Ponce, Puerto Rico – The local Agricultural Biotechnology industry and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico join efforts to promote research, strengthen academic initiatives and drive innovation.
The alliance between PRABIA and the University arises at a historic moment in which Puerto Rico seeks to strengthen its public policy to insert the country into the global knowledge economy. This focuses on promoting research, innovation, academia and the development of highly qualified science professionals.
According to Beatriz Carrión, executive director of PRABIA, “The Association is committed to the education of students who aspire to careers in Biotechnology through research projects, internships, conferences and summer camps. Both the University and PRABIA consider that increasing opportunities for cooperation and exchange in order to educate our communities is instrumental in creating a fundamental foundation for achieving sustainable growth. This is the reason why our main objective is to develop alliances and strengthen our relationship with academia by educating skilled professionals who can contribute to economic development”.
For his part, Dr. Jorge Iván Vélez, president of PUCPR, indicated “PUCPR’s mission has four components: teaching, research, dissemination, and economic development. The University is focused on establishing links with leaders of the productive sector that facilitate our students and our Faculty to have access to cutting-edge processes and technologies. This objective is particularly relevant in fields related to agriculture that directly impact the economic development of Puerto Rico. The signed agreement strengthens the platform that supports initiatives in the area of Agricultural Biotechnology and opens the doors for new fields of research.”
Among the most important points of the collaboration agreement between PRABIA and the University, the development of an academic proposal for curricula on topics of Agricultural Biotechnology and cutting-edge technologies stands out; collaboration and active participation in the steering committees of both entities as industry and academic advisors; and the collaborative design of courses, conferences, symposiums or academic programs.
In addition, the agreement facilitates research and collaborative development of activities at the facilities of the companies that are part of PRABIA. University students will be able to gain experience in companies, and these, for their part, will visit the University to identify potential candidates who are about to finish their university careers to recruit them as employees.
“This commitment is one of many alliances that PRABIA is undertaking with academic institutions, leaders and collaborators. This in order to support organizations and individuals that take care of the academic and labor progress of Puerto Rico,” said Carrión.
The agreement between the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico and PRABIA strengthens the existing relationship, since the Association has previously collaborated with the Center for Teaching and Research in Biotechnology and Agrobiotechnology (CEIBA) of the University in numerous initiatives.
About PRABIA
Founded in 1995, the Puerto Rico Agricultural Biotechnology Industry Association, for its acronym in English, PRABIA, is a non-profit organization that brings together agricultural biotechnology companies that operate in Puerto Rico – AgReliant Genetics, Bayer, Dow AgroSciences, Syngenta , Illinois Crop Improvement, Monsanto del Caribe and DuPont Pioneer. The Association aims to strengthen the agricultural biotechnology ecosystem on the Island in light of the challenges of global food production. The operations of the companies that are part of PRABIA promote economic development by generating over 5,000 direct and indirect jobs, promoting education, supporting communities, providing support to the academic community and establishing programs aimed at future scientists and agronomists.
For more information about PRABIA, access www.prabia.org or the official Facebook page at http://bit.ly/2aeRQmJ.
About the PUCPR
The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is a private, non-profit, Roman Catholic higher education institution founded in September 1948. The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, by the Puerto Rico Higher Education Council and by other accrediting agencies. The main campus is located in Ponce, while other campuses are in Arecibo and Mayagüez. For more information: www.pucpr.edu.