UCundinamarca contributes to the development plan of Soacha

Since February, the Soacha Extension has been holding strategic meetings with the municipal administration of Soacha with the purpose of organizing working groups, with the active participation of students to generate projects and proposals in order to be participants and transformative agents of the municipality.

In May, Fabio Gil Sanabria, the administrative director of the Soacha Extension, participated virtually in the presentation of the municipality's Development Plan project to the municipal council. He also participated in meetings with the Secretary of Education, the Director of Educational Planning, program coordinators and university welfare coordinators, student leaders, and administrative staff of the extension.

UCundinamarca: How did the municipal administration and the Soacha Extension come together to join forces in support of higher education in the municipality?

Fabio Gil Sanabria: UCundinamarca, with the support of the Rector and the director of the Soacha Extension, has maintained a close relationship with the municipal administrations, and this would be no exception, since we have just completed a framework cooperation agreement, for which there has already been renewed interest in reactivating it, in order to continue contributing to the higher education of young people from Soacha.

Similarly, having a graduate of the Bachelor's Degree program in Physical Education directing the Soacha Education Secretariat has allowed us to have a deeper approach and total acceptance of proposals and inclusion of the University in some parts such as in the Development Plan and in the Education Fund through the goal of articulation with secondary education, as a constitutive element.

UCundinamarca: What were the contributions of the University of Cundinamarca to the Development Plan of the Municipality of Soacha?

Fabio Gil Sanabria: Initially, at the meeting held in February of this year with the Mayor of Soacha, the Rector of the University of Cundinamarca, the Director of the Extension, the Deans of the Faculties, the Coordinators of the academic programs, student leaders from the Soacha Extension, and the representative to the Academic Council, a series of intentions to participate in the construction of the municipality's Development Plan were expressed, taking into account that strategic axes No. 2, entitled “CHANGE ADVANCES THROUGH EDUCATION, SPORTS, AND RECREATION.”.

Similarly, during the month of May, two meetings were held with the Secretary of Education of the municipality of Soacha and the Director of Educational Planning of Soacha (Development Plan manager), in which the requests and proposals were reinforced both for the inclusion of some sections in the Development Plan and in the Agreement to be celebrated with the municipal Mayor's Office, as follows:

• Investment for the formulation, expansion and maintenance of new academic offerings at the Soacha extension.
• Creation of a Higher Education Fund
• Cooperation and funding for projects formulated from academia by university entities.
• To strengthen research at the university in such a way as to generate development in the Soacha community.
• Request for resources for scholarships, as well as the allocation of funds for Youth in Action, taking into account students from the University of Cundinamarca.

As an additional point, the Ministry of Education decided to reiterate its support for the approval of the PRODESARROLLO UDEC Stamp, which has been requested since the previous administration.

UCundinamarca: Are these contributions already reflected in the Soacha Development Plan?

Fabio Gil Sanabria:: The Secretary of Education, headed by Luis Eduardo Chavez, received the respective contributions for study and possible incorporation into the Development Plan, thus complying with the procedures established by the Secretariat for this purpose.

UCundinamarca: How will the work between the municipal administration be coordinated?

Fabio Gil Sanabria: Based on the development of the agreement and the preparation of the projects, as well as the creation of the working groups where the different actors of the University participate: Students, teachers and administrative staff.

More news from the Soacha Extension at the News Agency