The University has longstanding links with Latin America.
Key strategic partnership - Universidad San Francisco de Quito, in Ecuador.
Edinburgh and Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) conduct collaborative research on energy and the environment focusing on sustainable management, climate crisis and working towards a zero-carbon vision for the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos Islands as a living lab
The Living Lab for Energy Innovation was established in 2019 and aims to ensure sustainable development for local people and the local tourism industry within a unique and sensitive place. As with some Scottish Islands, some of the Galápagos are looking to try to change their sources of income away from tourism. The ambition is to look at the energy consumption in the islands and analyse society with a view to changing their way of living. The Galápagos are a unique, controlled environment; 96% of the land is a national park, remote and contained, like a laboratory - fantastic for testing ideas.
A zero-carbon vision
Through a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh, Universidad San Francisco de Quito and the British-Ecuadorian Chamber of Commerce, the Living Lab for Energy Innovation is working to deliver the objectives of the Galápagos Plan 2040. Interdisciplinary teams have been researching the challenges and opportunities in sustainable and inclusive decarbonisation of the islands, the focus of a three-day summit held there in July 2023.
An update on our latest activity in Galápagos with Universidad San Francisco de Quito.
A team of International Deans represent each College and support the Vice-Principal International and Deputy Vice-Principal in the University's engagement across all regional activity.
Discover more
Edinburgh attends COP25 - launch the zero-carbon vision for the Galápagos Islands
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