U.S. awards grants totaling $100,000 for scientific and research exchanges in Costa Rica

The 100,000 (100K) Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund recently announced new partnerships and training programs between higher education centers in the United States, Central America, and the Dominican Republic. In addition, the organization’s grant program will benefit 12 winning teams by promoting more scientific and research exchanges in Costa Rica and between the other participants.

Four awards for scientific and research exchanges went to Costa Rica. As such, the Central American nation obtained the largest number of selected projects in the region, with 25 thousand dollars each.

The winning 100K teams incorporate 25 higher education institutions in six countries. In addition, scientific and research exchanges in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic will also participate. They will act in alliance with a diversity of American institutes and universities. This effort creates 12 exchange programs that will impact hundreds of students in the United States, Central America, and the Dominican Republic during the 2022-2023 calendar year.

This fund is sponsored by AgroAmerica, a Guatemala-based company with a regional presence. Also participating in the program is the United States Department of State. Other collaborators include the participating countries’ public and private sectors, the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the Department of State, and embassies and Partners of the Americas. All of the participating entities are working together to harness the power of education and create access to innovative and inclusive training programs for workers across the Americas.

Costa Rican teams participate in scientific and research exchanges

100K Innovation Fund partnerships build institutional capacity through scientific and research exchanges in Cost Rica to expand students’ opportunities to work in teams, solve real-world problems, and gain technical skills for workforce development.

The four Costa Rican projects that have been selected are the following:

• Poplar Colleges District, San Antonio, Texas, United States
• Veritas University, Zapote, San Jose, Costa Rica
  
  Symbiosis: Environmental exchange between Institutos Álamo and Universidad Veritas

In this program, students will work together to conduct scientific and research exchanges in Costa Rica and the U.S. to analyze water management issues in urban areas and local natural resources. Through a Collaborative International Online Learning (COIL) course, students will assess local environmental issues in the other country before traveling to work on-site as a team. During the 100K exchange program, students will participate in service-learning activities and field activities in natural resource management.

• College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
• Distance State University (UNED), San José, San José, Costa Rica
  
  From the desert to the jungle: Exchange between the United States and Costa Rica to promote the comparative analysis of climate change at the international level

This collaboration will prepare students to address climate change in arid and tropical environments. Through this 100K exchange between Costa Rica and the United States, students will apply STEM techniques to conduct independent research, understand the scientific literature, and effectively analyze diverse ecosystems. This is within different ecological, cultural, and academic contexts. These scientific and research exchanges in Costa Rica and the U.S. will prepare participants to become leaders in spatial planning, land management, and environmental science careers.

• The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., United States
• San Judas Tadeo Federated University , San José, San José, Costa Rica
  
  Closing gaps in health care: Linguistic and cultural training for professionals and students in Costa Rica and the United States

In this hybrid, telematic and face-to-face program, medical students from both universities will have the opportunity to receive training at their partner institutions. This program addresses the barriers that typically prevent medical students from accessing international education experiences. In addition, it will offer specialized language courses for healthcare professionals that focus on practical career skills.

• William Rainey Harper College, Palatine, Illinois, United States
• National University of Costa Rica (UNA), Sarapiquí Campus, Heredia, Heredia, Costa Rica
  
  Global learning through an online telematic exchange: Transforming teaching and training through immersive international educational experiences

This program aims to create an intercultural alliance that adopts an experiential telematics learning approach to teaching, training, and intercultural innovation. The alliance enhances technological literacy, global awareness, and intercultural competence among students from populations typically underrepresented in traditional international exchanges.

Since March 2022, after 31 grant competitions since 2014, the Innovation Fund has awarded 278 grants ($25,000-$35,000 each) to 534 higher education institutions working in teams in 25 countries and 49 states from the United States. Currently, more than 2,300 higher education institutions have joined the Innovation Network. This number includes 1,300 universities and colleges in the United States.

From 2014 to date, six projects from UNA, Universidad de Costa Rica, UNIBE, and Universidad Latina have been selected to receive funds to participate in scientific and research exchanges in Costa Rica and the United States.