Encuentros Barcelona 2016: challenges for social equity in Chile and around the world
More than a thousand participants -among whom there are businesspeople, investors, researchers and authorities from different fields- will gather on October 26, 27 and 28 in the Historical Building of the University of Barcelona for the 10th edition of the Encuentros Barcelona 2016 conference, the annual meeting of this network which gathers students, researchers and entrepreneurs from Chile (or affiliated to the Latin-American country) to collaborate in both scientific and professional areas. The deadline to submit communications to the new edition of Encuentros is July 18.
More than a thousand participants -among whom there are businesspeople, investors, researchers and authorities from different fields- will gather on October 26, 27 and 28 in the Historical Building of the University of Barcelona for the 10th edition of the Encuentros Barcelona 2016 conference, the annual meeting of this network which gathers students, researchers and entrepreneurs from Chile (or affiliated to the Latin-American country) to collaborate in both scientific and professional areas. The deadline to submit communications to the new edition of Encuentros is July 18.
Over the course of three days, participants will debate with international distinguished experts from NGO, governments, academic institutions and business organizations, on social equity, a big challenge in current societies. The main aim is to promote the exchange of ideas and experiences that result in projects and solutions for the social challenges which -shared with Catalonia, Spain and Europe in general- are now being considered in Chile, such as education, sustainability, agriculture, and economy, participation of women in science, infrastructures and health. Encuentros was created in 2006 in Dresden (Germany) by a group of Chilean PhD students. It has been held in Milan, Göttingen, Cambridge, Berkeley, Paris, Boston, Santiago and Rotterdam.
Dialogue with Nobel Prizes and experts of international projection
“Long petal of sea, wine and snow” is the metaphor Pablo Neruda used to remember his country, Chile, with around 18 million inhabitants -it is in the process of an education system reformation, with several initiatives to strengthen the quality of public education and its access. Encuentros Barcelona 2016 is a meeting of international projection which is regarded as an observatory for initiatives to promote the construction of a more fair society for everyone in the country. This international conference is chaired by Pablo Rivera, Lecturer at the Department of Didactics and Educational Organization of the University of Barcelona.
The new edition of Encuentros Barcelona 2016 highlights the participation of experts such as the Chemist Eichi Negishi (2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry), the Glaciologist Gino Casassa (member of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2007), the Sociologist Alain Touraine (Prince of Asturias Award in 2010 and founder of Center of the Study for Social Movements, CADIS), the Biochemist Cecília Hidalgo (National Prize of Natural Sciences of Chile 2006) and Cristobal Cobo, expert in new educational technologies and Director of the Center of Studies CEIBAL Foundation.
A unique platform for expressing ideas and interdisciplinary debate
In the debate on scientific policies in Chile and Europe there will be the participation of Jordi Alberch, Vice-Rector of Research, Innovation and Transfer of the University of Barcelona, Head of the Consolidated Research Group in Pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases of the University of Barcelona and Researcher of the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS); and Juan Manuel Zolezzi, Rector of the University of Santiago de Chile. This conference, with its horizon being the new Ministry of Sciences in Chile and founding of new public universities, will focus on debating on future challenges in science promotion policies.
Creating a critical dialogue on the social challenges that involve urgency and consolidation of a knowledge society is the main point of the conference, which invited Professors Juana M. Sancho (Department of Didactics and Educational Organization of the University of Barcelona) and Cèsar Coll (Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology). The debate on biomedicine global knowledge frontiers will be chaired by the experts Josep Dalmau, from the Department of Medicine and Head of the Group in Pathogenesis of immune-mediated neurological disorders in August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS); and Pablo Valenzuela, National Prize of Sciences in Chile (2002).
Among other conferences, the expert Gino Casassa and Miquel Torres, President of the wine company Torres and member of the Alumni UB Council, will debate on the uncertainty and opportunities of the new scenario resulting from the water crisis and climate change. Later on, the Biochemist Cecília Hidalgo and Biologist Bernadita Méndez, President of the Science & Life Foundation, will tackle the dialogue dedicated to womenʼs presence on the science world.
For more information about the complete program and registration, please visit the link.