCC maintains academic relationships with more than 100 institutions, most of them from Latin America. The university is active in the ALBA cooperation schemes.


Fostering and diversifying the cooperation academic and scientific links with European higher education institutions, as well as increasing the participation of the university in international projects as an alternative for raising funds for the development of the university.

7.6 Remarks




Improving institutional infrastructure, especially computers and laboratory equipments.

8.1.2


Implementation of joint PhD programmes and MSc courses as well as joint research activities. Exchange of academics, scientists and PhD students.

8.1.3


Improvement of the quality in all the university services, especially in the research domain.


8.1.4


Implementation of multilateral projects with the participation of various Cuban stakeholders to promote the involvement of the universities and research centres in key sectors for the economical development of the country, such as agriculture, energy and tourism.



Food production and Rural Development (EEPFIH, a science entity for technological innovation that has national reach in sustainable development and exploitation of the ecosystems of agricultural production). It’s also remarkable the national leadership of the UMCC on Enzymatic Technology and Bio-prepared products for nutrition and animal health. Other strategic priority areas are Energy, Business Administration, City Conservation or Tourism Development.

8.2.2


Idem to 8.2.1

8.2.3


8.2.4


The university has the institutional capacity for participating actively in national networks that can be implemented in cooperation with Flanders in key sectors, such as Food Production, Rural Development, Energy, Business Administration or Tourism Development.

8.3 Opportunities

8.3.1


Developing new academic cooperation links with international institutions is essential for the development of the UMCC, the internationalisation of the university is considered among the strategic components of the institutional strategic policy.


8.3.2


Considering the priorities defined by the Cuban Government, The best scenario for a sustainable cooperation is Food Security and Agricultural Production. In this theme the UMCC has a very good cooperation with all the institutions of the Province at governmental level and with different associations of private stakeholders like ANAP (National Association of Small Farmers) among others. The EEPFIH is an institutional strength and the cooperation bonds with other institutions of the MES working on the agricultural field are excellent. Other opportunities are:

Tourism: the university has consolidated a good work, advising different resorts and touristic institutions in Varadero.

Urban planning and city conservation: a research group of the university working on this field in the City of Matanzas.

Energy: a large experience advising the petrochemical industry.

8.3.3


Keep working on the improvement of the quality of the academic and scientific processes with the objective of maximising the institutional contribution to the economical and social development of the country, especially in the main productive sectors of the province.

8.4 Modalities

8.4.1


Own initiative and academic mobility.


The UMCC has the basic infrastructure and necessary human resources to implement sustainable actions in the areas of potential cooperation. The university assume its commitment of an adequate use of the financial means and a high performance of its professionals.


The UMCC has very good cooperation links with a large number of institutions in Cuba and abroad.



9.1


Some reservations about leadership and strategic planning/management capacity

9.2


In line with national development priorities; strong focus on local development

9.3



Limited

9.5


High

9.6


No IUC potential; does not conform with regional priority Eastern region

1. Basic institutional data1.1 Name university Universidad Agraria de La Habana (UNAH)


Postal address: Autopista Nacional, Km 231/2 y Carretera de Tapaste, San José de las Lajas, A.P. 32700, Provincia Mayabeque, Cuba

Phone number: (53 47) 862908/863395

Website: www.isch.edu.cu





http://www.isch.edu.cu/


2.2VLIR-UOS projects (past and current)

Own Initiative project: Improvement soil salinity management under sugar cane using Geo-informatics (1999-2004). Promoters Prof. Dr. Marc van Meirvenne, Prof. Dr. Roger Hartmann, Department of Soil Management and Soil Care. Local counterparts Prof. Dr. Angel Utset and Prof Dr. Maria Elena Ruiz (after the second year was selected as the main counterpart due Prof. Utset changed his resident country).

