Ambassador of Colombia to Canada in Collaboration with Consulate General of Colombia in Vancouver

Advancing International Education Intelligence, Promotion and Collaboration between Colombia and BC

Introduction

BCCIE is pleased to invite our International Education sector to join Colombia’s Ambassador to Canada, Mr. Nicolás Lloreda-Ricaurte, for a presentation and roundtable discussion on advancing international education intelligence, promotion and collaboration between our colleagues in Colombia and BC.

Attendees will come away from this roundtable with the following:

• Increased knowledge pertaining to the growing and evolving opportunities of the International Education sector in Colombia
• Up to date information related to the diverse education sectors in Colombia and how they may better engage within your institution’s internationalization and recruitment efforts
• Intelligence on evolving trends in Colombia’s education sector and emerging platforms for future cooperation
• Networking opportunity with key Colombian education partners and colleagues

Background

The education sector in Colombia has grown exponentially since the 1960s. Between 1966 and 1986 government funding to the sector increased five-fold. As a result, primary school enrollment more than doubled, secondary school enrollment grew six-fold and university enrollment increased fifteen times.

In 2002, the government launched a comprehensive education improvement program called Revolución Educativa. This reform called for a complete transformation of the education system with an emphasis on improving quality and increasing coverage. Additional efforts include the 2010 mandate by the Colombian Constitutional Court that all public primary schools should be free of charge. In 2012 the mandate was extended to public secondary schools.  

In 2015, Colombia’s education budget increased by 5.75%, reflecting President Juan Manuel Santos’ goal to make Colombia Latin America’s most educated country by 2025. Recent data show an overall increase in educational access and attainment, especially in low-income populations, indicating that students from all economic backgrounds are benefitting from increased education opportunities. (Retrieved from: http://wenr.wes.org/2015/12/education-in-colombia)

These initiatives coupled with a growing middle class and the high value that Colombians place on all facets of education position Canada and BC on fertile ground for a significant ramping up of engagement between our education sectors.

Presenter: Mr. Nicolás Lloreda-Ricaurte, Colombia’s Ambassador to Canada

Nicolás Lloreda-Ricaurte, serves as Ambassador of Colombia to Canada since February 14, 2013. Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Colombia in Washington, D.C. Between 2001-2010, he practiced law, at the law firms Crowell & Moring (2010) and Sidley & Austin (2001-2010) in Washington, where he focused his practice on international business transactions, trade and investment policy and international arbitration. Mr. Lloreda also served as Director General of the Andean Community (1997-2000), the Free Trade area comprising the Andean countries, based in Lima, Peru. His trade negotiations experience includes leading the legal team for the trade talks with Brazil and Argentina, as well as participating in the negotiations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Earlier, Mr. Lloreda spent four years with the Colombian Government Trade Bureau in Washington, D.C. (1993-1997), where he served as Director of the Trade Bureau and Minister Counsellor of the Colombian Embassy and was responsible for trade negotiations between Colombia and the United States. In 2010, he was appointed by the Government of Colombia, as an arbitrator before the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID).

This is a non-paid BCCIE event open to all BC public and independent K-12 schools, and public and private EQA-designated post-secondary institutions and language schools.

Registration closes on October 7, 2016. To register for this event, please click on the register button above.

For more information, please contact events@bccie.bc.ca.