by Beatriz Pilar Córdova Aquino, 2014-2015 President Néstor Kirchner Fellow
The PNK Scholarship has meant a step of vital importance in my professional, academic and personal growth. During the two weeks in New York I met respected professors and scholars whose insights and experiences have greatly enriched my research. Many were forced reference in many of my papers, so I was able meet, and now I keep contact, with people whose work I have been following for years; a really invaluable opportunity.
I also shared experiences with various authorities and organizations related to my field of study, finding similarities and differences in relation to the Peruvian reality which have given me a broader view on electoral systems perspective, the organization of election processes , and political participation of women, among other topics of my interest.
The coordination of the Observatory on Latin America was crucial to the success of my stay. They managed my contact with various specialists, turning the pre-public lecture seminars into high academic discussion spaces, out of which I have derived new research paths and posibilities of expandanding my work.
The experience of the public lecture was very rewarding. It was attended by a large number of attendees who expressed their interest -through their questions and active participation during the event- on the progress and remaining tasks in the inclusion of women in Peruvian politics, the subject of my research.
I highly recommend the PNK Scholarship to all Latin American professionals, for it’s high academic standard offering, for the opportunity to share experiences and Latin American initiatives as well as the enhancement of our professional capabilities, which will have positive repercussions in favor of the development of public services quality for of our countries.
Thanks Fellowship PNK!
Lima, Perú, March 2014
Read more about the President Néstor Kirchner Fellowship Program