Honduras Global

Project description

Title: Honduras Global
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Honduras
Lead executing agency: Secretaría Técnica de Planificación y Cooperación Técnica (SEPLAN)
Overall term: 2011 to 2014

Context

Migration is very important for Honduras for many reasons. The Central Bank of Honduras estimates that the proportion of the country’s citizens living abroad is roughly ten per cent (1.2 million). In 2008 migrant remittances made up 21% of the country’s gross domestic product. Among these migrants there is a small group of highly qualified Hondurans who are extremely successful in the scientific and academic communities and the private economy. Honduras wants to work with these people more closely to use their experiences and competence to encourage economic development in the country.

Objective

As a result of cooperation with highly qualified Hondurans living abroad (diaspora), Honduran academic and scientific activity is strengthened, is more practice and application oriented and there is a greater transfer of knowledge and technology. The country has boosted its development and its capacity for innovation, and the Honduran economy has become more competitive.

Approach

The Honduras Global project involves close cooperation with the academic and scientific communities and the private sector in order to encourage applied research and the use of its results in business. The focus is on the following measures:

  • Positioning the Honduras Global Foundation at the national and international level and extending institutional and member networks
  • Establishing a virtual multi-purpose portal
  • Implementing various individual projects for the members of Honduras Global
  • Developing a functional structure for the appropriate management of the Honduras Global Foundation
  • Developing and implementing a sustainability strategy for Honduras Global.

Results achieved so far

Transfer of knowledge and technology, and the country’s ability to innovate and compete, have both increased following the implementation of various services offered by Honduras Global – for example the “Semana Academica”, internships, seminars and conferences.

Cooperation with members of Honduras Global has made research resources available, rendering Honduras more competitive.

The network was founded by 20 members in 2008; by 2012 the number of members had risen to 28.

The members have developed and implemented their own projects, for instance the foundation of a research and innovation centre and laboratories that are involved in researching various genetic diseases.

Additional information