#InspiringStories: Teacher’s Day Special

Among the countless opportunities offered by education, academic mobility stands out as an unforgettable experience. It allows students and teachers to explore new places and discover new ways of thinking and feeling. This is vividly shared by Professor Nasly Sanchez Peña, the protagonist of the second micro-story in our special edition for Teacher’s Day. Professor Nasly decided to recount a significant anecdote about a trip she took to Germany with students from the SIIA (Semillero de Investigación en Ingeniería Ambiental) Research Seedbed. Let’s read and enjoy!

For this institution, academic mobility is one of those things that inspires us and makes our hearts race. Why? It’s impossible to deny that the experience of traveling itself opens up extraordinary possibilities, knowledge, feelings, insights, and flavors. Furthermore, when this experience is shared with others, it can transform our perspective and our lives forever. Discovering a new place with fellow students and cherished professors becomes a powerful tool for expanding our horizons: you never return from a trip as the same person—that’s undeniable!

So, the second micro-story of our #StoriesThatInspire special comes from Professor Nasly, an Environmental Engineer with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and Environment, who shares a bit about what a collective adventure in European lands meant for her. “With the SIIA research group, we worked hard for months to apply for a mobility scholarship to Germany, and we finally achieved it in 2023. I was driven by the excitement of getting to know Germany and learning about green transition and acquiring other cutting-edge knowledge, but above all, I wanted the students to experience the journey that I’ve gifted myself over so many years as a traveler, as well as to broaden their perspective and achieve opportunities after Unicauca,” the professor said, with the hope of providing her students with the same, if not better, opportunities than those she has had throughout her remarkable academic career.

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"Although only time will tell if this was achieved, what I am certain of is that the immense shared knowledge remained with us. We enjoyed every place, the architecture, the food, the kindness of our hosts, the adventures, the anecdotes, but above all, those anecdotes!... Like when you stand on a corner waiting for the traffic light to change, not knowing it won’t unless you use the pedestrian button, or when you take trains in the wrong direction, or get disoriented because the streets have names and not numbers. Or when, not pressing the door-opening button on the train during a 1-minute stop makes you think, ‘OMG… I’m in trouble,’ or when trains get canceled, etc.,” Professor Nasly recalls with infectious joy. And it is these types of anecdotes that stay etched in the heart and make trips unforgettable, for beyond acquiring new knowledge, the new ways of doing things expand our minds to endless possibilities.

"All together, it was a great adventure that I hope is not the last. Not losing the ability to be amazed and experiencing it with your students... this adventure was truly a great experience, I can say: 'We filled our hearts with the world!'” was the phrase the professor chose to conclude her anecdote. Indeed, filling the hearts of their students is the task our professors have undertaken. Beyond theory and practice, Unicaucan professors strive to be guides, motivators, and role models, inspiring their students, instilling values, and fostering critical thinking through various opportunities such as academic mobility.

The anecdote of Professor Nazly, accompanied by her brilliant students, will always be remembered as a memorable chapter that has transformed not only their lives but also the way they view the world. This trip has been a testament to the power of knowledge, cultural exchange, and the opportunities that academic mobility offers. We reiterate our invitation to embark on your own academic adventures, explore new horizons, and be part of this global network of learning and growth: on every journey, we carry with us the richness of this excellent and supportive university, and we bring back experiences that enrich us all. Dare to discover, learn, and transform!

Thus, with this exciting micro-story, we invite every Unicaucan member to explore the different academic mobility agreements offered by our institution. Interested? Visit the Office of Interinstitutional and International Relations (ORII), a university body dedicated to promoting and supporting processes at both national and international levels, thus driving academic, scientific, cultural, and research growth.