The University of Aberdeen's College of Physical Sciences welcomed the Rector of an Ecuadorian University specialising in scientific and technological education on Wednesday (September 26).
Dr Moises Tacle Galarraga , Rector of Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral (ESPOL) visited academic schools and facilities of the College of Physical Sciences and the College of Life Sciences and Medicine before signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University.
A recent higher education bill in Ecuador requires that staff at ESPOL and other Ecuadorian universities upgrade their qualifications to PhD level. This means that over next years a large number of ESPOL academics will pursue PhD degrees and the signing of the MOU establishes a close link between ESPOL and the University of Aberdeen in order to develop joint research programmes and train the ESPOL staff to the required standard.
Professor Marian Wiercigroch, the College of Physical Sciences Director of Internationalisation said:
“The College of Physical Sciences was delighted to welcome Dr Moisés Tacle to the University of Aberdeen. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding will help to foster acadmic links between the two institutions at this important time for higher education in Ecuador.”
The Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral (ESPOL) was founded in 1958 as a response to the growing demands for scientific and technical education in the coastal region. It was created during the presidency of Dr. Camilo Ponce Enriquez, through Executive Decree No 1664. It started 1959 with two classrooms of the Casona Universitaria and 51 students under the direction of the first Rector, Walter Camacho Navarro.
ESPOL has approximately 14,000 students and 900 academic staff. It is organised into four faculties and six academic programmes focussed on Agriculture, Food, Computing, Electricity and Electronics, Mechanics and Fishing.