The first Erasmus + IMPALA Strengthening IMPACT in Latin American universities project took place from February 11th to 15th in Bogotá, Colombia, where different topics related to the IES missional frame and the Third Mission concept were worked on, after which, the Catholic University of Colombia started an appropriation process of previously learned lessons.
On first consideration, the Third Mission concept within the institution was approached as a substantial function that interprets, articulates and manages relations between the university and its surrounding environment. Its aim is to enhance the relevance and academic viability of the university, to reflect its identity in front of society and contribute to the country’s social and integral construction. The concept of extension and the activities that are developed within this field and through internationalization both strengthen this process of interaction and influence the environment.
The second consideration was related to the correlation between the IMPALA project and the strategic planning 2020+ that is currently being implemented in the university. Participative methodologies learned during the first workshop were extremely important when involving students, professors, administrative staff, graduates and participants from external sectors who have actively collaborated in the development of the university.
Planeación Estratégica 2020+
Cerca de 500 participantes, a través de mapas de empatía y con la teoría bimodal de Herzberg (la cual se ha combinado con otras metodologías innovadoras como visual thinking) aportaron ideas, acciones y percepciones, las cuales fortalecerán la interacción de la Universidad con los actores internos y externos.
Planeación Estratégica 2020+
It is important to underline that the team presented results from these exercises from the Catholic University of Colombia during the second workshop. This took place in the Escuela Superior de Administración y Dirección de Empresas (ESADE) in Barcelona in May.
