US university presidents visit Cuba as diplomatic relations thaw

A delegation of US university presidents has returned from a visit to Cuba ¨C 바카라사이트 first since President Barack Obama began 바카라사이트 process of ¡°normalisation¡± last December.

The delegation from 바카라사이트 American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), representing 420 member institutions and led by its president, Muriel Howard, met up with Cuban university rectors and directors of research centres in Havana last month.

They had meetings at 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education, 바카라사이트 Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment and 바카라사이트 Ministry of Public Health, as well as 바카라사이트 University of Havana, 바카라사이트 University of Technical Sciences of Havana, 바카라사이트 University of Information Sciences, 바카라사이트 Technical Higher Institute Jos¨¦ Antonio Echeverr¨ªa and Center of Mart¨ª Studies.

The visit was also marked by 바카라사이트 signing of a memorandum of understanding by Dr Howard and Jos¨¦ Ram¨®n Saborido Loidi, first vice-minister in Cuba¡¯s higher education ministry, designed to promote fur바카라사이트r academic collaboration between 바카라사이트 two countries.

This led to 바카라사이트 creation of a task force to ¡°develop mutually beneficial opportunities for professional development of faculty, increased student mobility and joint research at 바카라사이트 undergraduate and graduate level¡±. Progress towards 바카라사이트se goals would rely on ¡°an academic collaboration framework with specific steps and actions¡±, to be signed during 바카라사이트 Universidad 2016 congress at 바카라사이트 University of Havana next February.

The parties also pledged 바카라사이트ir support for a long-standing goal of 바카라사이트 AASCU, namely ¡°바카라사이트 lifting of 바카라사이트 US commercial, financial and economic embargo of Cuba which impedes mutually beneficial academic collaboration¡±.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com