Open House at CIAT:
A Knowledge Sharing Space

CIAT held its first Open House in 2005 and, in view of its enormous success, it is now held twice a year, almost always in May and October.

Undergraduate students of universities and other higher education institutions in Colombia, interested in learning more about Agrobiodiversity and Biotechnology and the Genetic Resources Unit are invited to attend this knowledge sharing event.

Specially designed versions of the Open House are also held to serve the needs of other audiences such as:

• Journalists.
  
• Elementary and high school students.

For the past 3 years Open House has offered first-hand knowledge to hundreds of young people and educators of Colombia. We have been visited by:

• 25 universities and higher-level institutions.
  
• Nearly 1000 students and professors.
  

Open House No. 8

Last 24 April, a total of 168 students from 10 Colombian universities participated in CIAT's Open House No. 8, which was organized by the Agrobiodiversity and Biotechnology projects, the Genetic Resources Unit, and the Corporate Communications and Capacity Strengthening Unit.

Participating universities were the Universidad del Valle—Cali, Caicedonia, and Tuluá campuses; the Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Medellín, Bogotá, and Palmira campuses; the Universidad de Nariño; the Universidad del Pacífico; the Universidad de Antioquia; and the Colegio Mayor de Antioquia.
Visitors participated in guided tours of the laboratories of the Genetic Resources and the Agrobiodiversity and Biotechnology projects.

When asked to evaluate the event, students described the day as excellent, highlighting its organization and the clarity of the topics addressed. Special reference was also made to the quality of the research carried out by CIAT and the Center's commitment to contribute solutions to fight hunger worldwide.

Contacts: Patricia Fajardo / Eleonora Izquierdo

Spanish Version of the Open House Web Site