On October 16, 2000 REUNA, Chile's National Research Network, and Florida International University (FIU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to connect Chile to the AmericasPATH (AMPATH) project.  AMPATH is a collaborative project between FIU and Global Crossing. Using Global Crossing's terrestrial and submarine optical-fiber network, AMPATH will interconnect the Research and Education (R&E) networks in South and Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico (the Service Area) to US and non-US R&E networks via Internet2's Abilene network. We are also interested in attracting other National and International R&E networks to peer with AMPATH.

Chile has a small, but very active scientific community that has placed a priority on integrating into the worldwide scientific community by electronic means, according to REUNA (Red Universitaria Nacional) executive director Florencio Utreras. REUNA  is a private non-profit corporation formed by nineteen universities and the National Commission of Scientific and Technolgoical Investigation (CONICYT). 

Florida International University welcomes REUNA to the AMPATH project.  FIU has several distance learning programs planned with universities in Chile, including a Master's Degree in Engineering, that will utilize AMPATH's high-performance network for delivery.