Purdue inks collaboration agreements with Colombian universities
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Purdue University is partnering with four Colombian universities to expand student programs and collaborate on research.
Purdue officials signed a memorandum of understanding this month with representatives of Icesi University, Universidad EAFIT, Universidad del Norte and the Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración. The four Colombian universities are collectively referred to as the 4U Alliance.
Under the agreement, students and faculty will have access to exchange programs, and the five universities will strengthen research ties and develop joint projects, Purdue said in a news release. The partnership, which is expected to initially last five years, also will provide new offerings to students such as short courses, seminars and workshops.
“Creating new opportunities on both continents will create opportunities for both the 4U Alliance and Purdue,” Karen Plaut, Purdue’s executive vice president for research, said. “The goal is for future collaborations that utilize the expertise of each university to further the research potential.”
Past collaborations between Purdue and some of the universities date back more than a decade, said Juan Diego Velásquez de Bedout, Purdue’s assistant director of global partnerships.
“We want to find opportunities that hopefully resonate with as many of the universities at the same time, offering a consortium of universities for future collaborations,” he said.
María Paola Podesta, vice president for academic affairs at Universidad EAFIT, said Purdue is one of her university’s most impactful allies.
“Purdue is committed to Colombia through its alliances with other universities in the country,” Podesta said. “The signing of this 4U+Purdue memorandum is a powerful example of how the construction of trust, collegiality and especially the conviction of the transformative power of education and innovation, science and technology, allows capabilities to come together to continue on the path of the formation of talent and the advancement of knowledge.”
The new partnership follows similar international agreements reached in recent weeks. Purdue signed agreements with the Dominican Republic and Panama, Inside INdiana Business reported.
Purdue also announced agreements with five Malaysian universities in early September.