Author: David Daniel Ramirez

The Dominican-American Cultural Institute (ICDA) and the Dominican Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (CODOPYME) formalized a cooperation agreement, aimed at promoting training, innovation, and competitiveness in the MSME sector.

The agreement was signed by engineer Ramón Sosa, Executive Director of ICDA and Rector of UNICDA, and Mr. Fernando Pinales, President of CODOPYME, reaffirming the commitment of both institutions to the academic and business development of the country.

Through this alliance, the Dominican-American University (UNICDA) will play an essential role in the design and execution of academic programs, diplomas, joint certifications, research projects, professional internships, and university-business linkage actions.

The agreement includes initiatives in applied research, specialized training, academic mobility, internationalization of MSMEs, digital transformation, youth entrepreneurship, and cultural activities, in addition to academic benefits for employees and members of CODOPYME and their dependents.

With this collaboration, we reaffirm our commitment to quality education, innovation, and the strengthening of business development in the Dominican Republic.

The United States Embassy and the Domínico Americano University host the 2025 Annual English Teachers Conference

The United States Embassy and the Domínico Americano University (UNICDA), through its Teacher Development Center (TDC), inaugurated the 2025 Annual English Teachers Conference, an academic gathering that fosters innovation, reflection, and the exchange of best practices in English language teaching.

With the theme “SMART Teaching in ELT: Strategies for Effective Teaching Practices”, the conference seeks to strengthen teachers’ pedagogical competencies through an approach that integrates five essential dimensions: Strategic teaching, Measurable learning assessment, Adaptive methodologies, Contextual relevance, and the use of Educational technology.

The opening ceremony was led by Chelsia Hetrick, Public Affairs Counselor of the United States Embassy in Santo Domingo, and Darys Estrella, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano, together with distinguished authorities from the Ministry of Education (MINERD), the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCYT), and the National Institute for Teacher Training and Development (INAFOCAM).

In her welcoming remarks, Ms. Estrella emphasized that “learning English has been, since the origins of our institution, a tool for connecting cultures, a path to professional growth, and a bridge to a world of greater opportunities. This conference celebrates the vocation of those who make this transformative process possible: the teachers.” For her part, Chelsia Hetrick affirmed that the United States Embassy continues to support the community of English teachers in the Dominican Republic with training, resources, and professional networks such as this one. She also highlighted that turning pedagogical intent into processes and results is key to advancing toward teaching that is more strategic, measurable, adaptive, relevant, and technological.

The opening plenary session was delivered by Dr. Marvin Cardoza, an economist with expertise in macroeconomics, taxation, and labor, who addressed the impact of the English Immersion Program on the competitiveness of the Dominican Republic. Other plenary speakers include Dr. Joan Kang Shin and Brenda Pineda, experts in pedagogical innovation and technology applied to language learning.

The three-day program —from November 13 to 15— combines virtual and in-person sessions, including workshops, lectures, presentations, and spaces for exchange among educators from across the country. The Saturday, November 15 program featured more than 20 simultaneous sessions at the Catalonia Hotel Convention Center.

Through this conference, the Domínico Americano University reaffirms its commitment to contributing to teacher professionalization and the continuous improvement of English language teaching in the Dominican Republic, strengthening the institutional mission of the Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano as a binational benchmark of educational excellence and cultural cooperation.

MESCyT and UNICDA hold a panel on the leadership and significance of women in Dominican higher education

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.