In an exercise of transparency with the community, the Antonia Santos Bicentennial Library was the scene of the Public Accountability Hearing of the UIS Socorro Campus, a space where the achievements and progress during the year 2023 were presented.
In the space, led by the Coordinator of the Headquarters, Engineer Julio Alfonso Martínez Molina, it was evidenced the strengthening of the mission axes: training, extension and research: “in the last three years, the Headquarters has made significant progress, such as the implementation of new academic programs, including Architecture, Construction Engineering and Tourism, which has undoubtedly enriched the educational offerings of the region”.
Martínez Molina said that, in coordination with schools in the Province, the Campus has boosted enrollment in distance education programs, strengthened with initiatives such as the PreUIS Course, aimed at admission to engineering programs. Currently, 1,400 students are part of the training processes, accompanied by teachers and students in various academic and research activities.
In the area of research, the Coordinator celebrated the approval of outstanding projects such as SUREST, a sustainable rural education strategy supported by the European Union and developed in collaboration with universities in Spain, Italy, Costa Rica and Colombia: “this project strengthens the Tourism career and promotes the internationalization of the program. Likewise, we have consolidated tourism research seedlings that have already had a positive impact on municipalities in the provinces of Comunera and Guanentá, and we have also advised cities such as Bucaramanga and Floridablanca”.
In outreach, the library has played a key role with activities aimed at children, young people, adults and senior citizens. Its model has attracted the attention of the Colombian Public Library Network, which has invited the headquarters to share this experience and promote its replication in other regions of the country.
The UIS Cuenta 2023 was the scenario where the projection of the UIS in the capital of the community was evidenced, which is projected as an academic and social engine in the southern region of Santander.
