Speaking at the closing session, Ondina León, president of the scientific committee, highlighted the exchanges between directors, researchers, teachers and students, gathered in seven symposiums, 487 debate workshops, 63 panels and round tables, among other activities in the virtual modality and face-to-face.

She also emphasized the presentation of 1,635 papers, the coordination of projects and academic networks, as well as the establishment of new commitments to solve problems at this level of education.

Among the largest delegations -of the 42 countries represented- he mentioned Mexico, Panama, Russia, El Salvador and Nicaragua, while highlighting the participation of 173 personalities, five ministers, six presidents of rectors’ associations and 126 rectors of universities.

León acknowledged the holding of 15 bilateral meetings and the signing of memorandums of understanding, with higher education centers from Bulgaria, Russia, Venezuela, among other nations.

Topics addressed on the agenda of the event were scientific changes for sustainable development, challenges in the comprehensive training of professionals, innovative didactic transformations, university-society relationship, internationalization, local development, quality, among others.

The event concluded this afternoon after the keynote address “Challenges to universities in times of transition from the pandemic to the post-pandemic world”, by Brazilian intellectual and Dominican friar, Frei Betto.

“We must rethink the role of the university, an institution that has to be a sustainable research center that includes and does not exclude,” Betto said before the more than 200 foreign delegates and 1,317 Cubans.

At the closing session, the XIV edition of the event was convened, to be held between February 5 and 9, 2024.

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