Own Initiative project: Capacity building of UNAH and CENHICA (Centro de Hidrologia y Calidad del Agua) in view of a soil and water conservation programme in the Rio Cuyaguateje watershed in Western Cuba. Project ZEIN2005PR306 (2005-2011). Promoters Prof. Dr. Donald Gabriels, Prof. Dr. Wim Cornelis, Department of Soil Management and Soil Care, Local counterparts Prof. Dr. Maria Elena Ruiz, Prof. Jorge Diaz.


Laboratory for Forest, Nature and Landscape Research, Leuven University Prof. Dr. Pol Copin (in the frame of the Own Initiative project “Improvement soil salinity management under sugar cane using Geo-informatics” (1999-2004)

Ministry of Education in Flanders (two scholarships for PhD professionals and one project to share experiences about study programs in a Master course in Ghent University about Soil and Land Resources. (1998-1999, 2001).

2.4 Other VLIR-UOS linkages (scholars, Flemish



Ghent University , Department of Soil Management and Soil Care:

Prof. Dr. Roger Hartmann (already retired) co promoter Own initiative project and Promoter an educational project with the Ministry of Education in Flanders region.

Prof. Dr. Marc van Meirvenne promoter Own initiative project

Prof. Dr. Donald Gabriels, promoter Own Initiative project

Prof. Dr. Wim Cornelis, co-promoter Own initiative project



Soil Physics, Land degradation processes (erosion, salinity, contamination, compaction), Soil Conservation, Geo-informatics (simulation models Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing), water use efficiency and conservation.

Prof. Dr. Josse Beardermaker (Catholic University of Leuven) College of Agricultural Engineering. Interest Theme: Acoustic Technology applied in Post-harvest.



The university was founded in 1976, as part of a Scientific and Educational Complex that belongs to the Cuban Ministry of Higher Education. It is formed by 5 faculties (Veterinary Medicine, Agronomy, Technical Sciences, Sports and Humanities, Social & Economic Sciences).


The Agrarian University of Havana is part of a Scientific and Educational Complex that belongs to the Ministry of Higher Education. It is focused on the education and research related to agriculture. In this field the Complex is the leading institution in Cuba.


The Scientific and Educational complex responds to the needs of society. The UNAH and the 3 research centres have excellent links with key stakeholders in Cuba (National and Provincial Governmental Bodies such as Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Enterprises, Agricultural Cooperatives, Local producers in the rural sectors, etc).


The academics and scientist of the Complex participate in research of great impact and quality. The UNAH has a scientific journal called “Ciencias Técnicas Agropecuarias” (Agrarian Technical Sciences) which has a great visibility. Nonetheless, the participation of the staff in international publications is still lower than its enormous scientific potential.



The greatest strength of the complex is the integration in a unique scientific pole of the academic and scientific work developed in the university with the activities carried out by the 3 National Research Centres. This integration makes of the complex one of the most important scientific institutions in Cuba, in which are involved highly specialised personal from different disciplines such as medical doctors, biologist, biochemists, microbiologist, veterinarians, agronomist, pharmacist, chemical engineers, electronic engineers, physicists, mathematicians, cyberneticists among other professionals.

Some of the laboratories of the Research Centres are equipped with state of the art technology, allowing the implementation of research projects of great importance for the country.

The University has two main degrees, Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, and both are registered as degrees of excellence. It has 17 master programmes and 13 PhD. Programmes. Many other postgraduate courses and professional training are taught by the institutions of the complex.

4.6 Institutional weaknessesThe main weakness is the infrastructure, especially in the facilities of the university campus as well as obsolesce and deterioration of its laboratories.


5.1 Budget

% Government funded



100% Financial constraints


5.2.1 Total # staff -5.2.2 Total # academic staff 1635 (572 Full time)5.2.3 % female academic staff 55,7%5.2.4 % open vacancies 30 positions5.2.5 # Ph.D. Holders on staff 261

5.2.6 Staff-student ratio The student-staff ratio is approximately 1,2/1 professor, considering only undergraduate students.


