from the Hemispheric University Consortium Official Website – October 1st, 2021

Collaborative online international learning training and implementation programs, an innovation observatory,  research internships, a library Network, a social entrepreneurship creative center, and collective reflections on the impact of Covid 19 on the SDGs are only some of the initiatives implemented by the Hemispheric University Consortium in the last two years.  The leaders of the 14 universities met to review and reflect on the results achieved in these challenging times.

The HUC was founded in 2018, as a unique cooperative mechanism to promote solution-oriented collaborations in research and education to act upon the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”) to address the unique societal needs of the Hemisphere, mobilize to face the challenges posed by public health, climate change, crime, corruption, entrepreneurship and technology.

Three years after its creation, numerous initiatives addressing those needs have bolstered collaboration among the 14 universities from Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States that are members of this alliance.

The HUC Social Entrepreneurship Collaborative Center created a multilateral program on social innovation in the hemisphere- “Pathways to Prosperity”; a conference series on the impact of Covid -19 on the SDGs- “Conversaciones para el Futuro”, and a competition for young entrepreneurs – “Social Ideas Challenge”.  Just in the conference series, more than 70 experts gathered in 17 seminars to reflect on the impact of Covid- 19 on the SDGs, sharing their knowledge with an audience totaling 20,000 people. The HUC Innovation Observatory created the HUC website to foster research collaborations among its members;   matchmaking events for research projects and for research internships.   The HUC Collaborative Online International Learning initiative has had more than 1500 people in conferences to share experiences and best practices among the HUC institutions, with more than 3300 students benefiting from the online collaborations.

2021-09-29 HUC General Assembly

The Library Network announced the launching of its new website, an online platform that provides Information on each of the libraries of the universities, facilitating access to valuable resources in a collaborative manner: (https://www.thehuc.org/libraries/) .

The results showed that this cooperative mechanism multiplied the potential to contribute to sustainable development through the joined forces and vision of each institution, with the result of delivering a greater good for all members of our societies. In words of President Frenk, they committed to “continue with the energy” that was shown so far.