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The amazing thing about events like TICAL, is the quality of actors from different sectors of academic work, get involved to make the conference an even bigger event. The 2016 edition will be no different, and will be present at the event center Golden Center in Buenos Aires, authorities like Dr. Guillermo Tamarit, president of the National Inter-University Council (CIN) of Argentina and our interview today.

Since March by the agency, working in coordination of policies and strategies of university development and promotion of activities for the public higher education system in Argentina, Tamarit participate for the first time in the Conference. In this conversation, he tells us a little about their expectations for TICAL on the importance of ICT in the development of universities in Argentina and how the event can enhance that process. (Photo: Ramiro Pereyra - The Voice)

Who is Dr. William Tamarit, president of CIN Argentina?

Hi, I'm the rector of the National University of Northwestern Buenos Aires (UNNOBA), headquartered in Junin, for the period 2015/2019, and chairman of the National Inter-University Council (CIN), since March 2016.

How do you assess the state of development of ICT in Argentine universities at this time in history? What is your view on the importance of them for the full growth of academic work?

In the Argentine public universities, ICT are in constant state of change and updating. Its development seeks not only to accompany the state of the art, but do so with a critical stance ongoing analysis which allows, in turn, choose the most suitable alternative to meet the ever increasing requirements of the university community, both academically and scientist, and as regards the management.

From a higher education inserted into a country with a large geography and a disparate infrastructure deployment, the Argentine university system has sought to offset, permanently gap, from promoting spaces throughout the territory and seeking to ensure services regardless of location. This is achieved through development of a national university network that has, as one of its premises, providing the best connectivity available in a collaborative and cooperative system in terms of economic support. In this regard, the Association of Networks of University Interconnection (ARIU), the Ministry of Education of the Nation and the whole university public institutions facilitate the development of a venture support to university management, with its own programs and constant adaptation to the requirements. The CIN is, in that line, head of the University Information System (SIU).

The process of accreditation of courses, carried out by the National Assessment and Accreditation (CONEAU), with the permanent support of the rectors of the houses of study, has detected and prioritize areas related to ICT with high impact on the teaching-learning process, facilitating the development of tools and acquiring equipment and services.

One example is the coverage achieved with videoconferencing facilities that allow not only reach the most remote places, but also ensure the necessary infrastructure for conducting collaborative postgraduate (taught by several universities together and degree-granting shared) or research groups distributed.

From the CIN commitment rectors support investments in equipment and services to ensure, also, have trained personnel who have the ability to permanently choose between the various options that the market and the technological offer generally stimulated offer . The latter is particularly important given that society expects the university spaces supported by the State resulting referents and allow ensure that the choices made collaborate with an increasingly free, independent and equitable country.

In this context, TICAL has established itself as the leading ICT meeting of our region and a key for the exchange of best practices in the area space. Is it your first time at the Conference? What are your expectations for the 2016 edition?

Personally I have not attended previous editions. However, through the participation that has had the Argentine university system, I was able to follow the evolution since its first meeting in Panama. We hope to be in Argentina, the easy accessibility for our university will enrich our perspective in ICT and add knowledge to our future developments.

How they are preparing the CIN and Argentine universities to participate and contribute in the event?

The CIN value TICAL activity and its annual meetings, in addition to the workspaces that have been created. We also appreciate the opportunity to host the meeting this time. In this sense, from the beginning it has contributed in spreading this activity, not only in the own sphere, but also in private universities and other scientific and academic environment of the country.

Entities linked to universities and CIN as the Association of Networks Interconnection University (ARIU) encourage participation and contribute, as in previous editions, with financial support for exhibitors and in particular, with some travel costs of several of university representatives.

Buenos Aires is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, known for its culture and good food. What suggestions you have for those who seek to know the city in their free time?

We recommend touring the city center and its museums. Different activities are offered permanently within a few kilometers around downtown Buenos Aires. As for gastronomy, Buenos Aires offers a menu for other varied. Those interested in trying the Argentine asado, they can do in the various restaurants in the area of ​​Puerto Madero.