Exchange with the Center for
Interamerican Studies
Cuenca, Ecuador
Founded in 1992, in recognition of the
500th anniversary of the
meeting of the Old
and New Worlds, the Centers for
Interamerican Studies (CEDEI) is a
not-for-profit institution of higher learning,
dedicated to the study of American languages and
cultures. It is accredited by the Ministry of
Education of Ecuador and co-sponsors programs with
several colleges and universities in the United
States. Salisbury University has been bringing
students to the CEDEI for the winter Intersession in
Ecuador since 1994.
SU/CEDEI EXCHANGE:
Each year students from CEDEI come to
Salisbury
University to study and students from Salisbury travel
to CEDEI. Exchange students pay the equivalent of
full time tuition and fees to their home institution
and study tuition-free at their host university.
There are two exchange slots available to SU students
at the CEDEI each year, normally one in the fall and
one in the spring. Selection is competitive.
The
exchange for SU students includes room and board in
Ecuador and most in-country program provided travel.
Additional fees include international
airfare, insurance, passport and visa fees, some
program-sponsored travel and personal expenses.
CLASSES:
The semester is divided into two academic terms,
allowing students to begin with intensive Spanish
courses and then to choose from several options.
Students will take a maximum of three courses and a
minimum of two courses during each of the two academic
terms for a total of 12-18 credits for the semester.
The schedule is intensive and attendance and
participation are required. A number of courses in
Spanish are offered annually. In addition, the
Semester in the Andes offers a variety of coursework
in English. The courses offered in English vary each
year according to student interest, faculty initiative
and resources.
CITY OF CUENCA:
With a population of 400,000, Cuenca is
the third largest city in Ecuador behind the port city
of Guayaquil and the capital, Quito. Cuenca is
nestled high in the Andes Mountains at an altitude
over 8,000 feet. Located south of the equator in
southern Ecuador, the climate is temperate throughout
the year with warm sunny days and cool mountain
nights. A UNESCO world heritage city, Cuenca has
preserved its Spanish colonial roots with quaint
cobblestone streets and colonial Spanish
architecture. It also reflects the strong Native
American culture of the Andean region.
HOUSING:
While in classes in Cuenca, students live with an
Ecuadorian family and experience the hospitality of
Latin American culture firsthand. Most of the
families have been housing foreign students for some
20 years. These families play an active role in
providing a rich intercultural and personal experience
for Semester in the Andes students. During the
extensive program travels, hotel accommodations will
be provided, although meals are the responsibility of
students.
PROGRAM TRAVEL:
Students in the Semester in the Andes
program get a comprehensive view of Andean life
through a wealth of programmed travel. Included in
the costs of the program are short field trips to the
capital city of Ecuador, Quito, the world-famous
indigenous market at Otavalo,
the Cañari and Inca ruins
at Ingapirca,
Cajas National Park, and
several Andean villages. At the mid-semester break,
student will travel into the Amazon rainforest in
northern Peru on an educational adventure in one of
the worlds’ most interesting and beautiful places. At
the end of the program, students will have an 11-day
study tour to Peru where they will visit the modern
metropolis of Lima, the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco
and the Lost City of Machu Picchu.
COSTS:
Outgoing SU
exchange students to Ecuador pay the equivalent of
in-state tuition and fees to Salisbury University.
For fall 2008 those costs are $3206.
Additional costs for exchange students include
international airfare, and the Semester in the Andes
excursion to Peru. Outgoing SU students who do
not receive an exchange slot will pay regular fees
to the CEDEI. For fall 2008 those costs are $9800.
APPLICATION INFORMATION:
An
application form is available here.
Applications are currently being accepted for fall
2008. Applications are accepted on a rolling
basis. All questions concerning the exchange
should be addressed to:
Dr. Brian Stiegler, Director
Center for International Education
Phone: 410-334-3495
E-mail:
sucie@salisbury.edu
