Thanks to the support of the Colombian Institute of Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad – ICETEX, with the sponsorship for international academic mobility, the rector Hugo Alberto Valencia Porras, had the opportunity to participate in the III Regional Meeting AIESAD – Ibero-American Education Association Higher Distance Education that took place between September 27 and 29 in Madrid, Spain with the motto «Without limits or borders: new challenges of higher education in the global digital era», organized by the National University of Distance Education of Spain, at the end of its 50th anniversary, in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair of Distance Education of the UNED and the National Open and Distance University of Colombia – UNAD.

This event aimed to guide global trends in higher education supported by technological tools and the promotion of immersive, memorable, truly people-centered learning strategies; the evolution of online training and hybrid and digital learning models, towards participatory, collaborative and social models; the focus on the participant, their learning and development, through the use of active and experiential methodologies; the intensive use of disruptive technologies: artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality; the use of microcredentials as an element of value and lever for employability and consolidation of competencies and skills; the development of soft-skills, power skills or global transversal competencies; the integration of continuing education in lifelong learning, as well as formal learning, in organizational and social learning ecosystems; as well as the linking of continuous training with the SDGs 2030, and the commitment to coverage of education throughout society.

Likewise, within the framework of academic mobility in the Iberian country, the rector of María Cano together with the vice-rector of Extension and Social Projection, Carlos Julio Escobar Noreña, visited the University of Malaga, where they consolidated the signature of two cooperation agreements for the benefit of the university communities of both countries, as well as attending the XXVIII RECLA International Meeting entitled: Design and innovation in continuing education centered on people. The meeting took place in person, between October 3 and 6 in the city of Barcelona. More than 3,500 academics from 11 countries and 420 lecturers actively participated in this space with the objective of learning about the trends and transformation of continuing education, as well as connecting with world-renowned experts, identifying resources for improving teaching-learning, learning and share university experiences in continuing education, collaborate with peers and institutions on common challenges and consolidate inter-institutional relationships and joint work agreements.

The ICETEX International Experts program supports the development of the internationalization of HEIs in Colombia, through a series of tools that allow registered institutions to generate in-person and virtual activities with an international focus.

ICETEX financial support is aimed at the participation of national and international experts in events and activities organized in Colombia or abroad, by higher education institutions, IES, and technical and technological institutions, which are part of the Reciprocity Program for foreigners in Colombia, or other types of actors that carry out cooperation activities with one of these or the Colombian government.

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