On September 25, 2018, the first UNESCOSOST Joint Office of the Colombian Caribbean coast was opened, located at the Pontificia Bolivariana Universidad Montería.
The UNESCO Chair on Sustainability of the UPC is an organization dedicated to promoting an integrated system of science, training, information and documentation in water science, engineering and technological resources for sustainability. The Chair articulates and facilitates multi-site collaboration between different institutions in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, focused on the transfer of knowledge and good practices in sustainable human development from the local to the global level.
The UNESCOSOST offices manage the projects derived from the different agreements and international cooperation promoted by the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability.
In 2016, the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Montería Section signed a framework agreement with the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), through which an alliance was established between the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability. Within the framework of this agreement, a specific agreement was created for the creation of the UNESCOSOST Joint Office in the UPB Montería, which functions as a regional node of the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability in the Caribbean area.
Along with Jordi Morató Farreras, were Ángela Moreno and Luis Díaz, also from the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability, working with the UPB, Yonathan Méndez and Massimo Leserri teachers.
"With this agreement and the opening of the UNESCOSOST office, the UPB has the possibility of leveraging development projects for the region joining efforts to promote research activities, innovation, transfer, academic exchanges of teachers and students, course development, initiatives , academic events.
This semester we started with the first international course developed in the UNESCOSOST office, to work on the water resources and sustainability line. It will be open to the public, from October 31 to November 2, "explains Yonathan Méndez Robles, professor and sanitary and environmental engineer of the UPB.
"The UNESCO Chair of Sustainability seeks to boost environmental issues, water resources, social issues, economic development and all the dimensions that are part of sustainability. With this office we intend to leverage the research, academic and transfer components in the University. UNESCO is an organization that has many international allies, "says engineer Yonathan Méndez.
The main objectives of the UNESCOSOST office at the UPB are:
Jointly develop initiatives, programs and research projects on issues related to the management of climate change, water resources, and the circular economy, with internal and external funds.
Implement a support system for the administrative processes of the UNESCOSOST headquarters in UPB.
Strengthen the research processes, academics, through the exchange of professors and students at undergraduate levels and advanced training in two ways.
To develop courses of continuous formation in the subjects of interest for the region.