5.2.7 Teaching load It depends on the specialisation or position of the professor.5.2.8 Staff turn-over The staff has stability5.2.9 Remarks staffing

5.3 Student body

5.3.1 Total # students 2004 undergraduate students5.3.2 % female students 53,1%5.3.3 Trend


5.4 Strategic plan

5.4.1 Strategic plan Yes5.4.2 Time coverage 2012-2015




230 students 922 students 852 students


2 programmes 4 programmes 11 programmes


1 programme 2 programmes 10 programmes




6.1.1 Family name + First name Dr. Maria Irene Balbín Arias



Phone number: (53 47) 862908/863395



6.1.3 Academic position Rector6.1.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full Professor/Female








6.2.1 Family name + First name Dr. Adianez Taboada Zamora



Phone number: (53 47) 862917/860112



6.2.3 Academic position Vice-rector of Research, Postgraduate Courses and International Relations6.2.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full Professor/Female





6.3.1 Family name + First name Dr. Maria Elena Ruiz Perez



Phone number: (53 47) 860313



6.3.3 Academic position Director of the Agro-physics Research Unit (GIAF) and Project Coordinator6.3.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full Professor/Female


Own initiative project “Improvement soil salinity management under sugar cane using Geo-informatics”

Own initiative project Capacity building of UNAH and CENHICA in view of a soil and water conservation programme in the Rio Cuyaguateje watershed in Western Cuba

6.3.6 VLIR-UOS history 12 years of cooperation under VLIR projects between GIAF – UGENT (Department of Soil Management and Soil Care)









AECID, ALFA Programme (UE), HIVOS, VLIR


Yes


Every audit made by each project during their implementation has been evaluated satisfactorily.

7.4 Main South-South networks

The UNAH is an active member of cooperation networks in Latin America.


Increasing the involvement of the UNAH in international projects and associations in order to diversify and foster institutional links with other universities and research centres, contributing to the achievements of the main academic and scientific objectives of the institution.

7.6 Remarks

The Complex has fruitful collaboration with agricultural research centres in Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Canada as well as in some Latin American countries. The cooperation with International Organisations such as FAO and UNDP is also remarkable.




Design, exploitation and technical service of engineering systems for the agricultural and livestock production

Economical effectiveness of agrarian units

Agro-physics and geo-informatics related to agrarian processes

Modelling and simulation of processes

Management of local development

Efficient use of energy


8.1.2


Studies on the quality of products, processes and technologies that belong to the agricultural and engineering systems.

8.1.3


Improvements on Higher Education.

8.1.4


Reduction of agrarian disasters.

Protection of the environment. Soil, water and genetic resources preservation.

Production of food from plant and animal origin



Raising food production by controlling the degradation processes of soils and the efficient application of irrigation in the study regions in Cuba.

Quality of agricultural products. Postharvest.

Small industries for preservation of fruits and vegetables.

Animal health and production of medicines.

Projects to support communities and farm buildings.

Generalization and extension of social results into practice.

Adaptation of farming systems to Global Changes to increase production efficiency.

Improvements in the Agrarian Higher Education.

Systems and Information Management Knowledge for decision making by governments.

Interconnectivity between governments and universities with direct impact on the agricultural branch.

Strengthening Management for fostering the Internationalization strategy of the complex, promoting the implementation of research and academic actions through networking and joint doctoral programmes in dual degree.


8.2.2


The same themes mentioned in 8.2.1

8.2.3


There is a correspondence between the Flemish interests and the research and educational lines of the Complex.

8.2.4


The UNAH and the research centres of the complex have been focusing their scientific activity on food security, food production and rural development. These thematic areas are in correspondence which the main research interests of the universities in Flanders and the cooperation priorities of the Flemish Community in Cuba.

8.3 Opportunities

8.3.1


Good relationship with universities in Flanders and a large range of partnership in Cuba and abroad will allow the implementation of fruitful academic and scientific actions. Taking into consideration the national priorities and Flemish interest, there is a huge potential on the creation of a multilateral network on food production/security for fostering postgraduate courses, MSc, PhDs and joint research activities in different disciplines within agricultural sciences.

