FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 30, 2006

HACU’s 7th International Conference will be held in Spain

San Antonio, TX - For the first time in its history, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) will hold a conference outside the Americas.  HACU’s 7th International Conference, scheduled for May 3-5, 2007, will be held in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, with the Universidad de Alcalá as the host institution and with the special support from the Research Institute for North American Studies (IUIEN).  HACU’s previous biennial International Conferences have been held in the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

HACU’s President and CEO, Dr. Antonio R. Flores, recently returned from a site visit to the Universidad de Alcalá, one of Spain’s oldest universities.  Both the University and the city of

Plaza de Cervantes of Alcalá de Henares surrounded by the University of Alcalá

Alcalá de Henares, the home of Cervantes, the celebrated author of Don Quixote, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1998.  

“We are very excited about the site for this conference,” said Dr. Flores. “The Universidad de Alcala not only is beautiful and historic, but also offers excellent facilities and is assisting us in attracting speakers of the highest quality.”

“The conference will be an excellent opportunity for Hispanic institutions in the Western Hemisphere to strengthen ties of heritage and friendship with institutions in Spain and to develop new cooperative academic agreements,” Flores noted. “University collaboration is key in promoting international friendship and understanding and providing opportunity to the U.S. Latino population which is significantly under-represented in study abroad programs.”

HACU’s 7th International Conference is expected to draw a crowd of 300, including the highest authorities in Spain as well as of leaders of universities and government officials and representatives of the private sector from Spain, the United States, and Latin America, .

Dr. Flores was accompanied on this trip by Dr. Alvaro Romo, Associate Vice President for Programs, Services and International Affairs of HACU, and by Mr. Frank Reyes, Executive Director of Governmental Relations of San Bernardino Community College District, one of HACU’s member institutions.  Their itinerary included visits to the Universidad de Barcelona, the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya,  the Universidad Pública de Navarra, and the Universidad de Alcalá. All three are members of HACU.

The theme of the conference is “Hispanic Culture:  Celebrating our Heritage” and will feature internationally recognized speakers and workshops with the participation of member institutions from both sides of the Atlantic.

[click here] for more pictures from Spain.

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