HACU International Symposium

Innovative Collaborations: Tackling Current International Education Issues Across the Americas

June 12, 2025  •  Costa Rica Marriot Hotel Hacienda Belén  •  San José, Costa Rica

Executive Leadership Seminar  |  June 8 -11, 2025

Executive Leadership Seminar

Pre-Conference Event

June 8-11, 2025

The Executive Leadership Seminar on international higher education will be held prior to the Symposium on June 8-11. A welcome reception will kick off the four-day event focused on leadership and international education sessions. Speakers include leaders and high-level staff from both international and U.S. colleges and universities. The Seminar includes visits to the La Universidad de Iberoamérica, Universidad Hispanoamericana, and Universidad Santa Paula campuses, providing highlights of each institution’s key international education strategies and activities.

Please find below the registration details and agenda for the 2025 Executive Leadership Seminar, a pre-conference event of the HACU International Symposium.

Registration

(includes access to the International Symposium)

Onsite Registration Available

AMOUNT DESCRIPTION
$660

HACU  Member Colleges & Universities
Members Only

$520

HACU Faculty/Staff Affiliate or Trustee Affiliate or HACU Alumni Association Member
Members Only

$680

Non-Member Colleges & Universities
Non-Member

$680

Government Agency
No Restrictions

$680

Non-Profit Organization
No Restrictions

$790

Corporate
No Restrictions

$350

Presenter
Must be approved as a presenter 

$440

Student Track

Open only to undergraduate students

$165

One Day: 6/9 Tuesday, 6/10 Wednesday or 6/11 Thursday
No Restrictions

$520

K-12 Administrator/Staff or Graduate Student
No Restrictions

Cancellations will be accepted until May 5, 2025, and charged a $150 administration fee. After May 5, 2025, registrations are non-refundable. A person from the same organization may substitute for a charge fee of $50. No-show registrations will not be refunded.

By participating in a HACU conference, you are automatically authorizing the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and its employees, agents and assigns to use your name, photograph, voice, or other likeness for purposes related to the mission of HACU, including but not limited to publicity, marketing, websites, social media vehicles, and any other HACU-related electronic forms or media, for the promotion of HACU and its various programs.

HACU and the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belén are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If auxiliary aids are needed, please submit written notification to HACU by May 5, 2025.

Agenda

Sunday, June 8

SUNDAY

Time SESSIONS / SPEAKERS
All Day

Travel Day for Attendees

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Welcome Dinner

Monday, June 9

MONDAY

Time SESSIONS / SPEAKERS
8:15 – 8:30 a.m.

Introduction

Tito Guerrero, Ed.D.
Director, La Academia de Liderazgo, HACU

8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Seminar Session #1

A Small Country with a Big Vision: Preventive Medicine

Rafael E. Lamas Alfonso, M.D.
Director of Medical Specialties and Hospital Management, UNIBE, Costa Rica

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:15 – 11:45 a.m.

Seminar Session #2

Institutional Alliances in Research: Building Knowledge for Global Impact

Andrés Cairol Barquero, M.D.
Researcher, Faculty of Medicine, UNIBE, Costa Rica

Luis Felipe Loaiza Sáenz, M.D.
Researcher, Faculty of Medicine, UNIBE, Costa Rica

12:00 – 1:15 p.m.

Lunch

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Departure from Marriott Costa Rica Hacienda Belén Hotel to Universidad de Iberoamérica, Faculties Building

3:00 – 3:15 p.m.
Welcome to UNIBE
3:15 – 3:45 p.m.

UNIBE: A Learning Ecosystem Transforming Education

Presenters:

Krissia Leiva Calderón
Executive Director, Universidad de Iberoamérica, UNIBE, Costa Rica

Nelson Rojas
Director of International Affairs Department, Universidad de Iberoamérica, UNIBE, Costa Rica

3:45 – 5:00 p.m.

Experiences and Opportunities for International Students: Breaking Barriers and Building Global Future

Presenters:

UNIBE staff and international students

5:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Costa Rica Welcomes You: Pura Vida Celebration
5:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Departure from UNIBE Faculties Building to the farewell venue
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Farewell Dinner

7:30 – 8:15 p.m.
Departure to Marriott Costa Rica Hacienda Belén Hotel

Tuesday, June 10

TUESDAY

Time SESSIONS / SPEAKERS
8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Seminar Session #3

Internationalization and Community: the Universidad Hispanoamericana Approach

Marco Urbina Soto
General Director, Universidad Hispanoamericana, Costa Rica

Lic. María Belén Jiménez Porras
International and Study Abroad Programs Coordinator, Universidad Hispanoamericana, UH, Costa Rica

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:15 – 11:45 a.m.

