Latin America
Latin America network formed at UCL
25 March 2013
With collaboration and engagement in Latin American countries high on UCL’s international agenda, a new UCL Latin America network has been launched. The network will play a key role in the successful implementation of UCL’s strategy in the region.
The network was formed by 50 UCL colleagues from across the university who met to hear about recent developments and current engagement in Latin America, as well as to share their own collaborations and insights.
The network aims to:
- Act as a hub for engaging with Latin America
- Share updated information on collaborations, developments and opportunities (including funding)
- Provide a forum to encourage new initiatives
- Raise the profile of UCL’s work in the region.
If you are interested in joining the network, please contact Andrew Pink at a.g.pink@ucl.ac.uk indicating your interest in Latin America.
To discuss UCL’s current links and on going strategy in the region, contact Professor Alejandro Madrigal, Pro-Provost for the Americas, at a.madrigal@ucl.ac.uk or Lorraine Dardis at lorraine.dardis@ucl.ac.uk.
Background information – UCL’s relationship with Latin
America
A wide range of new opportunities for collaboration are opening up in
Latin America. One of three regions
identified for strategic development by UCL in our International Strategy,
Latin America is emerging as an interesting academic and scientific market, with more
than 20 countries, over 580 million inhabitants and a global combined economy
of nearly US$7,000 billion.Many Latin American countries are stepping up their academic activities
and relationships with the UK. Recently,
UCL welcomed the Institute for the Americas to the university. In November, Professor Michael Worton, Vice-Provost
(International), led a UCL delegation to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, with Professor
Alejandro Madrigal, Pro-Provost for the Americas, and Lorraine Dardis, Senior
Executive Officer – Office for International Affairs, participating. Additionally, Nigel Percival, Director –
Office for International Affairs, visited Chile.
As well as exploring opportunities in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, there are also potentially significant opportunities in other parts of Latin America, particularly Brazil and Mexico.
Objectives of the visits
During the recent visits, the team engaged with
leading universities and the public bodies and other organisations that support
higher education, with a particular emphasis on developing long-term and
sustainable collaborations in research, teaching and institutional development
and governance.
Areas explored:
- Strategic long-term links with key institutional partners
- Collaborations that further build on UCL’s international teaching excellence hub, e.g. through international teaching bursaries and staff exchanges
- Institutional links that will develop mutually beneficial research collaborations both at a departmental and institutional level
- Student and staff exchanges
- In collaboration with Santander Universities, the possibility of establishing summer schools in Colombia
- Santander Universities scholarships for Master’s students.
Work to
date
Since the
visits, and building on existing collaborations at institutional, faculty and
department levels, work has begun to make concrete plans for a 2013 summer
school in Colombia, arrange delegation visits from Ecuador and Peru, extend
staff and student exchanges and form a Latin America network.
Page last modified on 25 mar 13 12:33
