International Education at Havana University: experiences and perspectives

1. International Education at Havana University: experiences and perspectives

2. C U B A Today • Population: 11,200,000, 50.3% are women. • 97.5% of children until 14 years go to school • 2.3 millions of students in different educational levels • 220 institutions of Science and Tech with more than 30,000 professionals • 1.8 scientists and engineers per 1000 inhabitants. • 67 Universities in the country and more 20,000 faculty • More than de 7000 PhD

3. C U B A Today

4. Social Sciences and Humanities Natural and Exact Sciences Technical Sciences Agricultural Sciences Economics 38% From 1959 to 2012 : more than 900,000 university graduates Others 9% Education 35 % Medical Sciences 18 % 38% • 6% of the Cuban population has completed an undergraduate program • All new graduates are granted jobs; they receive their university diploma together with notices of employment • In Cuba one of eachseven workers is a university graduate

5. Cuba Provinces Mayabeque Sancti Spíritus Ciego de Avila La Habana Villa Clara Pinar del Río Camagüey Tunas Artemisa Holguín Matanzas Cienfuegos Isla de la Juventud Santiago de Cuba Guantánamo Granma Santiago de Cuba

6. La Habana Tarará Main Campus JBN

7. Biología • Colegio San Gerónimo • Comunicación • Contabilidad y Finanzas • Derecho • Economía • Educación a Distancia • Farmacia y Alimentos • Artes y Letras • Filosofía e Historia • Física • Geografía • Lenguas Extranjeras • Matemática y Computación • Psicología • Química • FENHI • Turismo 18 Academic Units

8. Centro de Estudios de Salud y Bienestar Humano (CESBH) • Centro de Estudios de Medio Ambiente (CEMA) • Centro de Estudios sobre Migraciones (CEMI) • Centro de Estudios Hemisféricos y sobre Estados Unidos (CEHSEU) • Centro de Estudios de Administración • Pública (CEAP) • Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) • Centro de Estudios de Proteínas • Centro de Estudios de Productos Naturales • Centro de Estudios de Investigaciones y Evaluaciones Biológicas • Jardín Botánico Nacional (JBN) • Centro de Investigaciones Marinas (CIM) • Centro de Investigaciones de la Economía Internacional (CIEI) • Centro de Estudios Demográficos (CEDEM) • Instituto de Ciencias de los Materiales (IMRE) • Centro de Biomateriales (BIOMAT) • Centro de Estudios de la Economía Cubana (CEEC) • Centro de Estudios de Técnicas de Dirección (CETED) • Centro de Estudios de Perfeccionamiento de la Educación Superior (CEPES) 18 Research Centers

9. Human Resources Undergraduate Students Total 23,500 Total 26,000 in 2012 Graduate Students 23 PhD programs in 21 areas of knowledge

10. 6 subsidiaries (communitycolleges) in 15 Municipalities Student Residences 2 Museums

11. Sports Culture and Arts

12. International Students Fair

13. The University in the Community Program for non-traditional students

14. THE UH : SCENARY OF IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

15. International Agreements : 434 The UH PARTICIPATE IN MORE THAN 50 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Academic and Scientific Networks :43

16. International Cooperation for 2012: 1178

17. Scientific Results in the UH Year 2012

18. Academic Exchange • A valuable tool for understanding between countries • Fosters and supports educational collaboration between universities • Promotes the cooperation based on the principles of equity and mutual benefits • Contributes to the social and economic progress • Takes advantage of acquired experiences to fulfil the mission of the universities

19. Evolution and Challenges In an increasingly interdependent world academic exchange recognizes: • better understanding between different cultures • a vital need to advance the exchange of knowledge • International education at the university level provides a channel for an academic exchange of knowledge and culture • One of our main goals is to promote deeper knowledge about Cuban life and culture through the immersion of participants in the academic environment by the semester–long courses

20. Semester Programs At UH, the educational model has been developed over many years, and in 2000, the University created the first semester-long program for students from the United States. The latter has served as a mean of educational, scientific, and cultural exchange between the University of Havana and several U.S. universities Semester Programs gradually increased to 9 from 2000 to 2004 2000 INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR STUDY ABROAD ( IFSA) 2001 SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAINING (SIT) SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE CENTER FOR CROSS CULTURAL STUDIES 2002 COUNCIL FOR INT. EDUCATION EXCHANGE (CIEE) LEXIA INTERNATIONAL 2004 UNC- CHAPEL HILL SUNY-OSWEGO

21. The US Government regulations In May 2004 regulationsfromthe US governmentaffectedthegranting of licenseswhichlimitedtheacademic, cultural and scientificexchangesbetweenbothcountries. In July 2004, fiveprogramsclosedpermanently. • Statistics indicate that the number of American students has dramatically dropped since 2004. HoweverSemesterProgramsconstituteone of thebestwaysforacademicexchangesbetweenuniversities of bothcountries. • From 2005 to 2012 twelve new SemesterProgramsstarted: • American University • SUNY Buffalo • Ohio Northern • Harvard University • Burlington College • PresbyterianCollege • Pittsburgh University • Princeton University • Tulane University • University of Alabama • Arcadia University • MaristCollege

22. Deevelopment of semester-long programs Exceptionalsuccess:10 years of collaboration

23. Semester Programs highlights • Enroll in regular university courses together with Cuban students and earn up to 16 credits • Experience the blend of African, European and American cultures form Cuba. Take classes at the University of Havana and participate in cultural activities and study trips designed to encourage direct interaction with the Cuban people • Opportunities in the classroom and the community for American students to interact with Cuban students and the day-to-day life of the country • Contribute to grow the next generation of leaders who can adapt quickly to changing realities

25. New in 2012 -2013 BesidestheSemesterPrograms, new possibilities for the academic exchange are currently being studied Increase the availability of short-term programs and summer courses Semester Program to learn Spanish Semester Program to study the Caribbean Semester Program with emphasis in Natural Sciences

26. What else we are considering Research programs for students who complete a Semester Program at the University of Havana. Internships at San Geronimo School Triangulated Programs (an American University – University of Havana – and an university from a third country) Promote a closer contact with local population. American students should be allowed to rent and live in legally recognized private housing.

27. New Short Term programs • An introduction to Cuba: the challenges of contemporary Cuban society • Current situation and prospects of the Cuban economy • The reintegration of Cuba into the international economy • Tourism from an ecological perspectives • Biodiversity in Cuba: Flora and Fauna • Learning to do business with Cuba • Negotiating with Cuba tourism opportunities • Cuba and the Caribbean

28. Academic Cooperation • Short/long research and academic training • Summer Courses • Research Projects • Joint Master and PhD degree Programs • Seminars, conferences and workshops • Joint Articles and Books

29. Conclusions • These academic exchanges contribute to a better understanding of Cuban reality and hopefully in the future these contacts can be increased • Until now Semester Programs at UH, represent one of the most important experiences in international education with many different activities that develop strong relationships between students and staff from the universities involved • The experience of semester programs with American students is fundamental for the future of our world because it is an intellectual and cultural exchange that helps to build mutual respect and understanding between people and nations

30. QUESTION? How can we work together to restore and enhance the cooperation and collaboration between Cuba and US academic communities?

31. Building and developing the academic friendship bridge

32. THANK YOU VERY MUCH !