Knowledge sharing for good in a Europe-Latin American perspective: the VIT@LIS experience

Resumen

This paper presents and reflects upon the importance of knowledge sharing and articulation in the frame of the @LIS Programme and of the resulting VIT@LIS network, focusing on knowledge-based networking across Europe and Latin America. VIT@LIS is an association of European and Latin American and Caribbean institutions and individuals active on subjects related to the Information Society (e-learning, e-health, e-government, e-inclusion, etc.), committed to sharing information and results and to collaborate towards the creation of a more inclusive and open Information Society for all. Born out of the European Commission @LIS Programme, VIT@LIS was launched in September 2006, and counts today more than 300 active members from Europe and Latin America, including all the categories of stakeholders of the Information Society: universities, civil society actors, governments, development agencies, international networks, local companies and authorities. The paper presents the experiences of @LIS and VIT@LIS in the context of international development cooperation and analyses the relation between information sharing, collaborative knowledge building and networking, with specific attention on the process of joint value building though knowledge sharing and on the impact of knowledge articulation activities on international networks.