This Tuesday morning began the visit of peers for the external evaluation for the renewal of the high-quality accreditation of the undergraduate program in Metallurgical Engineering at the Universidad Industrial de Santander, UIS.
The academic peers appointed by the National Accreditation Council – CNA, are Moisés Oswaldo Bustamante Rúa (coordinating peer), professor of the National University of Colombia, and Sandra Patricia Pérez Velásquez (academic peer), professor of the Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia UPTC of Tunja. They met in the first instance with the directors of the University for the presentation of both of them and the University and the program and shared the purposes and methodology of the visit.
In addition to the academic vice-rector in statutory functions of the rector, Professor Daniel Alfonso Sierra due to the impossibility of attendance of the rector Hernán Porras, the vice-rector of Research and Extension, and the General Secretary, among others, were present in the meeting. The director of the School of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science; Professor Ana María Pérez Ceballos, academic coordinator of the Metallurgical Engineering program, and Professor Andrés Giovanni González Hernández, coordinator of the program’s accreditation process, were in this meeting too.
This visit of peers for the external evaluation of the Metallurgical Engineering program will take place on November 5, 6 and 7, during which various activities will be held with managers, professors, students, graduates and employers, as well as with members of the Academic and Research and Extension vice-rectorships, among others.
The School Director speaks
Professor Ángel Manuel Meléndez Reyes, director of the School of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science of the UIS, said: “It is an honor to receive the peer reviewers of the National Accreditation Council, who accompany us in this important stage for the renewal of the accreditation of the Metallurgical Engineering program. This process represents an invaluable opportunity to consolidate the achievements made and identify new areas for improvement, always with the mission of the public university to contribute to social transformation through the training of competent professionals, with integrity and committed to sustainable development.”
Professor Meléndez also highlighted the importance of the generational renewal of the faculty: “The incorporation of professors with international experience has enriched our faculty, boosting teaching, research and extension, as well as innovation in the School of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science. This allows us to offer training of excellence and remain at the forefront of higher education.” Likewise, he mentioned another relevant aspect “in addition, since 2020 the Metallurgical Engineering program at UIS is internationally accredited, a recognition that motivates us to remain at the forefront of higher education through continuous improvement.”
Optimistic about the peer visit, the director commented, “I am confident that the results of this external evaluation will be positive and will contribute to the sustained growth of our program and the School. I am deeply proud of the commitment and dedication of our entire community in building a better country, and I am convinced that this effort will be reflected in the renewal of our accreditation.”
Finally – pointed out the director of the School -, “this year, the Metallurgical Engineering program, which is a pioneer in Colombia, turns 70 years old. Seven decades of training highly qualified professionals are a testimony of our institution’s commitment to academic excellence and social relevance. Throughout these years, generations of students, professors, and alumni have contributed to build a program that has established itself as a national benchmark in the field of metallurgy.”