8.3.2


The institutions that formed the Complex have a staff of excellence. Taking into account the quality and dimension of their research activities they are recognised as national leaders on Agricultural Sciences. The UNAH cooperates with national governmental institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture and has excellent cooperation with cooperatives and the rural private sector among other key stakeholders in Cuba. Those interactions are expressed in a wide range of activities such as courses, seminars, workshops, advisory actions and scientific research.

8.3.3


The improvement of the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, research and the institutional strengthening in order to contribute to the development of the country.


8.4 Modalities

8.4.1


Institutional programme, departmental project, scholarships, mobility, student exchanges


All the institutions of the Complex have a vast experience in the implementation of international cooperation actions. The institutional bonds established by the UNAH with Flemish universities during several years of cooperation are the best prove of the responsibility and professionalism of the university, its academics and scientist.


The university gained an international recognition and also a CITMA award due to the organisation of the Latin American Network (CYTED), on monitoring and management of natural disasters in agriculture.

Active member of the ALFA Project "International Network for Intellectual Property" (PILA, according to its initials in Spanish): 18 universities from Latin America and 3 from Europe are involved.

UNAH together with OCPI (Cuban Office for Intellectual Property) are the coordinators of this network in Cuba in which participate other institutions such as UCLV, CENSA, INCA, UH, CIGB,

International Network for Sustainable Development Data.


9.1


The UNAH sets a high standard of quality in the implementation of its academic, scientific and cultural activities.

9.2


The complex is intended to impact on food security and rural development of at national level, through the promoting of educational, research and extension activities. For the achievement of this goal, the 4 institutions work intensively on their integration as the most important and solid scientific and academic pole of the country on agricultural sciences.


9.3



Soil Physics, Land degradation processes (erosion, salinity, contamination, compaction), Soil Conservation, Geo-informatics (simulation models Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing), water use efficiency and conservation.

9.5


High

9.6


The implementation of cooperation projects financed by the VLIR-UOS for fostering a food production culture or the improvement of the rural development in Cuba will be of great impact. UNAH, CENSA, ICA and INCA as well as other institutions in Cuba (UCLV, UDG, UO, UH, UC) have the required capacity for assuring a suitable and sustainable project with great social, economical and scientific impact. However UNAH does not fit the regional priority of Eastern Cuba for an IUC.

1. Basic institutional data1.1 Name university Universidad de Oriente


Postal Address: Ave. Patricio Lumumba s/n Altos de Quintero. Santiago de Cuba. CP 90500

Phone: 53 22 631860

Website: www.uo.edu.cu







http://www.uo.edu.cu/


Some collaborations contacts have been developed in the past, which resulted in more than 25 scientific articles. The main contacts were developed with the University of Gent. In 2003, Prof. Richard Delanghe was awarded with the Honorary Doctorate. Prof. Andreas DeLeenheer, Rector of the University of Gent visited the UO as well.








Universidad de Oriente was founded, through a ceremony carried out by the Provincial Government of Santiago de Cuba, on October 10th, 1947. The precedents of this institution take us back to the seminary of San Basilio el Magno, created in Santiago de Cuba in 1722. Several generations of people from Santiago tried unsuccessfully to turn this seminary into a university. Indeed, the foundation of Universidad de Oriente rewarded the efforts and cultural aspirations of the Eastern region held for more than a century. The university was temporarily recognized by the Council of Ministers on April 27th, 1948. From that moment on a new stage of fight- that of its legalization- began in order to guarantee its development. The struggle for an official, autonomous, public university turned into a demand of the province through governmental, social and civic institutions and trade unions and the people in general. Under the Law 16, passed on March 22nd, 1949, the university became an official institution and was included in the national budget. In its early years, the institution based its curriculum on scientific and humanistic disciplines, some of which are still kept as a legacy of the founders and other personalities whose contributions mark the spirit of the university. From 1976 on, different teaching facilities-that eventually became independent Higher Education Centres- were built in the eastern region of Cuba. In 2002, with the creation of the University Municipal Facilities within the province, the university strengthened its foundation principle to offer public and free education to all sectors of society.

