U.S. Embassy in Argentina

The U.S. Department of State, Partners of the Americas, and NAFSA: Association of International Educators announced 10 new Innovation Fund grant winning teams as part of the “Argentina-U.S. Workforce Development” competition sponsored by Chevron and the U.S. Department of State. The 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund inspires U.S. universities and colleges to team up with higher education institutions in the rest of the Western Hemisphere to create partnerships that construct bridges of connectivity, increase academic exchanges, provide access to training opportunities, and strengthen regional education cooperation and competitiveness throughout the Americas.

With support from this public-private sector collaboration, this Innovation Fund competition will facilitate ten new higher education partnerships exclusively for universities and colleges in the United States and higher education institutions in Argentina. The ten grant-winning teams announced today will implement new ground-breaking academic and training programs for students to work together in both countries in the fields of Economic Development and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

“Public-private partnerships address society’s most pressing concerns by fostering innovation that builds 21st century’s workforce critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems,” said Edward C. Prado, U.S. Ambassador to Argentina. “The 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund provides Argentina and the United States with dynamic partnerships that fuels economic prosperity for the region.”

Argentina now ranks fourth in this signature hemispheric-wide education initiative with 17 Innovation Fund partnerships between 36 institutions in 14 U.S. states and 7 Argentinian provinces.

Since January 2014, the Innovation Fund has awarded 178 grants to 350 teams of higher education institutions from 25 countries and 41 U.S. states. Innovation Fund partnerships provide more access to training opportunities for students to gain technical/linguistic/cross-cultural skills – critical for today’s global workforce. Innovation Fund grant awards are typically $25,000 each – with grant-winning teams contributing more resources on average of 1.5 times – to implement sustainable academic exchange programs and increase opportunities for students in the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere.

West Virginia University – Universidad Nacional del Comahue

West Virginia University, West Virginia, United States
Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Neuquén, Argentina

Connecting Appalachia and Patagonia: WVU-UNCo International Student Exchange

West Virginia University (WVU) and Universidad Nacional del Comahue (UNCo) are located in regions of high exploration and extraction of shale oil and gas. The two universities will build upon these shared characteristics to implement a new program to allow engineering students to learn more in-depth practical knowledge about exploration and production of shale oil and gas. Students from both universities will travel to host institutions to interact with their students and faculty, participate in workshops, and gain more understanding of shared challenges and opportunities in this field of study.

Auburn University – Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata

Auburn University, Alabama, United States
Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Fertilizer Technology – Existing and New Generation Novel Materials for Crop Use

Auburn University and Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata will combine the fields of engineering and agriculture to create a collaborative project in fertilizer technology and use. Graduate students from each university will enroll in a capstone course and spend time at the host institution developing and testing slow-release fertilizers for use in commercial field crop production systems, as well as conducting field trial research through internships with the participating universities. The program will enable students to acquire skills in lignin and polymer synthesis, processing, and characterization of materials necessary to pursue research careers in materials science, in addition to cross-cultural competencies.

Universidad Católica de Argentina – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Universidad Católica de Argentina, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia, United States

UCA-VT Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Program

Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA) and Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Virginia Tech) will create a three-pronged program to address accessibility in study abroad that will include STEM courses for international students, service learning, and faculty/researcher exchange, all of which aim to promote science and innovation collaboration among the partnering institutions.