UCB Santa Cruz begins a new chapter under María Patricia Viera
Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
In-depth
Named sources
New plan
- María Patricia Viera Salvatierra became rector of the Universidad Católica Boliviana’s Santa Cruz campus, succeeding Óscar Ortiz after his four-year term.
- Viera said her leadership would focus on service, critical thinking, ethical use of technology and the university’s Catholic identity.
- University officials credited Ortiz with expanding academic programs, modernizing facilities and introducing solar power at the campus.
María Patricia Viera Salvatierra has taken charge of the Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo” in Santa Cruz, opening what the university presented as a new stage built around dialogue, innovation and Catholic identity.
It is not about being an authority, but about being at the service of others.
She succeeds Óscar Ortiz, who completed four years as rector. Church and academic authorities, along with representatives of Santa Cruz society, attended the formal inauguration. Archbishop René Leigue blessed the ceremony and described the university’s mission as preparing professionals who understand their social responsibility and combine expertise with empathy, respect and a commitment to service.
Viera said authority should mean serving others. Quoting the Gospel, she said, "Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant." She added that the university should measure education not only by how much students learn, but also by who they become and what they are prepared to do with that knowledge.
Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.
The new rector also placed artificial intelligence and emerging technologies among the challenges facing the university. "Technology can expand our capabilities, but education is what shapes us as people," she said, arguing that students must learn to use technology intelligently and ethically.
At the end of university life, what should matter is not only how much a student learned, but who they became and what they are prepared to do with what they learned.
National rector Father José Fuentes Cano praised Ortiz’s record, including the expansion of academic programs beyond medicine and the strengthening of fields such as agribusiness, which he linked to the development of Santa Cruz and Bolivia. Ortiz’s administration also completed and equipped new classrooms, a library, laboratories and a dining hall, and introduced solar energy, making the campus a pioneer in sustainability, according to the university.
Technology can expand our capabilities, but education is what shapes us as people.
About this summary
Originally published by El Deber in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
More Stories
From Our Blog
What Gets Lost (and Found) When News Is Translated
The Critical Role of Diaspora Media in Global News
What Travellers Should Know About Countries with Restricted Press
A Digital Nomad's Guide to Following Local News
How the Same Story Looks Different in Different Countries
