The Círculo Internacional Universitario (CIU), a UPRM student association whose counselors include CoHemis' codirectors, held an initiation of new members and the investiture of its new directory on September 17.

According to its new President, Dominican student Dioris A. Contreras-Bautista, CIU's objective is to "formulate strategies and foster public policy that will strengthen the professional development and promote international exchanges of students around the world." Adding, "we aim to be in contact with similar organizations and benefit together from the opportunities offered by the globalization process, while defending ourselves from its dangers."

CIU's mission is to elaborate concrete and feasible plans for the execution of public policy that will provide solutions to educational problems, especially those faced by foreign students in schools and universities in the United States, Puerto Rico and other countries.

The Vice-presidency went to Colombian Andrés G. Morales. Angélica M. Figueroa, from the United States, will be the Secretary, and Puerto Rican Cristina Beras, Treasurer. Fernando Gutman from Argentina, Kevin Johhson from Haiti, and Ana Trujillo from Venezuela, were also invested as members of the board of directors. CIU's faculty counselors are doctors Fernando Gilbes, Director of CoHemis, and Nelly Vásquez-Sotillo, Associate Professor of Social Sciences. Gildreth González, Director of UPRM's Student Exchange Programs and of Services for International Students, and Co-director of the CoHemis Center, is also a counselor.

Students from Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Peru, Cape Verde Islands, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Ukraine United States and Puerto Rico participated in the event together with their counselors. They were joined, among others, by several members of Puerto Rico's consular corps and by Teresita Cruz-Díaz, Associate Dean of Students.

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