This project aims at contributing to the EU’s objective of strengthening democratic institutions in third countries by integrating the EU instruments of election assistance and election observation onto high-level research and teaching activities. In particular, election observation is overlooked in contemporary research projects and publications and is often absent from teaching programs in major universities worldwide. This project relies on four main axes. First, it develops an innovative research project on the systematic and comparative impact of EU election observation missions on the quality of democracy worldwide and aims at producing original research outcomes and publications. Second, it proposes high-quality teaching activities - three courses as well as a series of public events - on relevant EU-related topics at the USFQ. Third, it aims at improving democratic practices and electoral processes in Ecuador and at empowering the Ecuadorian civil society around issues of democracy and elections, among others by providing election observation trainings for the forthcoming electoral processes in this country. Finally, this project will contribute to a refinement of the existing EU instruments of election assistance and election observation by providing clear research insights and by suggesting relevant methodological and policy improvements.

The primary objective of the Latin-american Alliance for Capacity buildiNG in Advanced Physics (LA-CoNGA Physics) proposal is to modernize the educational platform in eight Latin-American higher education institutions (HEI) from the four countries in the Andean region (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela), using high-energy physics (HEP) as a model. The aimed modernization relies strongly on the development of an innovative e-learning platform based on low-cost open-access tools, installing connected instrumentation laboratories, a flexible problem-solving-oriented syllabus structured on modules for a one year master program and on the strengthening of cross-institutional relations among the target HEI's.We propose to build capacity in the Andean region by teaching advanced physics during a one year master/specialisation and creating a Virtual Research and Learning Community (VRLC), complemented by training opportunities at 3 leading European research centers, start-up and technology companies in the Andes and Europe, support to career development from the US. HEP is the science of understanding the smallest components of matter and the origin of the universe, looking for answers to key questions of our age. Impressive machines and detectors are needed to achieve the goals of HEP. They are based on breakthrough technologies with the potential to contribute in key areas like healthcare, big data, electronics, open-access collaborative tools, and solid ground for innovative entrepreneurs.In the past, voluntary crowdfunded efforts have been set up to have remote teaching of HEP in some of these HEI from researchers/professors at the beneficiary, i.e. the CEVALE2VE (Centro Virtual de Altos Estudios de Altas Energías in Spanish).This project proposes to create a VRLC by leveraging networks which already exist (CEVALE2VE, LatAm-EU-CERN, RedCLARA) and inexpensive, online teaching technologies. These will be made available to the country HEIs to be used in other fields.

Hepatobiliary malignancies represent a major cause of mortality globally and are uniquely aggressive in Latin America. The most common tumors are: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) affecting young individuals in Latin America and being the second most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide; cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) with minimal survival upon diagnosis and largely understudied in the region; gallbladder cancer (GBC) being a rare tumor worldwide but representing the second most common cause of cancer-related death in women in Chile. Key factors related to the excessive mortality of these tumors are the lack of reliable screening methods and the complexity of diagnosis, which requires advanced imaging technology and difficult-to-access tissue. These barriers are amplified by poor accessibility present in resource-limited regions, all of which leads to tumors being diagnosed at advanced stages in which curative therapy is not an option. To overcome these barriers, we propose to: A) validate immune-related markers in serum to predict HCC in South America and evaluate factors associated to early HCC development; B) define the utility of extracellular vesicles in serum as biomarkers for diagnosis of CCA and determine genetic and infectious factors that increase risk for this cancer; and C) identify biomarkers for GBC detection and evaluate novel immune factors that affect the geographical impact of this tumor. This project advances the field by focusing on a unique approach to screen and diagnose tumors based on serum detection of biomarkers before a tumor is visible on imaging, allowing for early tumor detection in a cost effective manner that will lead to implementation of curative therapies. In addition, this project addresses modifiable risk factors for hepatobiliary tumors that could be targeted for prevention. This project will result in novel tools that are easily accessible and will dramatically reduce the burden of cancer-related mortality in Latin America.

River networks are among Earth’s most threatened hot-spots of biodiversity and provide key ecosystem services (e.g. supply drinking water and food, climate regulation) essential to sustaining human well-being. Climate change and increased human water use are causing more rivers and streams to dry, with devastating impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Currently, over half the global river network consist of drying channels and these are expanding dramatically. However, drying river networks (DRNs) have received little attention from scientists and policy makers, and the public is unaware of their importance. Consequently, there is no effective integrated biodiversity conservation or ecosystem management strategy of DRNs facing climate change. A multidisciplinary team of 25 experts from 11 countries in Europe, South America, China and the USA will build on EU efforts to investigate how climate change, through changes in flow regimes and water use, has cascading impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem functions and ecosystem services of DRNs. DRYvER (DRYing riVER networks) will gather and upscale empirical and modelling data from nine focal DRNs (case studies) in the EU and CELAC to develop a meta-system framework applicable to Europe and worldwide. It will also generate crucial knowledge-based strategies, tools and guidelines for cost-effective adaptive management of DRNs. Working closely with stakeholders and end-users, DRYvER will co-develop strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change effects in DRNs, integrating hydrological, ecological (including nature-based solutions), socio-economic and policy perspectives. The end results of DRYvER will contribute to reaching the objectives of the Paris Agreement and place Europe at the forefront of research on climate change.