The Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, based in Quito, Ecuador (UASB-E), and Florida International University (FIU) recently signed a non-binding agreement to explore the possibility of working together on academic and research activities related to humanities and social sciences disciplines, as well as related research fields, including Latin American studies and African diaspora studies.

After years of exchanges and cooperation between UASB-E, FIU’s African and African Diaspora Studies Program (AADS), and the Observatory of Justice for Afrodescendants in Latin America (OJALA), hosted at FIU’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, the universities have decided to strengthen their ties. The goal is to identify their students’ current and emerging educational needs and jointly develop activities such as publications, internships, academic visits, donations, and exchanges of books and other documents on academic and research topics of common interest.

Furthermore, FIU and UASB-E will explore the possibility of collaborating to expand and develop UASB-E’s Afro-Andean Documentary Collection, seeking the necessary resources to achieve this goal. They also commit to continue collaborating in completing research activities conducted by OJALA and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Ecuador, at least until 2024. Finally, both universities will examine the possibility and feasibility of collaborating in acquiring resources to develop the academic offerings of UASB-E’s UNESCO Chair on Afro-Andean Studies.

The agreed-upon agreement will have an initial duration of five years and may be mutually renewed between the parties. This academic and research alliance promises to be a valuable growth opportunity for students and the academic community of both universities. Undoubtedly, it will create new possibilities for research and contribute to strengthening academic exchange in the humanities, social sciences, Latin American studies, and African diaspora studies.