Advancing high-level education.

• Position: OAS

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IN THE LAST FEW years, the number of Latin American and Caribbean students pursuing university or graduate studies in the United States has been on the decline--primarily due to the lack of sufficient funds. An OAS program aims to expand opportunities for talented students, teachers, scholars, and researchers throughout the region by offering interest-free loans to help further their education in the United States.

The Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund provides loans of up to $15,000 which can be used to supplement tuition, living expenses, or other costs for students from the region. The idea is that beneficiaries will return to their home countries after completing their studies to apply their knowledge and training, thus contributing to the region's economic and social advancement.

The Rowe Fund recently hosted a meeting with university educators, diplomats, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations attending the Washington International Education Conference, in order to exchange information and open doors for more beneficiaries.

"There is a need to strengthen human capital in universities, institutions, and research centers in the Latin American and Caribbean region," Rowe Fund coordinator Lina Sevillano told participants.

Citing a World Bank study, Sevillano stressed the importance of investing in advanced education for professionals working in scientific research and development, engineering, and high technology. She also urged US universities to consider offering further opportunities for Latin American professors to study in the United States, teach classes in Spanish as well as in their particular field, and study English. "The multiplier effect of their training...