Since its creation, contact and alliances have been maintained with researchers from various national institutions, including the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation – CORPOICA, the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, the Universidad del Valle, the Universidad de Córdoba, and the Alexander von Humboldt Institute, among others. In the international sphere, there is cooperation with researchers from different universities in the United States (University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Louisiana at Baton Rouge; University of California at Los Angeles- UCLA); in Brazil (Universidade Federal de Vicosa-UFV; Universidade Federal de Espirito Santo-UFES; Universidade de Londrina; Universidade Federal de Blumenau, Universidad Federal de Minas Gerais-UFMG), from Germany ( University of Leyzip; University of Bayrouth) from Spain (Universidad de las Islas Baleares; Universidad de Córdoba, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-CSIC; Universidad del Pais Vasco); from Venezuela (Universidad Central de Venezuela- UCV; Universidad de los Andes-ULA).

Currently, the GIEFIVET has focused its activities on the following research topics: i) Ecophysiology of deciduous and evergreen tree species of the tropical dry forest; Regulation of tree species growth in urban areas; Functional diversity of plants: contribution to the dynamics and functioning of tropical Andean forests, dry and humid tropics; Potential of assisted and natural restoration affected by soil change; Regulation of photosynthesis and functional diversity of Rubisco in Solanaceas, Melatomataceae and Piperaceae in the face of environmental variation; Role of phenotypic plasticity in the acclimation and distribution of plants in different tropical habitats.