Representatives from higher education institutions across Colombia gathered at Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) to exchange experiences, strengthen institutional capacities, and reflect on the challenges of teaching, learning, and educational innovation.
The National Meeting of the Network of Teaching and Learning Centers (REDCREA) is taking place at Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS), bringing together representatives from higher education institutions across the country to share experiences, foster collaboration, and advance pedagogical and educational transformation.
The event features an academic agenda focused on innovation in teaching and learning processes, faculty development, student support, and the strengthening of institutional strategies aimed at addressing the evolving challenges of higher education.
According to Milena Alcocer Tocora, President of REDCREA, these gatherings play a crucial role in strengthening the network and building a collaborative academic community.
“This meeting of universities within our network is very important because it allows us to strengthen our ties and identify common ground to continue working toward the pedagogical and educational transformation of our institutions,” she said.
Alcocer emphasized that while REDCREA regularly holds virtual meetings, face-to-face encounters remain essential for reinforcing relationships among member institutions and consolidating a community of learning and practice.
“It is the second consecutive year that the leading university in northeastern Colombia, UIS, has supported this type of event within REDCREA,” she added.
Strengthening Teaching Through Collaboration
UIS participates in the network through the Center for Faculty Development (CEDEDUIS), which joined REDCREA in 2025 and has found in the network an opportunity to exchange experiences and develop joint strategies to address common challenges in higher education.
For Hernando Guerrero, Director of CEDEDUIS, the value of the network lies in recognizing that institutions face similar realities and can benefit from collaborative solutions.
“The importance lies in the fact that different centers come together and realize that we share the same challenges in teaching, both with our students and our faculty members,” he explained.
Guerrero noted that the meeting provides a space to identify and define the priority areas that the network seeks to address collectively.
“This gathering allows us to meet and determine the specific lines of work that we need—and want—to pursue as a network,” he said.
A Platform for the Exchange of Knowledge
The event also serves as a forum for dialogue between public and private universities, encouraging the exchange of experiences and best practices that contribute to strengthening higher education in Colombia.
Edna Manotas, professor at Universidad del Norte, highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for collaboration among institutions with diverse backgrounds and missions.
“Universidad Industrial de Santander is part of REDCREA, and we also have other public universities involved. We invite more public and private institutions, especially public universities, to join this exchange,” she stated.
Manotas stressed that higher education institutions share common goals and challenges, making collaboration both necessary and beneficial.
“It is not very common to have these dialogues between public and private institutions. However, in education there are people behind every institution, and therefore the exchange of knowledge and experiences is always welcome,” she said.
Caring for Those Who Educate
As part of the meeting’s program, UIS participated through its Listening Center (Centro de Escucha UIS) with the activity “Caring for Yourself to Care for Others,” a reflective and experiential workshop designed to help participants identify the emotional demands associated with teaching.
The initiative encourages faculty members and academic professionals to reflect on self-care practices and emotional well-being, recognizing their importance in fostering healthy and effective learning environments.
By creating a space for dialogue and reflection, the activity contributes to a broader conversation about the well-being of educators and the need to support those who play a central role in shaping future generations.
Honoring the Founding Institutions
At the conclusion of the event, REDCREA paid tribute to the higher education institutions that played a pioneering role in the co-founding of the network and contributed to its growth and consolidation over the years.
The recognition ceremony highlighted the commitment of these founding institutions to educational innovation, faculty development, and collaborative work, values that have guided REDCREA since its creation.
The tribute also underscored the importance of interinstitutional cooperation in addressing the challenges of higher education and promoting continuous improvement in teaching and learning practices throughout Colombia.
By hosting this national gathering, Universidad Industrial de Santander reaffirms its commitment to academic excellence, pedagogical innovation, and collaborative initiatives that strengthen higher education. The event further consolidates UIS as a space for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and cooperation among institutions working toward a more inclusive, human-centered, and transformative educational system.
