The German Rectors' Conference (HRK) partner is the Columbian Rectors' Conference ASCUN (Asociación Colombiana de Universidades). After extensive consultation with a bilateral group of experts, a Framework Agreement on cooperation in higher education was concluded in 2002 governing the mutual recognition of academic degrees. The agreement will facilitate mobility between the higher education institutions (HEIs) in both countries. Recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of Columbian students and researchers at German HEIs.
Professor Wintermantel, the then President of the HRK, visited Columbia as part of a trip to Latin America in March 2009 and agreed to continue cooperation on a more intensive level. There will be a more frequent and in-depth exchange of ideas and experiences regarding higher education policy. Moreover, the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in Higher Education from 2002 will be revised and adapted to account for recent developments in higher education.