Seminar Session #4

CIELO: Transforming Health Education to Prevent Childhood Obesity and Promote Mental Health

Joshua Santana Segura, M.D.
Subdirector, Universidad Hispanoamericana School of Medicine, Costa Rica

Ing. Marianela Salazar Ramos
Professional Development UH Coordinator, Universidad Hispanoamericana School of Medicine, Costa Rica

12:00 – 1:15 p.m.

Lunch

1:30 – 2:20 p.m.

Departure from Marriott Costa Rica Hacienda Belén Hotel to the UH Health Science Building

2:20 – 2: 30 p.m.
Arrival at the UH Health Science Building
2:30 – 4:20 p.m.

UH Academic Experience: Live simulation scenarios in internationally accredited simulation hospital

Unique experience in anatomy and basic sciences labs. (For participants who do not want this experience, there will be an academic activity such as Virtual and Augmented reality, Nutrition lab experience and more.)

4:20 – 4:30 p.m.
Meet at entrance and depart to UH Sports Campus
5:00 – 5:15 p.m.
Arrival at UH Sports Campus
5:30 – 6:45 p.m.

Experience Costa Rican culture and gastronomy

Sustainability in Higher Education in Costa Rica

Giovani Jiménez
Professor of the School of Tourism, Universidad Hispanoamericana, Health Sciences Simulation Experience, UH, Costa Rica

Dinner with UH administrators

7:00 – 7:15 p.m.

Departure from the UH Campus to the Marriott Costa Rica Hacienda Belén Hotel

Wednesday, June 11

WEDNESDAY

Time SESSIONS / SPEAKERS
8:30 – 9:10 a.m.

Social Change through Internationalization

Presenters:

Lester Sandres Rápalo, Ed.D.
Ambassador and Global Advisor on Sustainable Education, The
Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development, OPAD, USA

Elizabeth Rodríguez Vargas
Director of Study Abroad, Office for International Affairs,
Universidad Santa Paula, USP, Costa Rica

9:15 – 10:00 a.m.

Harnessing AI for Student Success: Innovation, Equity and the
Future of Higher Ed

Presenter:

Guillermo Díaz, Jr.
Founder and CEO, Conectado, Inc., USA

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:15 – 10:55 a.m.

University of Experience in Human Development and Hearts of
Gold Program: A Cultural Immersion Program for the Care and Support of the Older Adult Population

Presenter:

Rocío Valverde Gallegos, Ph.D.
President, Universidad Santa Paula, USP, Costa Rica

Elizabeth Rodríguez Vargas
Director of Study Abroad, Office for International Affairs,
Universidad Santa Paula, USP, Costa Rica

11:00 – 11:45 a.m.

Building Bridges in Global Education: Strengthening Costa Rica
Partnerships

Moderator:

Lester Sandres Rápalo, Ed.D.
Ambassador and Global Advisor on Sustainable Education, The
Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development , OPAD, USA

Presenters:

Stephanie Garita
University Extension Manager, Universidad Fidélitas, UF, Costa Rica

Mónica Chinchilla
President, Universidad Internacional de las Américas, UIA, Costa Rica

Lic. Diana Ruiz
International Affairs Manager, Universidad de Ciencias Médicas,
UCM, Costa Rica

12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Break

2:45 – 3:15 p.m.
Departure from Marriott Costa Rica Hacienda Belén Hotel to Universidad Santa Paula
3:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Welcome Remarks

Rocío Valverde Gallegos, Ph.D.
President, Universidad Santa Paula, USP, Costa Rica

4:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Presentation about USP

Erika Cyrus, Ph.D.
Director of Physical Therapy School, Universidad Santa Paula, USP,
Costa Rica

4:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Global Context of Micro–Credentials

Moderator:

Lester Sandres Rápalo, Ed.D.
Ambassador and Global Advisor on Sustainable Education, The
Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development, OPAD, USA

Presenters:

Jonnathan González Rodríguez, Ph.D.
Teaching Director, Universidad Santa Paula, USP, Costa Rica

Britt Rios–Ellis, Ph.D.
President, California State University, Stanislaus, USA

5:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Context of Biomedical Research in Costa Rica

Presenters:

Adriana Benavides Lara, M.D.
Research Director, Universidad Santa Paula, USP, Costa Rica

Jonnathan González Rodríguez, Ph.D.
Teaching Director, Universidad Santa Paula, USP, Costa Rica

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Dinner and Cultural Presentation

7:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Farewell and departure to Marriott Costa Rica Hacienda Belén Hotel

Thursday, June 12

THURSDAY

Time SESSIONS / SPEAKERS
ALL DAY

HACU International Symposium
View International Symposium Agenda

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Dinner and La Academia de Liderazgo Graduation Ceremony

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Contact Information

For questions, please contact:

Institute for Global Engagement

For Department questions, please contact:

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