Cases & Voices

With the goal of recruiting at least 30,000 students, RNP – the national research and education network (NREN) of Brazil – and partners have introduced an ambitious cyber-security initiative. The program “Hackers do Bem” – Hackers of good or, if you will, white hat hackers – addresses a significant deficit of professionals in cybersecurity. According to RNP estimates, more than 300,000 vacancies cannot be filled due to lack of manpower.

Vint Cerf calls her the "mother of the internet". A key figure in the establishment of the first node of the Internet in Uruguay, an advocate and a leader in the development of an independent Latin American networking industry. This is Ida Holz.

An Internet pioneer in his country and director of the Guatemalan Advanced Network for Research and Education (RAGIE), Luis Furlán talks about the creation of the Latin American Cooperation of Advanced Networks (RedCLARA), the main contributions it has made to Latin America and the Caribbean, and what he sees as the “misión” for the next generations of regional advanced networks: to increase scientific production and thus reduce the gaps in education and research in the region.

The importance of digital transformation in schools across Brazil has become even more evident with the COVID-19 pandemic. In a country with so many social and regional disparities, Internet access is still a distant reality for many municipalities. With the aim of reducing this distance, the country’s government created the Internet Brasil Program at the end of 2021, executed by RNP.

Think of Brazil, and it’s probably Carnival, lush rainforest, or football legends that first come to mind, rather than cybersecurity. But in Brazil, as elsewhere, cyber attacks are on the rise – and ensuring the next generation is cybersecurity-savvy is crucial.

In an increasingly digitized world, the intersection of technology and health has become vital for improving healthcare outcomes and increasing access to health services. Among these new opportunities is mental health, a critical area often marginalized in healthcare. We are sharing information about the strategic alliance between RENATA and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Colombia, and its commitment to strengthening mental health through the Digital Health academic programme and the ECHO care model.