About

VILLA is a cross-disciplinary institute aiming to formalise and encourage Victoria University’s expanding links with academics, diplomats and policy makers in Latin America.

VILLA was established in 2008, prompted by:

• rapidly increasing research interest in Latin America
• a growing number of student exchange agreements with the region
• the blossoming of New Zealand-Latin American political, economic and cultural relationships in recent years
• a call from Latin American ambassadors for an entity in Wellington that addressed their educational and academic needs
  

The institute acts as a virtual node for interactions across all faculties at the University with counterparts and interested parties in New Zealand and Latin America. It is hoped particularly that these interactions will stimulate collaborative research, not only on topics relating to New Zealand-Latin American relations and in Latin American studies, but across all disciplines and programmes with an interest in working in the continent.

For a more detailed discussion of what we do and why please see the VILLA background and goals sections.