Colombia reactivates Colfuturo partnership with US$25 million for scholarships

The Colombian government, under the administration of Abelardo De La Espriella, has reactivated its partnership with Colfuturo, allocating US$25 million to fund postgraduate studies abroad. Announced by Vice President José Manuel Restrepo and Minister of Science Claudia Benavides Salazar, the initiative is part of the ‘Talento ColombIA’ strategy. The funding will support the 2026 and 2027 cohorts of the ‘Crédito Beca’ program, with projections to select approximately 3,000 professionals by 2027.

Beneficiaries can access a 25% scholarship and additional forgivable bonuses of up to 40%, allowing for a total maximum forgiveness of 65%. This move reverses a previous decision by the Petro administration to withdraw state support from the foundation.

In other domestic developments, Vice President Restrepo met with business leaders in Cali to discuss economic reactivation following a recent earthquake. He also addressed the transport sector, noting that road blockades caused losses of approximately 12.4 trillion pesos in 2023. Additionally, the Ministry of Transport announced that work has begun on an alternative route for Buenaventura, intended to facilitate international trade through the Buga–Loboguerrero–Buenaventura corridor.