 emonstrating its ongoing commitment to higher education and the benefits of study abroad, the Instituto Colombiano para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y la Tecnología “Francisco José de Caldas” (COLCIENCIAS)—the Colombian Institute for Science and Technology Development—has expanded one of its primary scholarship initiatives, the COLCIENCIAS Science and Technology Program. Over the past three years, the Science and Technology Program, administered by LASPAU, has awarded an average of 26 grants per year; in 2008, the program will award over 80 grants, more than tripling the number of available awards.
The program, which provides awards in the form of forgivable loans, enables Colombian professors and researchers working in the fields of engineering and the natural and social sciences to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees at universities outside Colombia. Grantees must return to Colombia following the completion of their programs to share the benefits of their advanced studies with their colleagues, students, and country.
The Science and Technology Program (formerly known as the COLCIENCIAS Program for the Formation of Human Resources and Strengthening of the Scientific Community) began in 1995 as a $200 million project to promote advanced scientific training, research, and the dissemination of technological information. The program has enabled over 400 grantees to obtain graduate degrees at institutions in 18 countries around the world, including the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, Brazil, France, Germany, and Mexico.
This year’s expanded class represents 33 Colombian universities, each of which will provide additional financial support to the faculty and researchers during their studies. While approximately half of this year’s grantees come from Bogota (29) and Medellin (12), the full group hails from 24 different cities across Colombia. These grantees also represent a variety of fields, with the majority studying engineering, physical sciences, and biology. Program participants are also pursuing degrees in fields as diverse as philosophy, linguistics, education, architecture, and law.
For further information, please contact LASPAU Program Officer Jennifer Haefeli by email (jennifer _haefeli@harvard.edu) or telephone (617-495- 0369).
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