To accomplish the mission assigned to the university, the institution relies on a Central Structure composed of a Rector, five Vice-Presidents, a General Secretary, sixteen managements, six independent departments, two integrated Centres of Studies, eleven Faculties, eight Municipal University Centres and eight Municipal Facilities.



Universidad de Oriente is a leading institution when it comes to teaching, research and postgraduate activities. In cooperation with other Centres of Higher Education, the institution holds the greatest percent in the formation of Masters and Doctors of the eastern region. In the past five years the university graduated 220 PhD students of sciences- 98 of them from the university staff- which represents an estimate of 44 Doctors every year. Since 1959, more than 1000 international students have graduated through Government Agreements. The institution is part of 10 international networks and an active member of the Union of Latin American Universities (UDUAL), the Inter American University Organization (OUI) and the Latin American Postgraduate University Association (AUIP). The institution keeps a leading role in areas like Biophysics and advanced medical equipment, applied electromagnetism, sociological studies of culture, environment and coastal zones integrated management.


The university has strengthened the links with the institutions and entities of the region, especially with the industrial, health, hydraulic, construction, agricultural, telecommunications, administrative, cultural, legal and services sectors. The bonds between the local governments and the university facilities increase considerably, thereby carrying out projects of local and community interest. The managers express their satisfaction concerning their formation in postgraduate programs and the significant contributions of such formation in their research and professional performance. We have experienced an increase in the management and consultancy of the planning and implementation processes of training strategies of the Municipal and Provincial Administrative Councils and other prioritized institutions of the territory.


The university has reached an average of 900 publications in general every year. 219 of them in relevant journals, 46 in journals of the Web of Science, 66 books and 52 monographs. There is a strategy to increase the levels of visibility and relevance of the scientific journals. Revista Santiago, Revista Cubana de Química and Tecnología Química are included in the Academic Google since 2007, and are currently submitted to an assessment to be included in the data base Redalyc and SciELO from 2011 on.



The visibility of the centre at regional, national and international level. Planning and execution of a strategy to internationalize the university, which makes the institution more visible in other countries in many ways. Implementation of international projects that have contributed, with relevant results, to increase the quality of teaching, research, postgraduate and extension activities. The university academic staff has prestige, highlighting many professors that are positively acknowledged nationally and internationally.


The resources for maintenance and renovation of the infrastructure are not enough. There has been a deterioration of the infrastructure in the last years and there are limited resources to develop the scientific, technical and postgraduate activities, including the limitations on speed while surfing the internet. There are problems on the visibility of the scientific production related to the limitations on internet access and non-free journals, due to the American embargo.


5.1 Budget

% Government funded



100% Financial constraints


5.2.1 Total # staff

5.2.2 Total # academic staff 2352 (1194 Full Time)5.2.3 % female academic staff 51,72%5.2.4 % open vacancies

5.2.5 # Ph.D. Holders on staff 2565.2.6 Staff-student ratio 8,67 students/1 member of the academic staff

5.2.7 Teaching load 53% of the time dedicated to teaching activities and 47% to researching activities

5.2.8 Staff turn-over The academic staff has a high level of stability

5.2.9 Remarks staffing

One of the priorities of the university is to reinforce the quality of the academic staff, especially the youngest members through the implementation of PhD training programmes. 345 members of the academic staff hold a master degree.


5.3 Student body

5.3.1 Total # students 204145.3.2 % female students 30,12%

5.3.3 Trend

Improvement of the Higher Education Processes seeking higher standards of quality, prioritising national accreditation and international recognition. Academic programmes will focus on local development, offering solutions for the main economical and social problems of the country/region/province.


Introduction of TICs in the university processes in a gradual form.

