About Laspau
Laspau was founded in 1964 to expand access to higher education opportunities for people from Latin America and the Caribbean.

What was Laspau's relationship with Harvard University?
Laspau maintained a formal relationship with Harvard as an affiliate nonprofit and benefited from Harvard’s services and expertise since 1964. It’s important to note that Laspau was a distinct organization within the Harvard system, with an independent board of trustees, its own funding, and Harvard staff.

How long was Laspau affiliated with Harvard?
Laspau was affiliated with Harvard since 1964.

What was Laspau's work in the Americas?
Laspau had a vast network of individuals, institutions, leaders, and organizations in the Americas, dedicated to establishing knowledge-based societies. Its work began by administering scholarship programs for faculty in universities in LAC and guiding candidates in their university studies abroad, and since then it considerably expanded its services toward university capacity building through the promotion of innovation in teaching and learning.

What has been Laspau's global reach in terms of fellows and academic leaders?
Laspau has had a significant impact worldwide, having supported 18,000 fellows and 14,000 academic leaders, faculty, and students.

How many institutions worked with Laspau?
Laspau has worked with more than 1,500 institutions across the Americas.

How has Laspau influenced educational institutions?
Since Laspau’s beginnings its focus was toward strengthening higher education institutions, first through faculty development via scholarship, then through short term training in areas that were arising in higher education in LAC as the region evolved. In 2007 Laspau started the University Innovation area to strengthen the quality and relevance of higher education by promoting innovation in teaching and learning.

Why did Harvard make the decision to end its affiliation with Laspau?
Harvard made the decision in the context of a realignment of its priorities and that the missions of both institutions were no longer aligned.

What happened to the students in Laspau-administered scholarship programs?
Laspau worked closely with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. State Department to ensure that Fulbright participants could complete their academic objectives and continue to fulfill the Fulbright mission.
Laspau-administered Fulbright participants who started their programs in 2021, 2022, and 2023 are now going to have their program administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). For Fulbright participants who started their program in previous years, Laspau worked with their universities to ensured that they would be able to continue their studies uninterrupted.
For beneficiaries of other scholarship programs, Laspau worked with sponsoring institutions to ensure an orderly transition.

What happened to Laspau's University Innovation programs?
Laspau UI programs will not continue since Laspau has ceased operations. UI partner institutions were notified in February 2023.

What happened to PAEP Testing Services?
PAEP testing services will not be provided. Laspau notified all client institutions in February 2023 and services were concluded.