The Faculty of Mines of the National University of Colombia will launch the Diploma Certificate Program in Energy Markets Analysis that will take place as of February 6 until March 17 this year.
This initiative was collectively organized by the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and the National University of Colombia – Medellin Headquarters; under the framework of collaboration, technical, academic assistance between institutions and with the financial support of the Government of Canada.
Thirty participants attended the opening ceremony, held on February 6, 2017 in the city of Medellin, from nine Member Countries of OLADE: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama. Representatives of OLADE and the National University were also part of the event: Paola Carrera, Information Management and Training Coordinator of OLADE; John Willian Branch Bedoya, Vice Chancellor of the National University with headquarters in Medellin; Pedro Nel Benjumea Hernandez, Dean of the Faculty of Mines; Juan David Velásquez Henao, Director of the Department of Computer Science and Decision of the Faculty of Mines, and Francisco Javier Diaz, Secretary of the Faculty of Mines.
The Vice Chancellor of the National University of Medellin, John William Branch, thanked OLADE for the confidence in the University in carrying out the Diploma Certificate Program, and acknowledged the efforts of this Organization as well as the Professor John David Velasquez’ capacity in conducting the event. The Vice Chancellor warmly welcomed the participants from other countries and expressed his gratification in positioning the National University of Medellin as a leader in energy issues at local and international levels.
OLADE has organized three previous versions of the Diploma, around the theme of Energy Development and Social Inclusion, which were conducted in partnership with universities such as: FLACSO Ecuador in 2013, FLACSO Guatemala in 2014 and the Technological University Jamaica in 2015, training 55 participants from 19 of its member countries Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Belize , Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
The participants of this current Diploma Certificate Program are officials from the following institutions: Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy (Bolivia), Unit of Mining and Energy Planning (Colombia), Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (Costa Rica), National Energy Commission ( Dominican republic), CELEC EP Coca Codo Sinclair (Ecuador), Ministry of Energy and Mines (Guatemala), National Energy Board (El Salvador), Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mining (Honduras), Ministry of Economy and Finance public (Bolivia), National Secretariat of Energy (Panama), National University of Colombia (Colombia), XM (Colombia), EPM (Colombia), which are committed to apply the knowledge acquired during the Diploma Certificate Program in their home countries when they return.
During the event, Professor Juan David Velásquez also addressed some words to the audience, who presented the academic plan and methodology of the diploma. He also spoke about the importance and the advantages of using analytical tools and business intelligence in the field of energy markets.
At the end of the opening ceremony there was a space to talk about the history of the Faculty, mainly arts, where it was given a brief explanation of the frescoes that adorn the maximum classroom of the Faculty of Mines and the work entitled “Homage to man”.
To complete the day’s activities, the participants were taken to the campus “El Volador” at the University, for a guided tour of the facilities.
Roberto Quiroz, from Costa Rica and official of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute, said the diploma is a valuable opportunity to learn where energy markets and technology and software trends within the same industry are heading. Finally, Juan David Velásquez, Director of the Department of Computer Science and Decision of the National University of Medellin expressed the interest of the University to formalize the programs oriented to analyze the energy markets with OLADE.