5.4 Strategic plan

5.4.1 Strategic plan Yes5.4.2 Time coverage Every 5 years with a yearly own assessment.


Social Sciences Exact Sciences Biomedical sciences5.5.1 Bachelor (# programmes

and # students)14 programmes 8 Programmes in

Natural and Exact 1 Programme


14 programmes 2 Programmes in Natural and Exact

1 Programme


27 Tutorial PhDs 10 Tutorial PhDs in Natural and Exact

1 Tutorial PhD




6.1.1 Family name + First name Dr. Martha del Carmen Mesa Valenciano



Phone: 53 22 631860 Fax: 53 22 632689



6.1.3 Academic position Rector6.1.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full time Professor/Female








6.2.1 Family name + First name Dr. Hipólito Domingo Carvajal Fals



Phone: 53 22 631860 Fax: 53 22 632689

Website: www.uo.edu.cu6.2.3 Academic position Vice-rector for Science and Technology6.2.4 Title/Gender PhD, Full time Professor/Male





6.3.1 Family name + First name MSc. Luisa Villafruela Loperena


Postal Address: Universidad de Oriente, Sede Mella. Avenida Las Américas S/N, Santiago de Cuba 90900

Phone: 53 22 641701 Fax: 53 22 632689



6.3.3 Academic position Director of International Relations6.3.4 Title/Gender MSc, Full time Professor/Female






The UO is an active member of UDUAL, OUI, UNICA and AUIP. In the last few years its major donors have been: CAPES (Brazil), AECID (Spain), COSUDE (Switzerland) and CIDA (Canada).


Yes






The coordination of the international projects is responsibility of the International Relation Office. This central office maintains a permanent coordination with the area of Science and Technology, the faculties and research centres for supplying information as well as for technically supporting in the preparation and implementation of projects in which these areas are involved.


In the context of the south-south cooperation the UO is very active in Latin America and the Caribbean Region, developing various projects with universities in Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and many of the Caribbean Islands, among other countries.


Diversify the cooperation bonds of the university with other higher education institutions, especially in Europe, participating in a dynamic way in networks or multilateral projects such as 7 Framework Programme of the UE for Science and Technology.

7.6 Remarks




Access to updated information from different fields of science. Improvement of the existing infrastructure to accomplish the mission of the institution.


8.1.2


Formation of a competent professional: the university sets its priorities, the increasing quality of higher education in all kinds of courses and teaching scenarios. To be efficient in this endeavour, it is necessary to conjugate many factors-administrative, financial, and informative- that are essential to the formation of professionals that could meet the needs of the society. The international cooperation would allow the improvement of the elements that could guarantee the functioning of the processes, and would extend the most successful experiences of the Cuban Higher Education-acknowledged worldwide- to other institutions and countries.

Staff of excellence: this priority implies the creation and renovation of spaces-physical and of exchange-that allow the introduction of technology, knowledge and practices to improve the staff quality and its teaching, research and development capacity. In the same way, the university has professors and departments of international visibility in many areas in which the institution plays a leading role.

Social and economical impact: Universidad de Oriente has a leading position when it comes to scientific and academic development in the Eastern region and the country. However, the current demands of the Cuban society need to have the institution increase its influence on the solution of social needs through pre-graduate and postgraduate programs. In this sense, the relevance of the university for the society is guaranteed. Through academic cooperation, the all the institutions involved could achieve a greatest social impact in their respective communities.

8.1.3


All the priorities of the institution are in accordance with those of the Ministry of Higher Education in the country. The university always sets its goals following this pattern.

8.1.4


The national priorities for the development of the country are based on the education sector and more particularly the higher education as the scenario where knowledge and practice combine. This bond between academic institutions and social needs goes stronger nowadays given the capacity of the universities to be found in multiple spaces-national, provincial and municipal.




Energy, Food production and development of agricultural and livestock sciences, Environment and development of environmental sciences, Local development, Improvement of higher education, Infrastructure management and institutional development projects, Development of basic sciences, Biotechnology, Advanced technology and nanotechnology, Development of medical equipment and support to health services and biomedical applications, Society computerization, Development of education-related ICT, Socio cultural studies and development of social sciences, Studies on integration processes from the Eastern region of Cuba and the Caribbean, Business and industrial improvement and development of cleaner Technologies, Ecotoxicology, Risk integrated management, Heritage, housing, planning and vulnerability studies..

