During the first week of November, Vice Rector for Internationalization and Cooperation at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), Vicente Micol, along with Ibero-America Espejo Program Director, Joaquín Pastor, were in Peru to meet with academic authorities, consolidate links with universities, and forge new collaboration agreements.

Results of this trip included signed agreements with the University of Lima (ULIMA), Federico Villarreal National University (UNFV), and the Amazon National University of Madre de Dios (UNAMAD). Meetings were also held with the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL) and the University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) with the intention of signing future agreements with both universities to foster exchanges of students and faculty.

The UMH representatives toured the National Agrarian University – La Molina (UNALM), the first Peruvian university to ever sign an agreement with the UMH, and there they met with UNALM rector, Dr. Américo Guevara Pérez. Speaking about this agreement, Joaquín Pastor said, “Since 2013, both universities have collaborated closely, and 120 UNALM students have completed stays at the UMH, on either study abroad or mobility programs, which are usually a semester in length.” Joaquín Pastor also met with the deans of various faculties there to increase the flow of students and faculty and to enhance possibilities for UMH faculty to participate as visiting professors in master and doctoral programs as part of the Internationalization Program of Schools and Faculties at the School of Engineering of Orihuela (EPSO).

Vice Rector Vicente Micol gave a guest lecture as part of the third Annual Meeting on Research, Development, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, entitled “Tools for Managing Research and Innovation in University Governance.” Other UMH achievements in Peru include the renewal of dual doctoral program agreements between the Doctoral Program in Agricultural, Agro-Environmental and Food Resources and Technologies that is offered by the EPSO and five similar UNALM doctoral programs. This visit to Peru consolidates UMH internationalization as it has fortified ties with new Peruvian universities and resulted in the signing of new collaboration agreements with them.