NOTE: this program is currently under development and the travel dates may change slightly (+- 1 day).
Check out what participants have to say about Colombia here.
Broaden your Professional, Intercultural and Global skills by engaging in multicultural and academic experiences in Colombia’s Caribbean region. This program is partially funded by the ExxonMobil Foundation and it is part of 100,000 Strong in the Americas, the White House’s premiere education initiative for the Western Hemisphere.
Visit 3 cities and to two of Purdue Engineering key partner institutions: Universidad del Norte (UniNorte) and Universidad EAFIT. UniNorte is located in Barranquilla, the largest city and port in the northern Caribbean Coast region and the main industrial, shopping, educational and cultural center in the area. Universidad EAFIT is located in Medellín, a city earned it the title of “Innovative City if the Year” in 2012 among 200 contestants from around the world. Medellín is the second-largest city in Colombia and the capital of the department of Antioquia. You will also visit Cartagena, named one of the most popular destinations to travel in the world according to TripAdvisor.
Work with Engineering faculty members; meet Purdue Alumni and key players involved in developing technology and science as a tool for increased productivity and sustenance, and who support the economic development and progress in these regions. Some of the corporations and businesses you will visit are the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce, Colombia's main Atlantic port society, Grupo Argos, Runta N (main tech and innovation hub in the region), among others.
Interact with local and international students. Participate in various student success and university wellbeing programs. UniNorte’s international students will join several of the site visits and activities, so that you gain a better understanding of the life of an exchange student in Barranquilla.
Visit various historical sites and museums to learn about the historical and cultural wealth of the region. Barranquilla is home to one of the most important folk and cultural festivals of Colombia, the Carnival of Barranquilla, which was declared a National Cultural Heritage by the Congress of Colombia in 2001 and recognized by UNESCO. Medellín has an abundance of parks, libraries, museums and public spaces where many Cultural events take place and it is home to one of the largest flower festivals in the world. This program also includes free basic Spanish lessons and regional culture lessons.
Get your IDI profile and your Global Competence Certificate (GCC)! In order to facilitate the intercultural and global development piece, you will have four pre-departure and two post-journey meetings with the team leader, Dr. H. Parker, Assistant Director for Global Engineering Programs, Latin America/Spain Program. She is an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified administrator and has co-developed various intercultural and global learning assessment tools with Purdue’s Assistant Director for Global Learning Faculty and Student Development Program. She is also a native Spanish-speaker and will travel with the group to Colombia and handle all the logistics.