I had been to Colombia before, so I knew more or less what to expect from this most recent visit. My prior trip was specifically to Medellin and the University of Antioquia, a progressive public university whose student population (91%) draws from the lower socioeconomic echelons of the population. That trip impressed upon me the high regard with which a higher education—and access to it—was held. All of the students with lower SES had their educations subsidized. I liked the impression that education was a right rather than a privilege (as it is in much of the United States). What also impressed me in that initial visit was the attention to infrastructure—particularly the transportation system. A beautiful modern train runs through the heart of the city and an equally beautiful cable car system connects the heart of the city to the surrounding hills where communities akin to Brazil’s favelas as well as upscale high-rises reside.
This most recent trip was different because it began in Bogota, the capital (located at an altitude of some 8,500 feet above sea level). One of the first visits we made was to the Universidad de los Andes (UA), a private university founded in 1948. What makes UA unique is that it was the first private higher education institution in Colombia that was non-denominational and independent from traditional political parties, as well as from social or economic power groups. A picture of Albert Einstein with one of the founders of the university, Mario Laserna Pinzón, graces much of their promotional literature and speaks to the grand vision the founders had for the institution. According to Francisco Pizano de Brigard, one of the other founders and former presidents of the university, “Universidad de los Andes’ birth did not just spring from the desire to found another university, or from a purely educational interest, but from the intention of building a new country with the purpose of shaping and educating the new generations for a new nation.”
Like many U.S. universities, UA offers a wide variety of majors and areas of specialization including: arts and humanities, architecture, business and economics, education, engineering, law medicine, and the social sciences. Indeed, given the range of disciplinary offerings, it struck me as an ideal institution for faculty and student exchange as well as a great location for faculty-led programs. This, combined with the incredible hospitality, cemented this impression.
The next day, we visited the Universidad Externado de Columbia, another private university founded in 1860, and located in Calendario (the oldest section of Bogota). Externado was breathtaking in its architecture and landscaping, far more picturesque and impressive than any university I’ve visited in the U.S.
Later that day, we also stopped by the Universidad de la Sabana, another private university located just outside the city in Chia, a peri-urban area that’s evocative of the area’s agricultural past—large tracts of green fields and a lack of the more obvious effects of urbanization. The central part of campus is comprised of the original structures of the wealthy landowner who gave the property to the university—hacienda-style structures with beautiful brickwork and ceramic-tile roofs surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens. Adding to its already impressive aesthetic appeal, the university also created a small lake in the center of campus that students can lay on the banks of or kayak upon.
Overall, despite its more scandalous past (especially with regard to Pablo Escobar), it’s obvious that Colombia has made great strides in reinventing itself over the past few decades. I look forward to bringing students here as well as forging opportunities for faculty exchanges.