Professor from Gävle got fifty minutes prime-time on Peruvian TV

“We sat for fifty minutes in two live sessions on TV. The news was that their university had been visited by university lecturers from the west, from Sweden,” says Magnus Isaksson, Professor in electronics at the University of Gävle.

Magnus Isaksson and Jan Grenholm, lecturer in technology, visited their twin university in Juliaca, Peru, for three weeks. Juliaca is situated near Lake Titicaca at four thousand metres above sea level.

International exchange

The collaboration that was originally started by the electronic group at the University of Gävle, has gone on for eleven years. The first seven years it was with a university in Arequipa, and the last four years with the university in Juliaca.

“It is both a lecturer and student exchange. We have had lecturers from their university here, and we have received around ten students who have taken our master’s programme in electronics,” says Magnus Isaksson.

The university’s master’s programme in electronics has a good reputation and several of the students that have been a part of this collaboration have gone on to do a doctorate in electronics at a Swedish or foreign university.

One of them was Efrain Zenteno who became a doctor here last summer. He is now in charge of research at the university in Arequipa.

“We are very interested in getting more clever students over here. There is a lot of competition, so the ones that come here are very clever.”

Different missions

The two lecturers had quite different missions. Jan Grenholm, who is a lecturer in technology on the teacher training course, talked to the lecturers working with the undergraduate teachers.

“They were very interested to hear how we educate our teachers and what our system looks like. I was there to run a third-cycle course for electronic lecturers and a few master’s students.”

Research

In Peru new legislation has made possible a much larger research budget. One is now in a process of accreditation and certification.

“Many of the university lecturers in electronics have started a third-cycle course; the doctoral course is a part that course. It was appreciated by the course participants and the senior university officers.”

Transfer of knowledge

“Helping with the transfer of knowledge is, for us, a large part of the exchange. But we get such a lot back, for example international contacts. It is always worthwhile seeing what other systems look like.”

It has been fantastic with the students we have had - several have become doctors. It has been very successful.”

The TV appearance

Magnus sat for thirty minutes in a live broadcast with 400 000 viewers. The interview concerned the great news that their university had received a visit from university lecturers from the west, from Sweden. The type of collaboration they had had, and in what way it could contribute to the development of research and education in Peru was discussed.

“It was very important for them to have this transfer of knowledge and the possibility for their lecturers, in due course to become doctors. Also, to have contact with us and learn about our system which has come much further.

From our point of view I said that we were very pleased with the students that have come to us;

students that have not only taken our master’s course but have even obtained doctoral degrees in technology.”

For further information, please contact:
Magnus Isaksson, Professor, Head of Department of Electronics, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Gävle
Tel: 026-64 82 49, 070-360 82 49
Email: magnus.isaksson@hig.se

Text: Douglas Öhrbom
Photo: Magnus Isaksson