Southeast president to visit Cuba to pursue higher-education partnerships

Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas-Aburto will visit Cuba next week to pursue higher-education partnerships that could lead first to faculty exchanges and later to student exchanges.

Vargas will be part of a trade mission led by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon that will visit Cuba, beginning Sunday and ending Wednesday.

The delegation also includes Missouri first lady Georganne Nixon, Missouri Department of Agriculture director Richard Fordyce, Missouri Department of Economic Development director Mike Downing. Gary Wheeler of the Missouri Soybean Association, Silvia Hollis of Mid-Continent Aircraft in Hayti, Missouri, representatives of Martin Rice of Bernie, Missouri, and several other representatives of Missouri companies.

The Hawthorn Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic growth in Missouri, will pay the travel costs of Nixon and his wife.

Vargas said the university will pay his expenses. According to the university, those expenses will total about $6,000.

Southeast's president visited Cuba in February as part of a delegation from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Vargas said Wednesday he plans "to connect" with some of the universities in Cuba.

"We want to make sure we understand the opportunities," he said.

Vargas said he hopes a faculty exchange could be developed as soon as possible. Vargas said that process "may take a little bit of time."

Initial faculty exchanges may focus on health sciences, business and agriculture, he said.

Vargas said he was waiting to hear from the governor's office about the exact itinerary.

Nixon said the trade mission will focus on growing Missouri exports to the island nation.

"Cuba represents a market of 11 million consumers that has been largely untouched by U.S. exports for more than 55 years," the governor said in a statement. "Missouri is moving forward to take advantage of this opportunity, particularly when it comes to rice, one of the staples of the Cuban diet."

Long-grain rice has proved to be a high-value crop for Southeast Missouri farmers, Nixon said, adding increasing exports would boost the economy of the region and the state.

As part of the focus on Missouri exports, Nixon is scheduled to visit the new deep-water port at Mariel, Cuba, which has expanded its capacity to handle large cargo ships.

This will be Nixon's 12th trade mission.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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