We hosted a delegation from Universidad del Quindio

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Six men are standing together, all dressed elegantly and smiling for the photo. In the background, three banners are hanging: blue banners with the WUM logo on the left and right, and a white banner from Columbia University in the center.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss prospects for cooperation between our university and Universidad del Quindio from Colombia, as well as the draft letter of intent on cooperation, which is to be signed after obtaining the approvals of both universities’ Senates.

“Medical University of Warsaw is developing international cooperation in many directions,” said Prof. Rafał Krenke, Rector of WUM. “Very soon, we will become a member of the European Universities for Well Being (EUniWell) association. This gives us new opportunities to carry out international projects. However, we do not want to remain only on the old continent. Universidad del Quindio has extensive experience in health sciences, environmental hazards, and tropical medicine, which may be valuable to us.”

A university with extensive experience

Universidad del Quindio is a multidisciplinary university with 17,000 students. Its teaching staff numbers nearly 700 people. The university offers 33 undergraduate programs and 18 master’s programs. The medical faculty offers undergraduate studies in medicine, nursing, and gerontology, as well as master’s studies in internal medicine, pediatrics, biomedical sciences, health sciences, and occupational medicine. In the 2025 South American university ranking, Universidad del Quindio holds 232nd place.

Dr. Luis Fernando Polania Abando, Rector of the Colombian university, emphasized: “During the meeting with the authorities and representatives of the Medical University of Warsaw, we discussed prospects for cooperation in the field of public health and the impact of the environment on health. We are also planning visits of our PhD students and researchers to WUM and invite scientists from WUM to visit Universidad del Quindio.”

Who participated in the inter-university meeting

From the Colombian university, in addition to Rector Dr. Luis Fernando Polania Abando, the following were present: Andres Perafan, international cooperation coordinator at Universidad del Quindio; Cristian Quitian, Consul of the Republic of Colombia; Tomasz Warężak, PhD Eng, Visiting Professor – Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia; and former Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Colombia, Paweł Woźny.
Our university, besides Rector Prof. Rafał Krenke, was represented by: Prof. Michał Grąt, Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Promotion, and Development; Prof. Bolesław Samoliński, Head of the Department of Public and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Hazard Prevention, Allergology and Immunology at WUM UCK; Prof. Paweł Balsam, Director of the Doctoral School; Dr. hab. Jacek Sieńko, Vice-Dean for Student Affairs, English Division, Faculty of Medicine; Dr. hab. Filip Raciborski, Vice-Dean for Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr. hab. Łukasz Czyżewski, Vice-Dean for Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr. Marcin Kaczor, Director of the Medical Simulation Center; Dr. Olga Rostkowska, Chair of the WUM Steering Committee for EUniWell (European Universities for Well Being); Lidia Przepióra-Dziewulska, Head of the International Cooperation Office; and Jarosław Kulczycki, WUM Spokesperson.

Areas for cooperation: tropical medicine and public health

We assessed that we have several potential areas for establishing cooperation,” emphasized Prof. Michał Grąt. “These include research on tropical diseases, which occur in Colombia due to its geographical location, and the broadly understood environmental impact on health.”
At Universidad del Quindio, 83 research teams are active, 10 of which are related to medicine and health sciences. Their work includes, among other areas, public health, epidemiology, parasitology, immunology, and virology.

“We have valuable experience and knowledge in tropical disease research, which we are happy to share,” assured Eduardo Andres Perafan.

As Prof. Bolesław Samoliński noted, both universities can also work together in the areas of public health and identifying environmental hazards, as well as implementing this knowledge in political practice.

Opportunities for doctoral students

Already today, any master’s degree holder or a physician who has completed their studies in Colombia can apply for doctoral studies at the Doctoral School at WUM, using the international doctoral track.

“This track is intended for people without Polish citizenship,” emphasized Prof. Paweł Balsam. “Our PhD students can also benefit from the NAWA program and complete internships at foreign universities, receiving funding from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for travel and stay at the selected and approved center.”
 

A middle‑aged man wearing glasses — the rector of WUM — is sitting at a table and gesturing with his hands. He is dressed in a grey suit and a blue tie.
Three people are sitting at a table in a conference room. They are dressed elegantly and appear to be listening thoughtfully. On the table there are documents, pens, and glasses of water. In the background on the left, a blue banner with white symbols and partially visible text can be seen.
Three elegantly dressed men are seated at a table. The man on the left is looking through an information folder he is holding in his hands. The other men are looking in his direction. On the table there are documents and small institutional flags. In the background, two banners are visible: on the left, ‘Medical University of Warsaw,’ and on the right, ‘Universidad del Quindío.’
A man sitting at a table. He is dressed elegantly and wearing glasses. He is gesturing with one hand, which is raised in the air.
Two people are sitting at a table and talking. The woman on the left is wearing a grey blazer and a light blue shirt. The man on the right is wearing a white blazer and has his hands raised.
Several people are sitting around a large rectangular table in a conference room. They are all dressed elegantly. Documents and laptops are lying on the table. At the end of the table, a large screen is visible with the text ‘Reimagining University International Action – Territorial Diplomacy and Decentralized Cooperation from the Global South’. In the background, two banners with partially visible logos and text can be seen.