$2 million gift to College of Technology to support global education

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University's College of Technology has received more than $2 million from the Luis Hochschild Plaut and Rodolfo Beeck Navarro Trust to expand global education partnerships in South America.

One of the first uses of the gift is a collaborative partnership with the University of Engineering & Technology (UTEC) in Lima, Peru. The money will support curriculum development of a dual-degree program, faculty support for a Purdue College of Technology liaison or resident director on the Lima campus, expenses for visiting faculty and additional educational activities.

"With this gift from the Hochschild family, Purdue and the College of Technology will be able expand our global education efforts in South America, a key area for Purdue as we broaden the reach of our teaching and research," Purdue President Mitch Daniels said.

UTEC, a private university, was established by the Hochschild Group, which also created the Tecnologia Superior University (TECSUP).

"We are honored to work with UTEC, an institution with a vision of the great potential for education," said Robert F. Cox, College of Technology associate dean of globalization. "It is a good partnership with our college. We both teach technology and innovation, integrating engineering expertise with management and leadership skills."

Don Luis Hochschild Plaut was born in Germany and immigrated to Chile. After studying mechanical and electrical engineering in Lima, he founded Cementos Pacasmayo, Peru's second largest cement company. In later years he became a prominent mining entrepreneur.

Rodolfo Beeck Navarro was the elder brother of Hochschild's wife, Ana Beeck Navarro, and a friend of Hochschild's.

Hochschild and his wife were the parents of Eduardo Hochschild Beeck. After studying mechanical engineering and physics at Tufts University in Boston, Eduardo Hochschild joined the Hochschild Mining Group, based in London. In 1998 he became head of the company.

"As a family, we are committed to developing UTEC, a leading engineering university, and we are pleased that the College of Technology will help us with this task," said Eduardo Hochschild, chairman of the UTEC board.

Twenty-two students and three faculty members from TECSUP arrived in West Lafayette Nov. 3 to spend two weeks on Purdue's campus, studying with College of Technology students and faculty.

Donald Buskirk, the College of Technology's international programs officer, will spend the next 18 months in Lima, where he will help establish the partnership with UTEC.

Writer: Judith Barra Austin, 765-494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu

Source: Robert F. Cox, 765-494-7939, rfcox@purdue.edu