During an extraordinary session of the Hemispheric University Consortium (HUC) executive committee on Wednesday, March 26, the network of 14 leading universities across the Americas officially transferred its leadership. “I am firmly committed to fostering the participation of all HUC members and strengthening the remarkable achievements this collaborative network continues to produce,” said Rodríguez.
Julián Rodríguez, Rector of Universidad Austral in Argentina, assumed the presidency of the Hemispheric University Consortium (HUC) on March 26, taking over from former Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile) President Ignacio Sánchez, who had led the alliance for the past two years. The transition took place during an extraordinary session of HUC’s executive committee, marking a new phase for the international network of top-tier institutions.
“I take on this role with a strong commitment to fostering the engagement of all HUC members and consolidating the outstanding contributions of this collaborative network. In today’s world, marked by divisions and tensions, we have the opportunity to set an example of how universities can work together on the region’s most pressing issues, including migration, social conflicts, the impact of new technologies, public health, and environmental sustainability,” stated Rodríguez. He further emphasized, “We have a unique chance to generate a significant global impact from this continent, and I am confident we are on the right path. Let’s keep moving forward.”
Rodríguez also expressed gratitude to his predecessor, Ignacio Sánchez, for his leadership. “Succeeding President Julio Frenk (former president of the University of Miami), who founded and greatly promoted the consortium, was a challenge, and Ignacio Sánchez handled it seamlessly. This speaks to his personal capabilities and the prestige of UC Chile, which he led until very recently,” he said. Rodríguez also acknowledged the teamwork within HUC and the work of the secretariat, led by UC Chile’s Vice President for International Affairs, Lilian Ferrer.
Outgoing president Ignacio Sánchez took the opportunity to highlight the consortium’s achievements and recognize Rodríguez’s contributions. “It has been an honor to lead HUC, and since I took office, I have worked closely with Julián Rodríguez. I thank him for his invaluable contributions and wish him every success in leading the consortium. At UC Chile, we firmly believe that this organization is crucial for the hemisphere and has great potential for further growth,” Sánchez remarked. Sánchez recently completed his tenure as UC Chile’s president, a position now held by engineer Juan Carlos de la Llera.
Mr. Julián Rodríguez is Rector of Universidad Austral since 2018. He is also president of Metared X Argentina (Universia). He has worked as a management professor at the Universidad Austral within the Postgraduate Faculty of Communication, the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Health Management and Economics under the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences. He has collaborated in teaching and research in marketing at the IAE Business School, Universidad Austral.
What’s next for HUC
During the executive session, members discussed upcoming initiatives, including progress on the “HUC Seed Fund 2024”. This initiative selected 10 interdisciplinary and inter-university research projects aimed at fostering collaborative research on strategic issues for the Americas, such as public health, climate change, educational innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Additionally, the consortium is currently developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide greater regulatory clarity for its initiatives and processes. Another key topic was the formulation of a communication strategy for HUC. Finally, it was confirmed that the next HUC General Assembly will take place from September 28 to 30 in Campinas, Brazil, hosted by Universidade Estadual de Campinas.
The Hemispheric University Consortium includes the following 14 institutions: Universidad Austral (Argentina), York University (Canada), University of the West Indies (Caribbean), Universidad Andrés Bello (Chile), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), University of Costa Rica, Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (Dominican Republic), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador), Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico), Universidad de las Américas Puebla (Mexico), Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Peru), University of Miami (United States), and Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Brazil).