IHCantabria and its general director, Raúl Medina, have received the ‘Sello CUJAE’ in Havana, Cuba

The Environmental Hydraulics Institute of the University of Cantabria (IHCantabria) and its managing director, Raúl Medina Santamaría, received yesterday the distinctive decoration of the Technological University of Havana “José Antonio Echeverría” (CUJAE), in Havana, Cuba.

It is the ‘Sello CUJAE’, a distinction awarded to personalities, institutions and entities that, through their work, have significantly promoted the advancement of higher education, science and technology. This distinction underlines the close collaboration and positive impact that IHCantabria has had on research and the academic training of Cuban professionals, in coherence with the values and objectives of the Cuban university; as well as the valuable contribution of Raúl Medina to the consolidation of technical knowledge and the resolution of some challenges related to the protection of Cuba’s coast.

The official presentation ceremony of the ‘Sello CUJAE’ took place at 14:00 on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at the Convention Palace of Cuba, during the XXI Scientific Convention of Engineering and Architecture. This event was scheduled within the framework of the 60th Anniversary of the CUJAE, which underlines the relevance of this award to IHCantabria and Raúl Medina.

The ‘Sello CUJAE’ award ceremony was attended by about 100 people, including members of the CUJAE Rector’s Office ─integrated by the Rector, Martha Dunia Delgado; the First Vice Rector, Daniel Alfonso Robaina; the Academic Vice Rector, Ana Isabel González; the Vice Rector for Institutional Affairs, Anaisa Hernández; the Vice Rector for Economics and Services, Osney Pérez Ones─, along with other authorities from directorates and deans’ offices; in addition to the decorated and invited guests. In this event, 2 special guest professor distinctions and 9 CUJAE Seals were awarded to personalities from different countries, including the 2 ‘Sello CUJAE’ awarded to IHCantabria and its managing director, Raúl Medina.

Upon receiving the ‘Sello CUJAE’, Raúl Medina Santamaría thanked the University Council of the Universidad Tecnológica de La Habana “José Antonio Echeverría” for this recognition and offered to continue supporting the contribution of IHCantabria in the studies, projects and training programs in which it has committed to CUJAE. This commitment was confirmed by the Manager of IHCantabria, Carlos Gutiérrez Abascal, who received yesterday the ‘Sello CUJAE’ on behalf of this institute and, in addition to thanking the university for granting this institutional recognition, emphasized that he considers this “an award from and for all of IHCantabria”.

A strong collaboration between IHCantabria and Cuba

For more than a decade, IHCantabria has collaborated with CUJAE and other Cuban institutions in numerous academic and research projects, as well as contributing to the education and training of Cuban professionals.

An example of this cooperation is the project entitled “Complementary studies for the integral solution to flooding in the Havana Malecon”, which began in November 2023, through which IHCantabria has developed tests of 2D and 3D physical models ─to evaluate proposed solutions to flooding problems in the Malecon─; in addition to offering training courses and technical support to the Cuban team, on advanced Coastal and Maritime Engineering technologies. Three formative tranches have already been executed, between November and December 2023; as well as in May and November of this year. Several Cuban professionals, including representatives of the Hydraulic Research Center of the Technological University of Havana (CIH-CUJAE), have participated in these training courses, which have been shared by IHCantabria’s teaching and research staff.

The recent visit of the general director and manager of IHCantabria has allowed to consolidate its institutional contribution with CUJAE, through the signing of a collaboration agreement with the Society of Science and Technology Interface of the Technological University of Havana “José Antonio Echeverría” (CETA S.A.), created in 2020 with the aim of strengthening the links between the Cuban university and the productive and services sector, through transfer and innovation projects.

Outstanding trajectory of Raúl Medina Santamaría

Raúl Medina is a leading expert in coastal engineering and environmental management, who has directed IHCantabria since 2011. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering and has been a professor at the University of Cantabria since 1993. He has led important national and international research projects and multiple scientific publications. He has played key roles as an international consultant, is recognized for having developed innovative tools and methodologies -such as the Coastal Modeling System- and has twice received the National Environment Award.