Santo Domingo, D.N. — November 11, 2025. The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT), in collaboration with the Domínico Americano University (UNICDA), held on Tuesday the panel “Women in Dominican Higher Education: Leadership, Transformation, and Significance”, with the purpose of recognizing and highlighting the role of women in the academic, scientific, and social development of the country.

The event, held at UNICDA’s Patrick N. Hughson Auditorium, was led by Dr. Franklin García Fermín, Minister of MESCyT, and Engineer Ramón Sosa, Rector of the Domínico Americano University, along with representatives from the academic, public, and private sectors, as well as female rectors, researchers, and university authorities.

Engineer Ramón Sosa, Rector of UNICDA, delivered the welcoming remarks and expressed the honor it represents for the university to serve as the stage for a dialogue that transcends the academic sphere.

“Today we gather with an inspiring and reflective approach, to celebrate the achievements, voices, and contributions of women who, through higher education, have transformed the academic and social life of our country,” he stated.

The Rector also recalled the legacy of pioneers such as Salomé Ureña de Henríquez and Evangelina Rodríguez, emphasizing that “women do not merely participate: they lead, innovate, and transform the Dominican higher education system.”

On behalf of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT), Vice Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Carmen Evarista Matías Pérez, highlighted the importance of this panel as a space for reflection on female leadership in Dominican higher education.

“This gathering aims to make visible the achievements attained by women in Dominican universities and to reflect on the challenges that persist in ensuring their full participation in academic, research, and innovation life,” expressed the Vice Minister.

She also underscored the sustained growth of female presence in the country’s universities, which today exceeds 70% of the student body, and emphasized that women “are increasingly occupying top leadership positions in universities and other educational institutions, shining brightly, like stars in the firmament of higher education.”

The program of the event was developed in two thematic blocks. The first panel, entitled “Challenges of Female Academic Leadership in Dominican HEIs: Lessons and Reflections”, brought together Dr. Odile Camilo, Rector of Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE); Dr. Josefina Pimentel, Rector of the Instituto Global de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Sociales (IGLOBAL); Dr. Altagracia Núñez, Rector of the Universidad de la Tercera Edad (UTE); and Lic. Marien Beard, Rector of the Instituto Superior Escuela Nacional del Ministerio Público (IES-ENMP). The session was moderated by Dr. Josefina Pepín, Academic Vice Rector of UNICDA.

The second panel, under the theme “Situation and Perspectives of Dominican Women Researchers: Where Are We and Where Are We Headed?”, featured Dr. Ysabel Noemí Tejeda, from Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD); Dr. Leyda Brea, from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM); Dr. Celsa Albert, from Universidad Católica de Santo Domingo (UCSD); Dr. Dinorah Mejía Tejada, from Universidad Central del Este (UCE); and Dr. Yanet Jiminián Mata, from Universidad Abierta para Adultos (UAPA). The session was moderated by Dr. Helen Hasbún, professor at the School of Social Communication of UASD.

The academic day was part of the activities organized by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT) and the Domínico Americano University (UNICDA), on the occasion of the Month for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The gathering reaffirmed the commitment of both institutions to promoting equal opportunities, strengthening research, and recognizing women as key agents of transformation in Dominican higher education.