When Madhav Pappu, UNT assistant professor of marketing, traveled to a Bolivian university this summer, he did so as a step to open cooperative learning avenues between that institution and UNT.

In July, UNT President Norval Pohl and Manuel G. Olave, president of the Universidad Privada Boliviana in Cochabamba, Bolivia, signed a memorandum of understanding, seeking to attract UNT faculty to teach in Bolivia and granting them the opportunity for research there. The agreement also allows Bolivian professors to come to UNT to earn doctoral degrees.

UPB is unique in that it is an educational institution created by private Bolivian industry to help produce a better-educated and more skilled work force for the country. The partnership with UNT will result in an exchange of faculty and students for training and the opportunity to study abroad.

As an ambassador, Pappu met with Bolivian educators, politicians and civic groups to assess the educational needs of the university and the country.

"This provides an opportunity for UNT to be a pioneer," Pappu says. "Bolivia is a South American country that is often overlooked by American universities and companies because the economy isn't as developed as some of the other countries. A very small percentage of people have degrees, so it has a mostly unskilled work force, and 90 percent of the roads are unpaved, so transportation is poor.

"This memorandum of understanding can give members of the UNT community a chance to play a part in Bolivia's economic growth and to bring better education and opportunities — to make a difference."

BY RUFUS COLEMAN rcoleman@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Governor reappoints Ray, Pettit, Craft as UNT regents
• Gateway Center to open for Homecoming
• Former Club at College Inn settles in to new home
• Meningitis, flu vaccinations available to UNT community Oct. 18
• Mean Green nickname, eagle mascot longtime traditions
• U.S. breast cancer screening messages not always effective for Mexican-born women
• Faculty Senate kicks off new academic year
• Hispanic Heritage Month continues through Oct. 15
• Helping students make wise alcohol choices
• UNT researchers to study businesses after tragedies
• Hurley hosts retreat for leaders of urban universities
• Professor serves as UNT ambassador to Bolivia

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