On December 10, the IMPALA project was presented at the OIS International Seminar on Good Practices in Internationalization. The presentation IMPALA project, “Strengthening the impact measurement of the third mission” was presented in the framework of the international extension programs and initiatives and development cooperation programs category, after having obtained one of the best marks in the aforementioned category. The presentation was made by Marcela Del Campo M., Extension Director of the Catholic University from Colombia and Coordinator of the IMPALA project at the same institution.
Undoubtedly, this project leads the way in relation to the measurement of impact in extension education, a topic that arouses great interest in Latin America, and that is among the priorities of the universities that comprise it.
On November 5th, Marcela Del Campo, Coordinator of the IMPALA project at the Catholic University of Colombia, presented the first version of the impact assessment framework of the third IMPALA mission at the international event called: “conception, management and measurement of extension”. This event was held on November 5th within the framework of the close relationship between the National Extension Network of ASCUN and the Mexican Network of University Extension ANUIES.
The event was attended by a large group of extension education workers from various countries in Central and South America, as follows: 59 Mexican participants, 4 Argentine participants, 4 Panamanian participants, 23 Colombians, 4 Guatemalans and 20 Chilean participants.
The presentation of the project was received with great enthusiasm and, from that moment on, various options have been requested to continue sharing the project and its achievements.
The Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) selected the Strengthening IMPAct of Latin American universities / IMPALA project as a quality practice that promotes the internationalization of continuing education. The evaluation was carried out by a panel of experts that reviewed 83 experiences, in which 59 universities from 14 countries throughout the region participated.
This process was carried out by the OEI along with the International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) -UNESCO, the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga de Colombia (UNAB), the University of Alcalá of Spain (UAH), the National University of Córdoba of Argentina and the Colombian Association of Universities (ASCUN).
The IMPALA project, funded by the European Union, designs and implements an impact evaluation system in third mission (continuing education), inspired by the experience of the EU and adapted to three (3) contexts of Latin American countries (Cuba, Panama and Colombia). 19 partners participate:
Europe:
EFMD – The Management Development Network – Bélgica
Universita’ Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore– Italia
ESADE Business School – España
Universitat Politècnica de València– España
Nova School of Business and Economics (NOVA) – Portugal
Universidade do Porto – Portugal
Colombia:
Colombian Association of Management Faculties (ASCOLFA)
University of Antioquia
Catholic University of Colombia
Valle University
La Sabana University
Pontifical Javeriana University
Cuba:
Ministry of Higher Education
University of Camagüey “Ignacio Agramonte Loynaz”
Central University “Marta Abreu” of Las Villas
University of Holguín (UHO)
Agrarian University of Havana
Panama:
Specialized University of the Americas (UDELAS)
University of Panama (UP)
IMPALA obtained one of the best scores in the category “International extension initiatives and development cooperation programs”. Consequently, the practice will be published in the Ibero-American Manual of Good Practices in Internationalization (MIBPI) of the OEI and the experience will be presented by the Catholic University of Colombia in the Ibero-American Seminar on Quality Practices in Internationalization, on December 9th and 10th 2020.
During the months of September and October 2020 at the University of Holguín (UHo), several dissemination events have been held within the framework of the IMPALA Project. In this way, the results and work perspectives of the project are spread at different levels of the university community. These events were used to consolidate the need to foster a culture of impact in Higher Education Institutions associated with the activities and projects of the Third Mission.
The events allowed the coordinating group of the project by the UHo to share, within the framework of the Board of Directors, with the main directors of the institution, as well as to approach the Faculties and share with professors and researchers the tools designed within the framework of the project: “Impact assessment framework” y “Guidelines for the application of the Impact Assessment Framework in project management”.
The dissemination sessions were also used to launch, at an institutional level, IMPALA Work Packages 3 and 4, and also to analyze the institutional articulation necessary to achieve them. With the development of these work packages, an analysis of the management carried out by each institution according to the Third Mission will be carried out, as well as the implementation of the Impact Assessment Framework in the development of activities or projects related to services to the society.
The first semester of 2020 some dissemination activities of the Project Strenghtening IMPACT of Latin American Universities Erasmus + IMPALA were carried out at the Specialized University of the Americas. The following were the hosted activities:
February 13th 2020: The progress of the project as well as the IMPALA Project scheduled activities for 2020 were presented at the XVI Commission of International Agreements of the Specialized University of the Americas. The following guests participated in this activity: Doris Hernández, Ph.D. and Vice-rector of UDELAS; Luis Torres, Director of Technical Cooperation and International Relations and Deputy Secretary of the CCI; Arturo Rivera, Ph.D. and Dean of Graduate Studies; Gianna Ruedas, Ph.D. and General Secretary of UDELAS; Joel Méndez, Ph.D. and Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Clinical Sciences; Clarissa Nieto, Ph.D. and Vice Dean of Research; Eric García, Dean of Student Life; Ricardo González, Dean of the Faculty of Social Education and Human Development; Aurora Altamar, Ph.D. and Director of Curriculum and Teacher Development; Joanna de González, Director of CEVINPROS; Graciela Ambulo, Ph.D. and Director of the Institute of Physical and Sports Health; and Sebastián Ceballos, Secretary General of the CEU. The attendants gave favorable comments on the planning and progress of the Methodological Framework and the impact of the project in measuring its impact on the community.
July 31st 2020: III Meeting of the Network of Internationalization Links of UDELAS and follow-up of the Erasmus + IMPALA Project.
The Office of Technical Cooperation and International Relations (DTCIR) has organized and coordinated the Virtual Network of Internationalization Links directed by Luis Torres Herrera.
This network is an opportunity for dialogue between the links of the faculties of the UDELAS headquarters (Azuero Extension Link; Chiriquí Extension Link; Coclé Extension Link; Colón Extension Link; and Veraguas Extension Link) and the DTCIR Team. The foregoing activity was developed with the aim of sharing initiatives, activities and monitoring international projects, such as IMPALA. The members of this network are being informed about the development of the project.
