The event promoted in partnership with Columbus Association has as its theme innovative universities
Br. Evilázio Teixeira / Photo: Giordano Toldo
Between November 27 and 28, the Meeting of Presidents in Innovative Universities took place, promoted by Columbus Association — headquartered in Paris and Geneva — in partnership with PUCRS. With the presence of representatives from 30 European and Latin American universities, the meeting is a space to discuss and share experiences on the future of higher education and the transformation innovation promotes in teaching-learning and research activities.
The event takes place in PUCRS’s Science and Technology Park (Tecnopuc) and featured the presence of President Br. Evilázio Teixeira, who is a member of the Board of Directors of Columbus and a representative of the Association in Brazil. For Teixeira, hosting the meeting is an opportunity to emphasize the importance and the protagonism of the University in the national and international contexts, this year in which we celebrate PUCRS’s 75th anniversary. “We are a presence renowned in the field of innovation, which is evidenced by the fact that PUCRS, through is Technology Park, was acknowledged in the Triple Helix Conference in Barcelona as the fourth Global Innovation Ecosystem, this year in which Tecnopuc celebrates its 20th anniversary. Thus, we have plenty to rejoice in, with the entire academic community, and the fact that we host this important Assembly of Columbus strengthens our stance of seeking cooperation and strategic alliances,” he comments.
The schedule includes conferences and discussions, where new educational models and opportunities will be discussed arising from research and innovation. Some of the thematic axes of the event include the strategic importance of innovation in universities, innovative models of teaching and learning, connections between research and transference of technology, and promotion of university entrepreneurship, innovative management and international collaboration.
Photo: Giordano Toldo
The opening conference El ecosistema de innovación como vector de transformación de la Universidad y la sociedad was given by PUCRS’s Superintendent for Innovation, professor Jorge Audy. In addition to the discussion tables, the event also includes visits to some spaces in Tecnopuc, like the Health, Agribusiness, Artificial intelligence and Education hubs.
On Wednesday, November 29th, Columbus Association promotes the Assembly of Members, presenting the outcomes of the activities carried out by the association and the new guidelines and lines of work for the 2023-2025 biennium.
Created by the European University Association (EUA) and by the Latin American University Association (AULA), Columbus is the first multilateral network of university executives. The association, of which PUCRS is a part of, is an effective bridge in international cooperation in Higher Education between Europe and Latin America, promoting the growth, innovation and development of its university members. It is currently made up of a network with 41 universities in 13 countries: Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Nicaragua, Portugal, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela.
