In FY 1997-98 FLORICA proposes to strengthen and enhance its network of interaction in the economic, business, tourism, educational and cultural realms. Salient examples include the organization of a Florida Trade Exchange to Costa Rica as a continued phase of our business linkages project; the establishment of a collaborative linkage in the conversion of land fill material to fertilizer; a particularly exciting project on DNA analysis of sickle cell anemia patients in Costa Rica, tracing their form of hemoglobin to specific areas in Africa; and development of a partnership with Fundacion Del Cuna (FUNDACUNA) to promote student and educator exchanges focused on the hospitality and tourism industry, and to promote rural development projects. (FUNDACUNA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to cooperate with Colegio Universitario De Alajuela in the development of human and technical aspects and overall improvement of the educational quality of the community.)

From the scores of successful linkages effected during FLORICA's twelve-year history, a few of which we hope to continue to support are briefly outlined in the following summary. Although many other activities have been proposed, we cannot act to develop all of these projects because our funding for FY 1997-98 has been considerable reduced, and we (as all of the other Linkage Institutes) did not receive an allocation for FY 1996-97. A far more comprehensive list of on-going cooperative activities that will be facilitated if funding should increase in the future. This, however, is far too extensive to include in this summary.

Continuation of the cooperative work between the University of North Florida, the University of Costa Rica at Limon, Jacksonville Port Authority, JAPDEVA, and FLORICA in the port administration "Sister Ports" project.

Drs. Peter Stoffella and George Fitzpatrick, of the University of Florida, propose to continue their collaborative research with faculty from the University of Costa Rica. Their research into management of industrial waste products, as they pertain to agriculture and horticulture, will have significant impact on plans to protect and manage Costa Rica's ecology and natural resources.

Experimental and continued research activities and cooperation will continue in the fields of compost minimization, and tuber and seed germination and propagation.

The continuation of discussions with the Rector of E.A.R.T.H. University, and Costa Rican government officials, focused on enhanced agricultural research with emphasis on medicinal plants.

The National University of Costa Rica has proposed a series of faculty exchange visits between select public universities in Florida and Costa Rica's National University, to facilitate the organization of one-week seminars on the use of computers and multimedia technology for science instruction, with particular emphasis on these applications for students of chemistry.

Development of a joint Puerto Rico-Costa Rica-Orlando student and faculty exchange based upon the successful Puerto Rico model which increased participation in one year from 9 to 29 students.

Students will learn English or Spanish in the morning and work internships in the afternoon. CUNA sophomores and juniors will attend Valencia and gain invaluable experience working in Orlando, the world’s largest learning lab for hospitality and tourism. Benefits of the exchange include increased availability of trained, bilingual staff and enhancement of goodwill between Florida, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico as students return to their countries and tell friends and family about positive experiences. In August, 1997, Valencia will send administrators and faculty members to Puerto Rico for two weeks. They will spend their mornings learning Spanish and spend their afternoons in cultural immersion. This model program will be duplicated with Costa Rica resulting in staff which is better prepared to serve Valencia’s rising number of Hispanic students reducing attrition and increasing Hispanic retention rates. Administrators and staff will develop an increased cultural and linguistic understanding and be able to promote a friendly environment to keep international students from getting homesick and dropping out.

Through its partnership with FUNDACUNA, Valencia will link its new A.S. in culinary management program with CUNA’s culinary program offering students the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica to study the management of Hispanic establishments and ethnic food resulting in bilingual, broad-minded students with greater employability.

Recognizing the ever-increasing importance of distance learning education, FLORICA has instituted discussions with technical and educational specialists in Florida and Costa Rica for the purpose of positioning itself to be an informed player in this critical educational methodology. Costa Rica's Universidad Nacional Estatal a Distancia has proposed continuation of their collaborative research with experts in the disciplines of distance learning technology, system administration and curriculum at Florida State University and Valencia Community College.

The Autonomous University of Panama at Chiriqui (UNACHI) is developing long-term agreements with Florida as a result of their visit to Florida State University in November, 1996. Proposed activities include development of exchanges in nursing, criminal justice and distance learning.

Continue to administer the Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Program, which provides untold benefits to the State of Florida by giving qualified Costa Rican students the opportunity to study at one of Florida’s public universities or community colleges for the same tuition as Florida residents. These Costa Rican students will return to their countries with increased knowledge about our state, and feelings of goodwill that are engendered by the opportunities that this program has provided to them. They become ambassadors of goodwill between Florida and Costa Rica, with contacts in this state, and a reason and opportunity to develop business ventures, between their country and Florida, in the future.

FLORICA will continue to support student service exchanges between Florida and Costa Rica through a variety of excellent programs that were established by Florida's state universities over the last several years. These efforts included support for Beyond Borders, an international service exchange between college students in Florida and Costa Rica. This program includes Student Affairs Linking Student Affairs (SALSA), and the Turrialba projects, which give project volunteers an opportunity to work as teachers aides in the preschool on the Turrialba campus. Students also participate by volunteering to work in the area homeless shelter, and other efforts to create international understanding through community volunteer projects.

Support of a cooperative project involving the University of Costa Rica, the University of South Florida, Florida State University and Valencia Community College, to investigate procedures and policies by which institutions in Florida assist students with disabilities.

Continue publication of the Florida-Costa Rica Linkage Institute newsletter, TIDINGS, with was inaugurated in 1988. This newsletter was published quarterly through the Winter, 1996 issue. Funding in 1997-98 will allow us to continue publication. The newsletter is distributed throughout Florida and Costa Rica.