Erasmus+ Capacity Building: project EL-BONGO physics

The EL-BONGO project is funded by the Erasmus+ CBHE programme (“Capacity Building in Higher Education”) and is led by the University of Toulouse.

The EL-BONGO Physics project (E-Latin American Digital Hub for Open Growing Communities in Physics) is a network-based project composed of eighteen universities from Latin America and Europe, along with a group of scientific and industrial partners.

It aims to revolutionise higher education in Latin America through digital transformation, with a focus on virtual research and learning communities as well as open science practices.

It builds on the success of the LA-CoNGA Physics programme and seeks to establish a network of research communities in Central America and the Andean region, bringing together 18 Latin American and European universities from nine countries.

The project collaborates with renowned research centres, industrial partners, and multilateral organisations.

Key Objectives:

Promote collaboration through digital platforms
Promote digital education and open science
Develop practical skills in digital fabrication
Implement a hybrid Master’s programme in line with the Bologna model

Four research and learning communities in physics will be created in the following areas:

High-energy physics
Space weather
Seismology and terrestrial hazards
Artificial intelligence

Logo projet

Innovative digital learning methods, research internships, and socially impactful activities such as hackathons will enrich the educational experience and bridge the gap between academic research and real-world societal challenges.

The project also aims to establish a collaborative scientific gateway for science and education, leveraging advanced digital infrastructures to overcome geographical and socio-economic barriers. This scientific digital hub will offer:

access to educational resources
support for networking and collaboration
enhanced visibility and dissemination of research results

The project work plan is structured into six work packages: preparation, tool development, training, quality assurance, dissemination, and project management. Specific responsibilities are assigned to the participating institutions.

The Universidad Antonio Nariño in Colombia coordinates the project, in collaboration with Université Paris Cité as co-lead, thus facilitating knowledge transfer and cooperation between Europe and Latin America.