From 21 to 23 October 2026, the Portuguese cities of Porto and Maia will host the 7th Latin America and the Caribbean – European Union (LAC-EU) Academic Summit, a forum that will bring together representatives from universities, governments, international organisations and academic networks from both regions to strengthen cooperation in higher education, science, technology and innovation.
A delegation comprising representatives from the national research and education networks CEDIA (Ecuador) and RENATA (Colombia), as well as the regional network RedCLARA, led by its executive director, Luis Eliécer Cadenas, and by the Chair of its Board of Directors, José Palacios, who will take part in activities aimed at promoting academic and scientific collaboration between Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.
Organised by the Permanent Academic Forum ALC-EU (FAP ALC-EU) in conjunction with the Universidade da Maia (UMAIA) and the Universidade Portucalense, with the support of the Portuguese Association of Private Higher Education (APESP), the 7th Summit will continue a process of dialogue and joint development that began thirteen years ago, following previous summits held in Santiago de Chile (2013), Brussels (2015), Córdoba (2018), Bucharest (2022), Alcalá de Henares (2023) and Bogotá (2025).
The main objective of the meeting is to continue making progress towards the consolidation of a Common Area for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation between the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, regarded by its organisers as a strategic project based on the mobility of talent, the strengthening of networks and a shared vision of bi-regional development and cooperation.
In accordance with the Summit’s conceptual framework, discussions will be structured around four main themes: the role of higher education in peace and stability; the implementation of the LAC-EU Common Area; the contribution of universities to the ecological, digital and energy transitions; and the strengthening of academic networks and cooperation between regions.
In addition, on 21 October, a special pre-Summit session will be held at the University of Portucalense, dedicated to the theme ‘Oceans and the Blue Economy: science, emerging technologies and cooperation between Europe and Latin America’, with the aim of promoting an interdisciplinary dialogue on one of the strategic issues for both regions.
The 7th LAC-EU Academic Summit aims to conclude its proceedings with the adoption of the so-called Maia Declaration, a document that will set out proposals and recommendations designed to strengthen academic, scientific and technological cooperation between Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. It is within this framework that RedCLARA and its member academic networks intend to contribute, so that the Declaration recognises them as strategic public digital infrastructure for the construction of the LAC–EU Common Area for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation.
RedCLARA’s participation, alongside the national research and education networks of Ecuador and Colombia, reinforces the historic commitment of the region’s advanced academic networks to strengthening bi-regional ties and building a collaborative ecosystem that contributes to the development of research, higher education and innovation on both continents.
Further information on the Summit: https://www.umaia.pt/pt/eventos/vii-cimeira
