The Hispanic Educational Technology Services Consortium (HETS) celebrated its first international Board of Directors summer meeting in Medellín, Colombia. This meeting was hosted by Dr. Maritza Rondón Rangel, Chancellor of the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, on June 27th and 28th, 2024. More than 35 of HETS member institutions were represented at the meeting, both in-person and virtually, along with its new member: San Juan Bautista School of Medicine from Puerto Rico; and two new corporate members: Miami EdTech and American Heart Association.
This Board meeting ends academic year 2023-2024, an intense year for the organization and its members. The strategic plan framework corresponding to years 2022-2025 focused on core areas of access, retention and successful completion, and online learning/technology integration was extended for an additional year to provide better support to our member institutions and its communities. Among the news shared with the Board were highlighted the major activities to support the organizational programmatic goals and services such as: HETS Learning Technologies Leadership Academy (H-LTLA), tailored workshops and webinar offerings; tools and services accessible trough the HETS Virtual Plaza and HETS Website. Also, the results of our main events the HETS Best Practices Showcase, and the Student Leadership Showcase were presented.
Likewise, Board members recommended new initiatives as part of the Collaboration Opportunities item led by Dr. Carlos Vargas-Aburto, HETS Secretary and President of Southeast Missouri State University. Also, Board members approved the 2024-2025 Proposed Budget and selected the winter meeting dates and host. The winter meeting will be on January 16 and 17, 2025, at EDP University, Hato Rey Campus, concurrent with the Open Plenary of the 2025 Virtual Best Practices Showcase.
As part of the first day meeting agenda, Board members were invited to meet some of the leaders and major initiatives at the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín Campus and visited Ruta N, the innovation and business Center of Medellín, where private companies, the government, the academia, citizens and the international community contribute to improve the quality of life of the city’s inhabitants through science, technology and innovation.
During the second day meeting, HETS held its corporate session and six out of its 13 corporate partners attended the meeting and presented opportunities for collaboration, including uPlanner; American Heart Association; Miami Edtech; Educational Testing Services; COBIMET; and Teach Access. Also, a special hybrid event was held featuring Dr. Estibaliz Sáez, Vice President of the Spanish Network for Sustainable Development (REDS) and member of the Sustainable Development Council of the Government of Spain. Dr. Sáez discussed about the sustainability at the Center of the University Strategy, and her presentation reached faculty, administrators, and the academic community from Puerto Rico, the United States, and Latin America (a recording of this presentation is available at the Next & Past events (hets.org).
At the end of the meeting, HETS recognized the outstanding leadership of President Dr. Carlos Morales, with the HETS 2024 Visionary Leader Award as Chair of HETS Board from 2020 to 2024, for his vision, commitment, and his leadership towards an education of excellence with initiatives like the HETS Learning Technologies Leadership Academy. Also, recognized, Dr. Maritza Rondón, Chancellor of the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia with the HETS Board International Ambassador Award for her vision, leadership and kindness in welcoming Board Members and Corporate Representatives as the host of the first international meeting in HETS history.
For more information about HETS and how you can join or support its work benefiting students, faculty, and administrators, visit hets.org, follow HETS on social media (@hetsorg), or contact the HETS Staff.