Luis Vallarino

Director of International Relations @Universidad del Istmo, Panama

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I am an accomplished international education leader, multilingual educator, and certified public translator with over 20 years of experience spanning higher education, academic mobility, language program management, and international cooperation. I currently serve as Director of Internationalization at Universidad del Istmo (Panama), where I lead the institution’s global engagement strategy, oversees international partnerships, and coordinates academic mobility initiatives, including double degree and Erasmus+ collaborations. Throughout my career, I have held various leadership roles, including Program and Language Director of the Faculty of Education, Director of Language Programs, and Academic Director in bilingual and higher education institutions. I have spearheaded educational innovations, developed strategic language and intercultural curricula, and managed faculty training and international projects. Recognized for my outstanding contributions to global education, I was appointed Honorary Ambassador of the Erasmus+ Program by the European Union (2019–2022) and served as Lead Negotiator for a successful academic cooperation agreement between the University of Oradea (Romania) and Universidad del Istmo. I am also a Parliamentarian of the World Education Parliament, further demonstrating his active commitment to international policy dialogue and educational reform. A native Spanish speaker with near-native English fluency and conversational Portuguese, I am also a certified public translator and interpreter (ENG ↔️ SPA) authorized by Panama’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I have worked extensively in legal, academic, and government translation settings and was featured as an English instructor on Panama’s national TV program “Conéctate con la Estrella” during the COVID-19 remote learning initiative. I hold multiple master’s degrees in International Business, Education, and Applied Linguistics with TESOL, and is a licensed broadcaster for radio and television in Panama.