The Coimbra Group, an association of 40 universities in Europe asked centers of higher education around the world to offer support to the Nicaraguan students and professors.
HAVANA TIMES – the Coimbra Group, an international network of universities, expressed its “utmost concern for the many attacks on academic freedom at higher education institutions in Nicaragua, as well as the restrictions put on research integrity and the right to a critical education” in the country.
In a statement, the network noted that in August 2023, the government headed by Daniel Ortega forcibly closed the Central American University (UCA), a private university run by the Jesuits, and confiscated all its assets and infrastructure.“The closure was followed by the arbitrary arrest of academics and students by the police,” denounced the Coimbra group, which brings together 40 universities in 22 European countries.
“Established in 1960, UCA has consistently delivered vital critical research and high-quality education, earning a prominent status as one of Central America’s most prestigious research and higher education institutions,” the Association’s statement noted.
With an ample campus in the center of Managua, the Jesuit-run UCA was considered one of the last bastions of open, critical thinking in Nicaragua. The universi