Academic actions of four universities at DR will contribute to the development, urban design and territorial ordering of the Border Zone

The Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development signed the “Inter-institutional partnership, government – academia” with four Dominican universities to promote studies, research and joint publications on topics related to the development of the border area.

In this regard, the Minister of Economy, Planning and Development, Pavel Isa Contreras, reported that together with the Autonomous Universities of Santo Domingo (UASD), Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU) and Iberoamericana (UNIBE), the Government will work together in the implementation of the Development Strategy for the Border Zone: MiFronteraRD, through initiatives to boost the development of the border area.

The signing of the historic alliance was carried out by Minister Isa Conteras together with the rectors Editrudis Beltrán, of UASD; Secilio Espinal, of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra; and Odile Camilo Vincent, of Universidad Iberoamericana; as well as Heidi de Moya, director of Architecture and Urbanism of the Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña, representing the rector Miguel Fiallo Calderón.

Minister Isa Contreras explained that MiFronteraRD strategy was conceived after listening to the population and identifying the structural gaps that affect the border territory, from which the potential of this area to boost its socio-economic development should be identified.

The economist and researcher pointed out that one of the initiatives of MiFronteraRD is the Inter-University Program for the Development of the Border Zone, which aims to link the ideas and proposals of the academies with the new public policies that favor a new cycle of development for the border territory.

He said that this program, joined by the University of Pennsylvania, began with initiatives to promote urban design in three border cities: Pepillo Salcedo, Jimaní and Pedernales.

“Today we have started together this path of learning that will allow us to place the border area in the heart of academia and the youth to influence the new generation for the good of the border area,” said Isa Contreras.

Committed Academies

UASD Rector Editrudis Beltrán said that, with this partnership, sister universities will join efforts in favor of the development of the border area of the country and remarked that this initiative is aligned with the National Development Strategy 2030.

Reverend Secilio Espinal Espinal, rector of PUCMM, argued that the alliances of higher education institutions with the State are fundamental in the current society of knowledge to face current challenges, to fulfill the National Development Strategy 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Heidi de Moya, Director of Architecture and Urbanism at UNPHU, expressed that initiatives such as MiFronteraRD, where ideas are agreed and dissent are respected, are the right way to formulate innovation projects that will drive the well-being of the inhabitants.

She explained that this three-propeller model, where academies, the State and society work together, contributes to achieving a comprehensive vision to ensure the country’s development.

The rector of UNIBE, Odile Camilo Vincent, said that academies collaborate in the design of informed public policies and collectively built in order to make the Dominican Republic the protagonist of its development.

The alliance he promises

The purpose of the partnership, which began with the architecture schools of the several universities, is to promote collaborative work in the border area of the Dominican Republic, which includes the provinces of Monte Christi, Dajabón, Santiago Rodríguez, Elías Piña, Baruco, Independencia and Pedernales, since the participation of the new generations needed in the construction of the new development model promoted for the border area.

Together, they will work on academic programs to be implemented in universities and internships to be carried out in the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development or in the municipalities that are part of the border area.

The alliance indicates that the universities are committed to identify the subjects in which the analysis, study and design of proposals for the development of the border area is focused, in the appropriate periods according to the respective academic calendars.

Similarly, the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development are commited to provide all the information produced for the Border Area Development Strategy (MiFronteraRD), useful for the work in the identified subjects; action that will allow the Ministry to transfer knowledge to the student who are part of the identified subjects for learning in the application of the instrument for the delimitation of urban land (IDSU).

Minister Isa Contreras reported that within 30 days a Work Plan will be established, which will detail the operational actions to be developed to achieve the objectives planned to improve the quality of life of the population residing in the border area.