Cuban Officials Recognize UA for 10th Anniversary of Alabama-Cuba Initiative

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Cuba’s University of Havana presented a special award to The University of Alabama in honor of its 280^th anniversary and the 10^th anniversary of the Alabama-Cuba Initiative, which has brought UA and Cuban educators together to establish collaborative opportunities.

Dr. Gustavo Jose Cobreiro Suarez, the president of the University of Havana, presented a medallion and resolution to Dr. Robert F. Olin, dean of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences which has spearheaded the initiative, at commemorative ceremonies Feb. 7 in Havana.

“It is important to highlight the work done by The University of Alabama and its collaboration with Cuban institutions that has permitted the creation of working relationships between Cuban and U.S. professors, researchers and artists, because this university remains intellectually committed to … new initiatives which respond to the interests of the academics, artists and scientists of the two countries,” the resolution states.

The resolution references highlights of the program including a semester abroad program in Havana, in its fourth consecutive year, which allows students to study in Cuba in a variety of disciplines, and a collaboration with the Superior Institute of Art and the College of San Gerónimo of Havana.

Since 2002, UA has received academic travel licenses from the U.S. Department of the Treasury that permit travel to Cuba for specific academic activities as part of the Cuba-Alabama Initiative. More than 45 disciplines and departments at UA have participated in the Initiative. The most recent trip included 35 faculty and staff members from UA who met with their academic counterparts to explore future joint research and creative projects.

UA and the University of Havana have previously participated in three comprehensive educational activity planning sessions, in addition to a number of faculty-to-faculty interactions. In 2003, UA hosted the Alabama-Cuba Week where UA and Cuban scholars exchanged ideas on scholarly areas of research as varied as baseball, the mambo, and drinking-water standards.

In 2006, the University of Havana hosted a planning session to identify areas of interest for teaching and course of study exchanges. In 2010 UA’s College of Arts and Sciences again hosted Cuba Week in October of 2010, which included a keynote address by State Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Ron Sparks and presentations by more than 20 Cuban scholars.

UA’s College of Arts and Sciences is the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.