Students from the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas strengthen their training in environmental management at CATIE

• CATIE consolidates its regional leadership in training and exchange in environmental management and sustainability, promoting the development of professionals who influence environmental decision-making in Latin America.

A group of 23 students from the Master’s Program in Environmental Management and Sustainability at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) carried out an academic visit to CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) as part of the international component of their graduate program.

The delegation was accompanied by Leider Bocanegra Padilla, Academic Director of a portfolio of master’s programs at UPC’s Graduate School, who emphasized that this experience is part of an institutional strategy aimed at providing students with a global perspective.

“In our master’s programs, we include an international component across all degrees. This program has partnered with CATIE since its creation a few years ago. The objective is to offer students a perspective beyond our reality in Peru, complementing the topics they study in class with a more specialized approach from a prestigious institution in Latin America,” explained Bocanegra.

The academic highlighted that the experience not only provides technical knowledge but also immersion in contexts where research and environmental management have achieved significant progress. He also underscored the value of academic exchange: “It’s a win-win. Students benefit from the expertise of CATIE’s specialists, and they also contribute to the classroom with their own professional experience.”

Training with impact across multiple sectors

Participating students come from various productive sectors, including mining, energy, and industry, where they perform roles related to sustainability, environmental management, and impact mitigation.

Most of them live and work in Lima; however, the program’s hybrid format has enabled professionals from different regions of Peru—including the highlands, the Amazon region, and the northern part of the country—to participate. This geographic diversity strengthens the exchange of experiences and perspectives regarding contemporary environmental challenges.

During their stay at CATIE, the group took part in specialized classes and academic activities designed to deepen their understanding of methodologies, approaches, and practical experiences applied in Costa Rica, a country internationally recognized for its leadership in sustainability.

An enriching and replicable experience

For Yorka Freundt, an environmental engineer from Oxapampa working in the mining sector, the visit represents an opportunity to closely learn about the methodologies that have positioned Costa Rica as a benchmark in sustainability. “I want to understand the methodologies used here to achieve strong environmental management and be able to replicate them in Peru,” she noted.

José Alberto Albino, also an environmental engineer, highlighted the academic value of the sessions received. “The class we had was very fruitful; it broadens our knowledge and provides tools that we can apply when we return to Peru,” he commented.

Lenin Sandoval, a business professional linked to the environmental sector, described the experience as “very positive and enriching” for his professional performance and expressed his gratitude for the support received throughout the week.

Through initiatives such as this, CATIE continues to consolidate its regional presence as a space for training, exchange, and joint capacity building in environmental management and sustainability, contributing to the development of professionals who influence environmental decision-making across Latin America.