What We Do

CLAI offers a variety of programs to further its aims. These programs include:

• Student and faculty exchanges with counterpart institutions in Latin America;
   

• Specialized study and training programs for GW students and for government and business leaders from Latin America;
   

• Support for research by GW scholars on Latin American issues;
   

• Preparation of publications and databases that provide current information on economic, political, and social development in Latin America;
   

• Development of distance-learning courses for educational markets in Latin America;
   

• Seminars, conferences , and public forums that bring noted scholars and regional leaders to GW for lectures and discussions on current topics affecting the region.
   

Our Programs (click program to see description)

Experimental GW Courses

Joint Degree Programs with Latin American Universities

Working Paper Series

Individual Research

Special Academic and Training Programs

Economic and Social Databases

Enhancing Understanding Through Dialogue


Experimental GW Courses:

CLAI has supported courses at GW’s Elliott and Columbian Schools, including “Latin American Economic Integration” and “Economic History and Problems of Latin America.” The Center is continuing to build on this effort to expand the course offerings of GW’s Latin American Studies Program. For example, new courses have been added recently on Mexico, on Argentina, and on Brazil.

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Joint Degree Programs with Latin American Universities:

The Center is a strong advocate of joint academic programs, and participates actively in discussions with several Latin American universities toward the establishment of such programs. Talks are underway with leading educational institutions in several countries to develop joint programs in the fields of business and public management.

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Working Paper Series:

CLAI offers financial grants to GW faculty members for each of their papers published by the Center in its Working Paper Series, an important medium for stimulating research on Latin America and for disseminating the resulting information. Papers in the Series address Latin American political, economic, business, diplomatic, and social issues. For the complete list of the papers that CLAI has published so far, click here.

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Individual Research:

A growing number of the GW faculty have become more interested in and involved with the region thanks to CLAI advocacy and support. The Center is supporting two research projects currently and looks forward to expanding this activity.

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Special Academic and Training Programs:

CLAI arranges and coordinates both short- and long-term training and academic programs tailored to the needs of the participating groups. Recent programs have included two-week courses on Regulation in a Modern National Economy for a group of Brazilian regulatory officials, and on Tourism Development, also for a group of Brazilian officials. CLAI is developing several new training programs in the areas of government administration, health sector management, and small business development.

CLAI’s premier offering in this area is the Minerva Scholars Program, a sixteen-week economics training program designed specifically for Brazilian government officials. The Program gives participants a concise, though accurate summary of modern market economics. It emphasizes the importance of good public administration; of responsible, ethical public service; and of public-private sector interaction. More than 270 Brazilian officials have already participated in the Minerva Scholars Program so far.

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Economic and Social Databases:

CLAI is building databases of Latin American economic and social information. Several tables, on Brazil, are already available on this Website. CLAI updates the information frequently. The site is becoming an increasingly valuable source of data for researching Latin American issues. (View Brazilian Database)

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Enhancing Understanding Through Dialogue:

CLAI works closely with the Latin American Studies Program of the Elliott School and with the GW Seminar on Andean Culture and Politics to ensure that GW has at least one major public presentation on Latin America each month during the academic year. For information on upcoming events and on recent forums in this program, click on the "Events" link, at the left.

The Center encourages the intellectual and professional development of GW faculty and staff, and to that end helps arrange academic visits by those individuals to the region. For example, CLAI has organized several outreach trips to Brazil and Argentina by the Dean of the Business School and by other senior GW academic officials, where those officials have met with a broad range of Latin American academics and have participated in panel discussions at several universities.

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