The NECOBELAC project was a European project from 2009-2012 that aimed to improve scientific writing, promote open access publishing models, and foster technical and scientific cooperation between Europe and Latin America in the field of public health. It conducted two levels of training activities through 8 training courses for trainers and over 40 local training replications, developed innovative training tools in the form of topic maps, and established a network of over 200 institutions across 15 countries. The project successfully increased awareness of open access and scientific communication through its diverse training initiatives and topic maps, which provided a sustainable model for improving scientific communication according to local needs.

1. NECOBELAC project
Paola De Castro, NECOBEALC project Coordinator
Istituto Superiore di Sanità
An example of sustainable activities
to promote OA in a wide geographical area
SPARC Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

2. NECOBELAC project in brief
It is a European project (2009-2012)
“Science in Society” working in the field
of PUBLIC HEALTH
 improve scientific writing
 promote open access publishing models
 foster technical and scientific cooperation
between Europe and Latin America
www.necobelac.eu
Network of Collaboration Between
Europe & Latin American-Caribbean countries
It aims to:
All actors taking part in
scientific communication processTARGET
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

3. NECOBELAC key points
This approach offers mutual benefits EU-LAC
and supports cultural change in production,
use and dissemination of health information
BI-DIRECTIONAL APPROACH
sharing experiences and initiatives
between Europe & Latin America within a common strategy
All project partners contributed to the three main actions
(participating in training, provide contents for training tools, support the network)
MAIN ACTIONS
1. Two level training activity
2. Innovative training tools
3. Networking & cooperation activity
interrelated

4. Action 1
8 courses in EU and LAC
TRAINING REPLICATION
local training courses,
workshops, meetings, etc.
40 replications to date
TRAINING COURSES FOR TRAINERS
T1
T2
TWO-LEVEL TRAINING ACTIVITY
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

5. 8 Training for trainers (T1)
>45 Local training replications (T2)
Brazil Sao Paolo 2010
Italy Rome 2010
Colombia Bogotà 2010
Spain Madrid 2011
Argentina Buenos Aires 2011
Portugal Braga 2011
Mexico Guadalajara 2011
Ireland Dublin 2012
15 countries in the network
4 Europe + 11 Latin America
>200 institutions
Figures from NECOBELAC training
Lessons learnt: listen, be flexible,
provide support and teaching material
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

6. INNOVATIVE TRAINING TOOLS
NECOBELAC topic maps
Topic maps are based on sematic web technology
They associate topics and link them to selected online resources
Scientific publication
Open access publishing
AREAS
They have a triple SUBJECT-PREDICATE-OBJECT structure
Action 2
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

7. Scientific publication
NECOBELAC topic maps
GL authors
and issuing
organizatio
nsshould
be aware
of the entire
information
life cycle
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

8. NECOBELAC topic maps
Open access
Librarians,
authors,
editors,
publishers
and all
stakeholder
s should
be aware
of OA
challanges
and
opportuniti
es
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

9. Benefits from NECOBELAC topic maps
Topic maps are:
Topic map contents
can be selected according to information needs of the target
modular
extensible
flexible
portable
able to be re-purposed
•Generate discussion during the training courses
•Help creating flexible local training programmes
•Provide useful links
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

10. Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014
Guide to use topic maps
SECTION: Training>topic maps>material on TM in PDF and video
Link to full-text
Short description
Scheme
Hints for discussion
http://62.204.194.27/necobelac/indexing.jsp

11. Scientific journals
Introduction
to scientific publication
Scientific articles
Peer review and quality indicators
NECOBELAC model training program
SCIENTIFIC WRITING
Scientific writing rules in
GL and WL are the same
(the level of application
changes)
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

12. Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

13. NECOBELAC topic maps
on scientific writing
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

14. Open Access Journals
Introduction to Open Access
Open Access Repositories
Open Access Policies
NECOBELAC model training program
OPEN ACCESS
OA publishing models
represents the greatest
challenge for health
infromation dissemination
Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014

15. Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014
Example of topic map on OA reposities
Repositories management and use
equally applies to all types of
literature

16. Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014
Training &
replication

17. Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014
Examples of diversity in
NECOBELAC local training initiatives

18. Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014
Training &
replication

19. Quito, Ecuador,
Noviembre 2011
Abstract book
Italian/Spanish
New collaboration started thanks to NECOBELAC:
(SW & OA)  public health
Montevideo
Uruguay, Marzo 2012
Examples of OA training and research for public health, including
Italy (ISS, IILA), Colombia (ISP), Ecuador (UTE), Uruguay
Italia, Argentina, 2010
Italia, UK, Cuba, 2011
ENFEREMDADES RARAS
FARMACOLOGIA PEDIATRICA
AMBIENTE Y SALUD
ISEE - International Society of
Environmental Epidemiology, 2011
Quito
Ecuador, Marzo 2014

20. 20Seminario Internacional Salud Ocupacional y Ambiental. Quito, 22-24 de Febrero de
>50 training courses
in EU and LA
(8 cpourses for trainers)
Topic maps as
innovative training tools
> 200 institutions in a
network
Final results of the NECOBELAC project
in brief

21. Sparc Europe workshop, EAHIL, Rome 10 June 2014
OA included in research activities
CASA (AIDS)
E-learning platform
in scientific communication
Asbestos
project

22. Model for a basic training course on
scientific writing, addressed to researchers
to be included in scientific activities within a specific area of public health
(envirionmental health)
Introduction to scientific communication
and open Access publishing model
Public health journals and where to find
them
Intruducing the editorial process
Editorial guidelines and formats (IMRAD)
“Vancouver Style”, a common
denominator to publish an article in an
international journal
• Short theoretical introduction
• Hands on activities
• Reference Power points
• List of discussion points
• Reference websites
To know more

23. Training plays a fundamental role for all stakeholders (authors,
editors, librarians) to create awareness on innovation
benefitsassociated with OA to research output
Training (in a wide geographical area) and across disciplines is
a way of learning from different experiences and focus on
the core requirements of the scientific communty
Final considerations
Lessons learnt from NECOBELAC
NECOBELAC represents a sustainable model
to improve scientific communication according to local needs
through institutional support and strong community engagement
Hope this experience can be useful to you!
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24. Thank you
Paola De Castro
paola.decastro@iss.it
Questions?