Political science professor attends Colombia event

Henry Brooks IV, instructor and program coordinator for the political science program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, recently returned from a summit on international education in the South American country of Colombia.

Titled “Partnerships for Inclusive International Education,” the event aimed to strengthen international academic and cultural exchanges between U.S. historically Black colleges and universities and Colombian institutions with a focus on ethnic diversity.

Brooks’ participation in the event was coordinated by the UAPB Office of International Programs and Studies.

Pamela Moore, who holds a doctoral degree and is associate dean for global engagement at UAPB, said the initiative strengthens international partnerships, potentially leading to new exchange programs, joint research projects and scholarship opportunities for UAPB students.

“It is a rare opportunity for historically Black colleges and universities to receive an invitation to connect with current and potential partners overseas in ways that intersect and resonate with their history, mission and commitment to serving disadvantaged populations,” Moore said. “We certainly appreciate the role of the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, Forum on Education Abroad and Tennessee State University for being the catalysts for making this event happen.”

Moore said Brooks’ participation in the summit is part of an ongoing dialogue and pilot initiative at UAPB.

“I reached out to the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences to nominate a faculty member for this event because dialogue was taking place as to how the department may serve as a center of excellence for global academic programming,” she said. “This dialogue remains ongoing with the hope that a plan of action will reach fruition by the end of the spring academic semester.”

Brooks said participating in the summit highlighted many opportunities for UAPB to collaborate with partner institutions such as the Colombian Ministry of National Education, Colombia Challenge Your Knowledge and the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.

“The program lived up to its goals of fostering networking opportunities, academic collaboration and the building of sustainable international partnerships in higher education,” he said.

Campus visits to various education institutions in the summit’s host city of Cali, Colombia, allowed engagement with Colombian students and faculty, fostering future academic collaboration.

“We visited both public and private institutions, including the University of Valle (public) and Santiago de Cali University (private),” Brooks said. “During these visits, we met with administrators, faculty, staff and students to discuss potential collaborations. Additionally, I engaged with a professor and a doctoral student from the National University of Colombia in San Andres. Our discussions covered a range of topics, including faculty research collaborations and student exchange opportunities.”

Brooks also had the opportunity to meet with the mayor of Cali and discuss opportunities for economic investment and entrepreneurs.

“We discussed opportunities for exchanges in research and business with the Colombian ambassador to the U.S., Daniel García-Peña,” he said. “We had rich interactions with students and faculty and look forward to building relationships that help facilitate global experiences for our students.”

Brooks said many program activities were connected to agriculture, natural resources and conservation with a thematic focus on sustainability and biodiversity. The topics were addressed in breakout group discussions, which provided insight into environmental and conservation efforts in both the U.S. and Colombia.

Sessions such as “Colombian Afro-Descendent Ethnic Groups and Academic Exchange Opportunities” highlighted the intersection of biodiversity, racial justice and ancestral knowledge. A discussion titled “100,000 Strong in the Americas: Impact for Academic Exchange Between Colombia and the U.S.” emphasized the importance of intercultural collaboration to address global challenges, including environmental sustainability and social equity.

“My main takeaway from those sessions was how ancestral knowledge contributes to conservation practices and the protection of biodiversity,” Brooks said.

Summit participants attended cultural events such as the Petronio Alvarez Music Festival, Colombia’s largest celebration of Afro-Colombian music and culture.

“The festival featured live performances, traditional dances and discussions on Afro-Colombian heritage,” he said.

For more information on programming by the UAPB Office of International Programs and Studies, contact moorep@uapb.edu.

Will Hehemann is an Extension Specialist for Communications with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences.