Havana- Keynote speeches, workshops, roundtable discussions, among other events, are taking place today at this capital''s Conference Center, as part of the 12th Latin American Congress on University Extension.
Opened yesterday, the academic event will be held until June 4 in the presence of 400 delegates from more than 20 countries.

According to organizers, about 486 papers from some 200 Latin American universities will be on discussion.

Cuba's Higher Education Minister Rodolfo Alarcon opened the event with a keynote speech entitled "University extension promoting change and socio-cultural transformation."

University extension should influence more organically in fulfilling the social mission of the university and particularly in the comprehensive training of future professionals, Alarcon explained.

He called to explore all potentialities of the extension programs to facilitate student access to elements of the culture in broad sense, and in the training of the service vocation of a professional committed to the society.

University extension plays a determinant role in the visibility and recognition of universities, within the communities, as well as in defense of the identity, while stand out in socio-cultural institutions, he said.

The program scheduled for this conclave aims to develop four workshops: University Extension and Public Policies; Integrated Management of University Extension; University, Territory and Social Transformation; and University Extension and Cultural Promotion.

A university cultural forum and a symposium of the Department for Senior Adult, are especially included in this edition, organizers stated.