From July 14th to 17th, UCL academics Dr Chika Nweke and Dr Irina Lazar visited the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, as part of an academic exchange aimed at fostering international collaboration in engineering education, inclusion, diversity, and sustainability.
Hosted by Assistant Professor Maria Patricia León Neira from the Faculty of Engineering, the visit facilitated rich dialogue and exchange across various units of the university, including the Academic Vice-Chancellor’s Office, the Faculty of Engineering, the UCollege Program, the Educational Advisory Center (CAE+E), and the PiES Project team.
During the visit, Dr Nweke and Dr Lazar engaged in conversations around curriculum design, inclusive teaching methodologies, and student support strategies. They also explored institutional approaches to widening access to STEM and advancing equity and diversity within academic environments.
Dr Chika Nweke, Associate Professor in Biochemical Engineering, brings expertise in professional development and embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in engineering curricula. Dr Irina Lazar, Associate Professor in Engineering and Public Policy, leads the “Science and Engineering for Social Change” programme at UCL, which fosters transdisciplinary education bridging science, engineering, and societal impact.
Looking ahead, the visit has laid the foundation for future collaborative projects focused on research in engineering education and shared challenges in inclusive teaching and educational innovation.
We extend our sincere thanks to Professor María Patricia León Neira for her generous hosting and for facilitating meaningful connections that we hope will grow into lasting academic partnerships.
