At FAUBAI 2026, the annual conference on the internationalization of higher education held in Florianópolis, Brazil, the CLIMAR project was highlighted as a success story in the panel “Re-imagining Internationalization for Society in a Multipolar World.”
Luisa Fernanda Villamizar Rodríguez, Deputy Director of International Relations at ASCUN (the Colombian Association of Universities), presented Colombia’s approach to internationalization for society, centered on connecting higher education institutions with their territories and local realities. In this context, CLIMAR served as a concrete example of how international cooperation can generate tangible impac. In this case, on sustainable tourism and climate change adaptation at the regional level.
The panel reflected on the need to move toward a more equitable model of internationalization, one that is connected to local contexts and capable of producing social impact through cooperation, regional integration, and the recognition of diverse forms of knowledge. As Villamizar Rodríguez put it, the goal is to “re-imagine an internationalization that is not only globally connected, but ethically driven and socially responsible.”
CLIMAR’s recognition at FAUBAI 2026 reflects the value of the work carried out by its partner universities and the project’s commitment to linking academic knowledge with the real challenges facing territories and communities.