Cooperation was established during a meeting between the President Alvaro Uribe Velez and the Minister of Education of Germany, Annette Schavan, who also announced that next year they will bring a scientist exposition for the Independence Bicentennial.

Bogotña, March 13 (SP). The governments of Colombia and Germany are going to strengthen cooperation bonds in the fields of education, science and research, informed the Colombian Minister of Education , Cecilia María Vélez, during a press conference given with her counterpart of Germany, Annette Schavan.

The declaration was given after a meeting with President Uribe at the Casa de Nariño.

“We have been working with the German Government. We have reinforce our academic ties, but this is definitely a back up for all the work that we have done, and it is going to be a very important progress to our academic and research relations for the technical field.” said Velez White.  

The German education delegation counts with 40 professionals among headmasters, researchers and government representatives, “who have come to define some collaboration agreements”, said the Minister.

At the same time, Annette Schavan, stated that her visit to Colombia is looking for going on with last year visit of the German Foreign Secretary, Angela Merkel. She also pointed that during her meeting with President Uribe, he highlighted the priority that his Government gives to education.

“The conversation that we just had with the President, was very clear about how this country sees education, research and science as a main concern, and how is important to reinforce and study in depth the ties between the two countries in these fields”, she said.

Also, the German Minister pointed that they bring to the country some approaches of joint work in the fields of education, science and innovation for the next years.

“Let’s hope that with this visit we can advance with future projects of education, training, scholarships and scientific research”.  In addition they announced that next year, for the Independence Bicentennial, the country will bring to Colombia an exhibition about scientific work called “The tunnel of science”.

“To make clear the intentions and expectations about the development of science for the XXI century, we think that could be a good contribution for both countries, in the year of the Independence Bicentennial”, she explained.

To conclude, Annette Schavan said that Colombia and Germany are two countries with huge mutual interest, and pointed that Colombia is an interesting country for them in terms of science and education, “two fields in which can be very important progresses in the future”.