In order to support the development of the internationalization of higher education in Colombia, Icetex, through a series of tools, allows registered institutions to generate face-to-face and virtual activities with an international focus.
The financial support, offered under the modality of reimbursement, is aimed at the participation of national and international experts in activities and events organized or managed, in Colombia or abroad, by higher education institutions (HEI), university associations and networks and technical and technological institutions that are part of Icetex’s Reciprocity Program for foreigners in Colombia”.
There have been seven beneficiaries: Angie Solano, Jhon Eduard Ciro, Jorge Villamizar Morales, Juan Carlos Ortiz, Julián Alcalá González, María Fernanda Navas and Nectalí Ariza.
First beneficiary:
Angie Solano, in addition to Icetex, was supported by the UIS, the Group of Optics and Signal Processing (GOTS), and the Student Chapter of Optics, for a summer stay in scientific research at the renowned National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics. This experience allowed strengthening ties with new collaborators, students and experts in optics; getting to know great astronomical observatories and representing the UIS, presenting to the community some of the research areas being explored at GOTS.
Second beneficiary:
On November 13-16, 2024, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) was held in Indianapolis, Indiana. With concerts, clinics, panels and presentations by top artists from around the world, this event featured all areas of percussion: drumming, marching, keyboard, symphonic, world, recreational, educational, music technology, new music, and health and wellness.
The professor of the School of Arts, Jhon Eduard Ciro, who represents this association in Colombia as president of the Percussive Arts Society Colombia Chapter (COLPAS), presented the recent book: “Percussive Conversations”, before the directors of PAS, Dr. Thad Anderson, current president of PAS and professor at the University of Central Florida, and Justin Ramirez, Director of Membership Percussive Arts Society.
“Presenting this book entitled Conversaciones Percusivas, historia de los pioneros de la percusión sinfónica en Colombia, was definitely one of the greatest achievements we have had with this association, the directors of PAS received this book with great pleasure and with a great sense of gratitude and recognition, exalting the great work we have done during these 6 years in our country. Also, they raised the need to have the English version to be disseminated within the academic and pedagogical material in digital format on the PAS home page”.
This work was the result of several interviews carried out as a tribute and recognition in life, to the precursors of the symphonic percussion movement in Colombia. The interviews were conducted by members of the association, likewise, it is important to mention that in the process of transcription, proofreading and final revision, we had the support of Professor Jorge Maldonado, from the School of Philosophy, and the students Rocío Avella, María Camila Velandia, Aura Amaya and Valentina Rodríguez belonging to the MUSILAB research group of the School of Music, led by Professor Jhon Ciro.
Third beneficiary:
UIS Professor present at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Puerto Rico, USA. During the first week of August 2024, Professor Jorge Villamizar Morales, assigned to the School of Mathematics, visited the Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico, in order to attend invitations from academic peers with the purpose of renewing the Framework Cooperation Agreement signed at the beginning of the current century and to establish the actions to follow for the good progress of cooperation. The link between the UIS and the Campus has been, among others, with the Departments of Mathematics, Electrical Engineering and Computers and the Puerto Rico NASA Space Grant Program.
Professor Villamizar Morales was received by the Rector of the Campus, Dr. Agustín Rullán Toro, who had visited the UIS as a result of the agreement that was in force. The opportunities to continue studies with assistantships, co-direct graduate work and participate in research projects are some of the points agreed upon during the visit.
Fourth beneficiary:
Professor Julian Alcala, from the Polytechnic University of Valencia Spain, visited the UIS on the dates from Thursday, October 17 to Saturday, October 26, 2025. During his visit he carried out the following activities: Lectures on structural optimization to students of the academic community of the undergraduate and graduate school of Civil Engineering.
Keynote speaker at the XL Jornadas Suramericanas de Ingeniería Estructural, visit to the structures laboratory of the UIS, collaborative work with Professor Alvaro Viviescas to identify possible joint work; it is hoped that the student Laura Rodriguez, ninth semester of Civil Engineering, will do the degree work in research mode in the area of structural optimization including internship at the UPV in 2025.
Similarly, the interest of the UIS in evaluating the establishment of a collaboration agreement with the UPV was discussed, for which Professor Julian Alcala expressed interest in supporting the initiative.
Fifth beneficiary:
Thanks to the support of Icetex, which financed tickets, María Fernanda Navas had the opportunity to travel to Chile to represent the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) and the Interfase Research Group of the School of Chemical Engineering at the 16th Meeting of Biodigesters of Latin America and the Caribbean (RedBioLAC). During this event, he presented a paper on the project Valorization of pig manure digestate in cold climate by obtaining struvite, directed by professors Liliana del Pilar Castro and Humberto Escalante.
It was a unique experience, a week full of learning, challenges and professional enrichment. Maria participated in activities such as the installation of a biodigester, master classes on biodigestion and conferences with experts on the subject. In addition, she enjoyed getting to know Santiago, Chile, exploring vineyards, the Santiago Zoo, museums and many other incredible places.
“Thank you, Icetex for making this trip possible and thank you UIS for giving me the tools to continue growing,” said the beneficiary.
Sixth beneficiary
The II International Congress Alon Frontiers, convened scholars from different disciplines around border spaces. On behalf of the UIS, Nectalí Ariza participated as a speaker with the theme: “Imagined borders, disputed borders: the cases of Chocó, El Darién and the Mosquito Coast during the 18th century”.
“My paper dealt with the processes of occupation of the territories included in a shared geographical space, although historically divided into different jurisdictions and disputed by England, Spain, Holland, France and Scotland. Occupied and controlled by native warriors who indistinctly allied themselves with one or the other, and made perennial and lasting peace pacts in some cases. A territory whose borders were shared and disputed for three hundred years. In this context, the paper sought an analysis of the imaginaries that the actors built in a self-interested way or to justify the war and legitimize domination.
Seventh beneficiary
Juan Carlos Ortiz Nicolas, professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), who was the international guest at the UIS event, ‘De puertas pa’ afuera’. He participated with the conference ‘What is the common good in social design’. His presence at the UIS was made possible thanks to the Office of External Relations and the support of Icetex.