8.2.2


Energy, bio-fuels and cleaner Technologies

Advanced medical equipment

Agriculture and environment for local development

Strengthening of basic and natural sciences

Strengthening of social and humanistic sciences

Strengthening of scientific information and library management

Strengthening of networks infrastructure, computerization and telecommunications

Strengthening of the university infrastructure for undergraduate and postgraduate formation

Strengthening of university management

Strengthening of communication skills in English for Science and Technology

8.2.3



8.2.4


In terms of content, the strategic framework of VLIR-UOS expertise in Cuba on the basis of current findings consider a variety of broad overarching multidisciplinary themes in the Flemish cooperation with Cuba, but it is clear that Flanders could offer expertise that would seem to match the developmental needs of Eastern Cuba. A number of themes were put forward during the discussions, which match our interest with VLIR interest; there are: food security and agriculture (including rural development, plant & animal sciences and biotechnology), environment (incl. environmental management, drugs discovery/medicinal plants, bio-fuels & clean and efficient technologies, energy) cultural and human development (cultural heritage, language and culture, city conservation and planning, human settlements), health (collaborations with ITG; bio-medics and statistics), and computer sciences and ICT in education.

8.3 Opportunities

8.3.1


Leading role in the eastern region that allows the implementation of academic cooperation projects for the development of the institution in areas with scientific, technological, teaching, economical and social impact.

8.3.2


The presence of a university with three campuses that integrate technical, agricultural and livestock, basic, natural, social, humanistic and exact sciences, and the will for integration guarantee the capacity for the problematic approach of solutions, rather than for the disciplinary one. The leadership of the university in the region. The growing demands at local level and the development plans for the region.

8.3.3


Quality management, efficiency and rationality in the university processes. Management of the scientific and technological activities in the networks, meeting the priorities of the country. Management of science impact, innovation and postgraduate programs in the institution. Infrastructure improvement and management. Management of the relevance of the professional formation. University management of ways to meet the needs at local and territorial level. Management of academic collaboration, cooperation and exchange at regional, national and international level.


8.4 Modalities

8.4.1


Institutional Programme


The members of the UO staff are known by their professional ethic, moral values and institutional commitment. The UO applies a rigorous control of all the funds especially of those received as a consequence of its participation in international actions. The institution can guarantee a high quality of academic and scientific partnership as well as transparency and adequate use of all the financial means allocated through international cooperation.


Experiences shown while working within the networks. The obtaining of results through the cooperation with other institutions at regional, national and international level. Problem solving integrated approach. Experiences while working with interdisciplinary teams in the teaching and research processes. Experiences in the implementation of inter and trans-disciplinary projects.


9.1


Founded 64 years ago, the institution has developed progressively, which proves its administrative and stability capacity.

The University shows evident strengths in leadership and management

9.2


There is a strategy that favours local development through verification experiences, in which the consolidation of the network of people and organizations involved is considered a priority. The policy of the university gives priority to impact management, cooperative research and the work within research networks on prioritised fields.

9.3


The current infrastructure and the academic level of the university contribute to an adequate cooperation, financial and mobility management. The structure of the institution can handle any cooperation management initiative and has capacity for the implementation of cooperation projects for development.



There is coherence with the interests with the VLIR-UOS links at the academic level within the university and the country. The strategy of the institution goes in accordance with the priorities established by the country.

9.5


The university has a great impact on the society and the network of institutions it cooperates with at regional, national and international level.

9.6


The University is a good candidate for an IUC partnership. Implementation of an IUC Programme in the UO will contribute to a significant social and economical development of the 6 provinces included in the eastern region. The UO as the leading higher education institution in the region will increase its academic and scientific potential as well as its institutional capacity. This improvement will allow the UO to foster and diversify new initiatives of cooperation with other stakeholders of the country, especially universities, research centres and public or private enterprises of the territories from Camaguey to Guantanamo.


