The SPIDER project, funded by the European Union, will hold its final conference, “Digital Transformation Beyond Borders”, on 15 April 2026 at DLR Projektträger, Bonn, Germany. The event will bring together policymakers, representatives of research and education networks, innovation actors, and international partners to advance dialogue on digital transformation between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
The conference is designed to present the project’s results, facilitate strategic exchange, and identify priorities for the future of EU–LAC digital cooperation.
SPIDER contributes to strengthening collaboration between both regions in digital transformation and research and innovation (R&I), building on the outcomes of EU–LAC digital dialogues and leveraging capacities developed in the context of the BELLA project.
The programme includes sessions on European priorities for international digital cooperation, a presentation of SPIDER’s main results, and discussions on cross-regional collaboration models. Key topics will address the evolution of digital transformation, the current state of EU–LAC cooperation, and approaches to ensure inclusive and human-centred digital development.
A central panel will focus on digital transformation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean, examining cooperation models, lessons learned, and future priorities. In this context, Luis Eliécer Cadenas, Executive Director of RedCLARA, will contribute the regional perspective on the role of academic networks and collaborative frameworks in advancing research and innovation.
The agenda will also include a session on the relevance of the BELLA II project — led by RedCLARA and co-funded by the European Union — in strengthening EU–LAC cooperation, as well as a panel on global digital cooperation and interregional collaboration frameworks.
Beyond marking the project's conclusion, the conference aims to consolidate key results and help define a forward-looking agenda for EU–LAC digital cooperation.
Event details
Place: DLR Projektträger, Bonn, Germany
Date: 15 April 2026
Schedule: 08:30 – 18:00
Further information and registration: Link
