According to World Bank data, investment in education has been a major driver of regional growth and competitiveness and a critical factor in poverty reduction. In addition, the trend towards greater participation of women in the workforce in Latin America coincides with strong educational gains. Since 2017 Visa has placed its trust in INCAE to prepare the future leaders of the region, creating the Visa Stellar Woman Scholarship, which aims to encourage equal opportunities for women in the workplace and thus contribute to the goal that by 2035 there will be zero discrimination between genders, representing progress for the region.
Each year the Scholarship supports two female candidates who face financial limitations to enter the master's program. To date, the Scholarship has benefited eight candidates from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Peru and Nicaragua, giving them the financial support they need to develop professionally and become agents of change in their communities and countries. Six scholarship graduates have had the opportunity to develop their careers in companies such as Grupo Flores de Honduras, UNICEF and 3M, and two of them have been able to pursue additional studies in conjunction with prestigious universities in the U.S. such as Yale University and UNC Chapel Hill.
"Visa's legacy at INCAE continues to build. It is making a mark in the history of the school and in the education and preparation of many young professionals and leaders in our region. It is truly inspiring and we are humbled by the work that has been done. We continually work to create partnerships that benefit students from INCAE and together with Visa we look forward to developing more young people in our region with our MBA that is ranked #1 in Latin America." Michelle Johnson - Director of Strategic Partnerships.
This year the scholarship has been more vital than ever as our candidates faced much higher financial barriers than in years past given the effects of the Covid-19 crisis that have resulted in: almost non-existent student loans, limited personal loan opportunities and high interest rates. It is thanks to the support of partners like Visa who are committed to the development of young people through education that we are able to award scholarships to extraordinary women.
"At INCAE , our priority is to actively recruit more women with leadership potential in the region in order to provide them with greater opportunities for development and empowerment. The Visa Stellar Woman Scholarship has played a key role in attracting and retaining the best candidates. It has become a flagship and highly sought after scholarship" - Bernard Kilian, Associate Dean and Faculty.
Roberto González, General Manager of Visa Costa Rica commented: "Guided by our mission to connect the world through our reliable, secure and innovative payments network, to help people, businesses and economies prosper, at Visa we work with great dedication to boost the economic potential of women entrepreneurs, and we take very seriously the great responsibility to foster a culture that promotes plurality, gender equality, inclusion of minorities and diversity in all its aspects.
INCAE is the leading business school in Latin America, founded in 1964 by Harvard University. Its mission is to actively promote the integral development of the countries it serves, training leaders for key sectors, improving their practices, attitudes and values:
To encourage research, teaching and dissemination of modern management concepts and techniques.
Strengthen analytical skills and understanding of economic, political and social phenomena.
Facilitate dialogue, understanding and collaboration among individuals, sectors and countries.
The Institution occupies privileged positions where only elite Business Schools are found, an example of which is currently:
#1 Executive MBA in Latin America. Financial Times 2020.
#1 MBA in Central and South America. QS Ranking 2020
#1 in the world in Female Participants. Financial Times 2020.
#2 in the world in Faculty Diversity. Financial Times 2020.
#4 in the world in International Programs. Financial Times 2020.