Annex 6: Country strategy framework from Flemish (north) seminar)THEMES CUBA DOMAINS

EDUCATION RESEARCH EXTENSION MANAGEMENT EFFECT

SUB-THEMES/AREAS

Regions PartnersMaster

PHD

Short training, recycling

Multidisciplinary research

Research output


Workshops /societal activity

HRD



FOOD SECURITY

Rural development and soil systems

Western Cuba - Pinar del Rio, Havana and Matanzas Province

UNAH x x x x x x

THEMATIC CAPACITY

Salt stress in relation to food security

Eastern Cuba (Granma)

Granma x x x x x x


THEMES CUBA DOMAINS


SUB-THEMES/AREAS


PHD



Research output



HRD


Food production & chain

Vila Clara UCLV x x x

Plant sciences (for agrictulture)

Vila Clara

UCLV and Univ. Ciego de Avila

x x x

Animal Sciences & production (genetics + dairy production)

Sancti Spiritus

CIMAGT x x

ENVIRONMENT

Clean Technologies

Cienfuegos

Univ de Cienfuegos, ISPJAE

x x x x x x x THEMATIC CAPACITY


THEMES CUBA DOMAINS


SUB-THEMES/AREAS


PHD



Research output



HRD


BiofuelsSancti Spiritus

University José Marti Pérez, Sancti Spiritus, Research Center for Energy and Industrial Processes, ISPJAE

x x

Renewable and efficient energy

Sancti Spiritus

x x

Water (quantity, quality)and basic


UNAH x x x x x x


THEMES CUBA DOMAINS


SUB-THEMES/AREAS


PHD



Research output



HRD


sanitation

Climate change


UNAH x x x x x x

Environmental law, management and education

Cienfuegos

Univ de Cienfuegos

x x x x x x x

Vila Clara UCLV

Economic and social development, cultural issues

THEMATIC CAPACITY

HEALTH HIV/Aids (improve therapy, drug

Havana and Cuba

IPK - Inst of trop medicine "Pedro

x x x x x x THEMATIC CAPACITY


THEMES CUBA DOMAINS


SUB-THEMES/AREAS


PHD



Research output



HRD


resistance testing)

Kouri"

Medicinal plants for drug production

Vila Clara

UCLV, Drug Research and Development Centre (CIDEM)

x

Pharmacology, drug testing

Havana and Vila Clara

IFAL // UCLV

x x x x

Medical statistics

HavanaUniv de la Habana

x x x

SERVICE/SUPPORT BASED INSTITUTIONAL THEMES


THEMES CUBA DOMAINS


SUB-THEMES/AREAS


PHD



Research output



HRD


Institutional strengthening

Institutional Policy

Vila Clara UCLV x xSUPPORT CAPACITY ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

Research Policy and Culture (incl. Statistics for research)

Havana and Vila Clara

Univ de la Habana and UCLV

x x x x

Educational policies (QA, accreditation, Capacity building in communication/language training)

Vila Clara UCLV x x x x x


THEMES CUBA DOMAINS


SUB-THEMES/AREAS


PHD



Research output



HRD


Extension and link with industry (research parks)

Information culture and management

Library Automation

Santa Clara (national for library automation)

UCLV x

SUPPORT CAPACITY ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

Library and information management

Vila Clara UCLV x x


THEMES CUBA DOMAINS


SUB-THEMES/AREAS


PHD



Research output



HRD


Regional integration - provinces

Vila Clara provincial level

UCLV x

ICT

ICT in education (E-learning & other)

Vila Clara (national for free software)

UCLV x x xSUPPORT CAPACITY ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

Computer sciences

Santa Clara

UCLV x x

Infrastructure dev

Santa Clara (CTG)

UCLV x

EFFECTNEW PROGRAMMES, IMPROVED TEACHING QUALITY ETC.

RESEARCH CAPACITY, CULTURE, OUTPUT

EXTENSION CAPACITY, CULTURE, OUTPUT

VISION, STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES, PROCEDURES


mission report Cuba

Documents

Transcript of mission report Cuba