Universidad Santo Tomás signs international collaboration agreement with New Zealand institution
During May 2018, representatives of the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) of Hamilton, New Zealand, visited the Santo Tomás University in order to share successful academic experiences and sign a cooperation and exchange agreement between both institutions. The agreement was signed by the National Rector of the UST, Jaime Vatter, and the Vice-Rector of Wintec, David Christiansen.
The agreement will allow the development of different initiatives between both entities, among them, the exchange of students. Meanwhile, teacher exchange will involve language courses for academics and managers of both institutions, and will focus on different careers, beginning with the areas of Health and Sports.
According to UST’s Director of International Projects, Roberto Lafontaine, “our teachers will have the opportunity to live short stays in the foreign institution, in which they will be able to give talks about their areas of knowledge and analyze research projects together with other academics.”
“During their visit, we analyzed the opportunity to develop master’s programs between both institutions, to achieve a double degree,” he added. Likewise, the authorities of Wintec expressed their interest in collaborating in innovation and entrepreneurship programs together with the School of Economics and Business of the UST, sharing their experience in the development of social innovation projects through new models.
Previous visits
In 2016, the rector of Wintec, Mark Flowers, visited Universidad Santo Tomás to meet with the National Rectors of the UST and IP-CFT, Jaime Vatter and Juan Pablo Guzmán, respectively, with the purpose of learning more about the Institution and to evaluate the possibilities of cooperation and exchange between both entities.
It should be noted that the Waikato Institute of Technology is one of the largest and most experienced universities, technical and professional training centers in New Zealand. In its six campuses it offers careers linked to the areas of agriculture, sports science, communications, education, engineering, business, information technology, tourism and gastronomy, among others.