Absel Navarro takes over as Unachi rector and asks for trust to tackle university’s main challenges

Absel Navarro began his term as rector of the Autonomous University of Chiriquí on Monday with a request for trust from students, faculty, administrative staff, university authorities and Panama’s national government.

At his inauguration in the Rolando Smith gymnasium on the university campus, Navarro was sworn in before administering the oath to the officials who will lead the institution’s vice rectorates. He said his administration would focus on transparency, accountability, institutional stability and academic strengthening, including a review of curricula and student needs.

Restoring Unachi’s credibility emerged as a central goal. Navarro said he wanted to run the university with an open-door policy and within the law. “We want to do things properly, within the framework of the law and responsibly,” he said when describing the relationship he hopes to establish with the executive branch.

“

We want to do things properly, within the framework of the law and responsibly.

The university’s financial position will be one of the new administration’s first tests. Navarro said Unachi’s budget review is scheduled for Sept. 8 and that he wants to communicate with the government about the institution’s financial requirements. He said the university needs to arrive prepared and persuade officials that its new authorities intend to manage it properly.

Navarro also addressed a delay in employees’ salary payments, saying the fortnightly payment had not been made by Sunday night, although he did not know whether it had been paid by Monday. He promised to pursue the necessary steps to speed up the disbursement. Academic Vice Rector Kathia Acosta said the university also needs partnerships with private companies, while Research and Graduate Studies Vice Rector Jorge Luis Pino highlighted the challenge of bringing university research closer to society.

“

We need to get an advance there and go well prepared, above all to convince them that these new authorities want to do things properly.