Conference at Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut: Rethinking Information Infrastructures in Latin America
19 February: English-language discussion on sustainable and inclusive open access models
February 12th, 2026
A conference dedicated to strengthening open access and inclusive information infrastructures in Latin America will bring together scholars and institutional actors to reflect on cooperation models that promote greater equity, visibility, and access to knowledge. With a special focus on Central America, the event seeks to advance dialogue on sustainable strategies for preserving and sharing cultural and scientific heritage across the region. It will take place at the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut on the 19th of February 2026 at 17:00.
Since 2016, a network of primarily university-based institutions in Latin America has worked to develop shared information infrastructures aimed at safeguarding the region’s cultural and scientific heritage. These efforts have sought to articulate a coordinated regional approach to open access and long-term preservation. However, in Central America, complex political contexts, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and recurring environmental disasters have posed significant challenges to the consolidation and sustainability of strategic alliances.
In 2025, these initiatives are being revitalized through new proposals, actors, and collaborative frameworks that open fresh opportunities to rethink the future of information infrastructures from a Latin American perspective. In this context, Christian Zamora of the Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales at the Universidad de Costa Rica offers a critical analysis from the field of information sciences. His presentation examines the technical, institutional, and human conditions shaping the development of regional initiatives, as well as the main obstacles to stronger articulation and cooperation.
The conference aims to stimulate reflection and dialogue on models of cooperation that enhance equity, visibility, and open access while reinforcing inclusive and sustainable infrastructures for knowledge preservation and dissemination. The event forms part of the international Mecila Institutional Workshop “Mecila Information Infrastructure: Taking Stock and Looking Forward,” hosted at the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut (IAI) from February 18 to 20 and financed by the Bundesministerium fuer Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR).
