Women and men of 15 different nationalities begin graduate studies at CATIE

• These young people make up the class of 2023-2024, as part of the 50th anniversary of the institution.

March 10, 2022. With great excitement and enthusiasm to learn and live a transforming experience, 33 young people (17 women and 16 men) from 15 different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean began their master's degree studies at CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center); a university and research center recognized for its trajectory in topics related to natural resources and environmental management, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year 2023.

"I want to give you a warm welcome. Today you join the great CATIE family. You will begin a new stage in your lives, both personally and professionally, receiving an education of excellence, based on scientific knowledge and applied to the realities of the region and the world. In addition to this, at CATIE they will live a multicultural experience, which will give a very significant plus to their education. I am sure you will leave here with a real desire to contribute to change for Inclusive Green Development," said Muhammad Ibrahim, Director General of CATIE, as he welcomed the new students in the Alumni Hall of the Henry A. Wallace Building.

As part of this welcome, which took place on March 10, each of the new students introduced themselves, indicating their name, nationality, expectations and the master's degree they are pursuing. This class includes students from the four on-site master's programs offered by CATIE: Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture; Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests and Biodiversity; Economics, Development and Climate Change; and Management and Integrated Watershed Management.

"For me it is a pleasure to be here because many of the professors who are present here I spent my entire professional career reading, studying, articles and books that each of you have published and now I find it a privilege, an honor, to have you as professors. I have been at CATIE for two weeks and for me it has been a total pleasure and I am sure that great things await me and all my colleagues," said René Jarquín, a Nicaraguan student, during his presentation. nicaragüense, durante su presentación.

For her part, Arely Farissa Flores, a Honduran student, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity, noting that she has no doubt that the experience will be of great personal and professional growth.

The inauguration of the academic cycle was also attended by members of the Graduate School faculty, who introduced themselves and shared with the students their experiences at CATIE. Some of them, such as Fernando Carrera, with more than 30 years of being a professor-researcher at the Center, congratulated them for choosing CATIE for their graduate studies.

Finally, Roberto Quiroz, Dean of the Graduate School of CATIE, was very pleased to receive this new class of young people, thus fulfilling the founding spirit of the Center, to promote Inclusive Green Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Most of the students in this graduating class have received financial support from various organizations, including the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCYT, its Spanish acronym) of the Dominican Republic, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD, its German acronym), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (COSUDE), the Foundation for the Future of Colombia (COLFUTURO) and the National Education Loan Commission (CONAPE, its Spanish acronym) of Costa Rica, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), the Government of Canada and CATIE Funds.