From August 14 to 16, Bucaramanga will host an event aimed at the exchange of ideas in various fields of engineering, held under the slogan: “Ideas and Solutions to Transform the Future.”
The Universidad Industrial de Santander, an academic institution that has promoted the strengthening of engineering in Colombia since 1944, will be the host of the flagship congress of the Colombian Society of Engineers.
“The UIS is the alma mater of a high percentage of engineers in Santander; it was the birthplace of engineering in the department, where the first two engineers trained in Santander graduated. For the board of directors, the organizing committee, and myself, it is very important that engineers from across the country get to know the university,” said Luis Eugenio Prada Niño, President of the Santander Society of Engineers.
Representatives from the National and Territorial Governments, as well as national and international experts, will gather at the event to engage in public debate and reflection on the role of engineering in national development.
“We will have 24 hours of important work for the event and for national engineering, spread over 3 days during which we will host 34 micro-events, including plenary sessions, panels, forums, and 22 conferences. For these activities, we have invited special, highly technical guests. Around 65 people will attend, and in strategic alliance with regional media leaders, who will act as moderators, we aim to bring all this work to the national level and highlight the region’s needs while also showcasing Santander’s strengths,” added the President of the SSI.
It is worth mentioning that the National Congress will focus on analyzing the progress and challenges in implementing the 2022-2026 National Development Plan. Additionally, discussions will cover achievements, best practices, major obstacles, bottlenecks, and execution challenges for the remainder of the government’s term.
Infrastructure, energy transition, climate change, navigability, artificial intelligence, railway transport, and housing are some of the topics to be discussed at the congress.
“The topics were chosen based on the country’s current dynamics. Regarding railway transport, considering the magnitude of the resources that the national government will invest, we know that Santander must be a key area for this investment. In terms of public procurement, we have as part of our past presidents and lifetime members of the society, Engineer Jesús Rodrigo Fernández, who is a national leader on this topic, and in this effort, they continue to battle with standard bidding documents,” added Engineer Prada Niño.
