With the aim of strengthening the relationship between academia and the business sector and pooling resources to promote regional development, the Board of Directors of the Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce (CCB) visited the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) on Wednesday for a networking event that provided an opportunity to share perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing Santander and to explore new avenues for collaboration.
The meeting was led by UIS, Rector Hernán Porras Díaz, who emphasized the importance of maintaining a university that is open and connected to its local community, as well as the institution’s willingness to work in coordination with business leaders, trade associations, and organizations that contribute to the region’s growth.
“I invite all business leaders and those who contribute to the region’s economic development to visit the University. Our doors are open, and all our research groups are available to advise you whenever you need it,” said the university president.
The event was coordinated by the UIS Office of Knowledge Transfer, which organized the networking agenda and facilitated dialogue with the business sector to identify opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge transfer for the benefit of the region.
The day continued with a tour of various areas of the university campus, where the business delegation was able to see firsthand the transformation of the infrastructure and the capabilities the UIS now possesses to meet the needs of society and the business sector.
Among the facilities visited was the new building of the School of Physicomechanical Engineering, a facility that reflects the University’s commitment to strengthening environments for education, research, and the development of high-impact solutions.
The delegation also toured the Scientific Complex for Health and Life Sciences Research on a guided tour led by the dean of the School of Health, Jürg Niederbacher Velásquez, where they gained firsthand insight into the UIS’s scientific, technological, and infrastructural capabilities for conducting research and developing solutions in strategic areas related to health and life.
A University Connected to the Business Sector
For Juan Carlos Rincón Lievano, executive president of the Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce, the tour provided an opportunity to assess the potential for strengthening the relationship between academia, trade associations, and businesses.
“There will be opportunities—many of them. I believe that what we can do at the Guatiguará Technology Park, specifically at the level of trade associations and organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, is of great value; the same goes for supporting entrepreneurs—how we bring all that innovation and all that important work, that knowledge from the university, to them,” he said.
The business sector representative also highlighted the UIS’s openness and the transformation the institution has undergone: “The University has been very generous in opening its doors to us; they continue to surprise us with their innovation and infrastructure, and we are truly delighted to be here once again. We are convinced that the University’s success is, by necessity, the success of all the people of Santander”.
For her part, María Alejandra Sampayo Guerrero, vice president of Global Growth and Sustainability at CCB, highlighted the UIS’s role as a key player in connecting knowledge with the region’s needs.
“Today we are proud to be here at the UIS headquarters, a living laboratory that has been transforming and evolving in recent years, thanks to the leadership of Rector Hernán Porras and his entire team. Today, as the Regional Development Agency and the Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce, we are connecting the business sector with academia,” she said.
The CCB’s Vice President of Global Growth and Sustainability also described the day’s outcomes as very positive and highlighted the potential for advancing new joint programs and projects. “We see opportunities for collaboration, much greater coordination, and many more programs where academia and the business sector can continue to work hand in hand. So for the Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce, this visit represents a key milestone for our work leading up to 2027,” she added.
Similarly, Aresio Lineros Rodríguez, a member of the Board of Directors of the Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the progress made by the UIS and its contribution to the education of new generations and the development of the department.
“As business leaders, we feel very well supported and represented by these advances that we see coming to fruition today for the benefit of young people and the department’s future,” he said.
Lineros also highlighted the importance of the CUEES (University-Business-Government Committee) as a platform for strengthening the alignment between the needs of the business sector and the capabilities of higher education institutions.
The visit by the Board of Directors of the Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce represents another step forward in strengthening a strategic relationship between two institutions committed to the progress of Santander.
The meeting made it possible to identify capabilities, interests, and opportunities to continue building a joint agenda in which education, science, technology, innovation, and knowledge transfer become tools for addressing the region’s challenges.
