Invenio is a university of science and technology with its own campus, and amid an environment of investigation and development. Invenio applies the pedagogy of Father Joseph Kentenich, founder of the Schoenstatt Movement. Invenio fosters: personal growth, serves individuality through pertinent and relevant means to achieve the mission of encouraging the organic self-education of whole, free and serving personalities.
The word INVENIO is a Latin verb meaning “to discover, to encounter.” Invenio is bringing forth the best of each mind and heart.
Invenio utilizes the dual educational system, following the model from DHBW University in Karlsruhe, in the south of Germany. This educational system seeks the perfect balance between theory and practice. Through this system – where practice and theory are divided into complementary and alternated blocks of formation – education becomes a task where the university and the formative enterprise are co-participants in the development of the professional person. The vision of the university is to develop a new educational model for the formation of professionals with ethical and human values, with social and environmental responsibility, committed toward a more maintainable development. “New men renewing their community.”
The beginning comes forth from a circle blessed with talent, accessibility and resources; it is a plan and a clear vision on the context. The “young entrepreneur” also finds at INVENIO his/her “launching pad” for new projects.
It is confirmed that the environment influences learning and teaching. INVENIO promotes a concept where the environment is called “The third teacher,” because of its valuable role within the educational process. They are continuously searching to design spaces that motivate learning and creativity.
It is located on Via a los Angeles de Tilarán, Cañas, Guanacaste. It is 350 meters above sea level. INVENIO is a campus of 130 hectares for the development of the following areas to be developed: learning, living, recreational, and sports. It is in an area of exuberant natural beauty, known for its hydroelectric, aeolian and geothermic projects.
Social impact
The INVENIO system allows students from all socio-economic levels – based on their attitudes – to finance their education. The area is lacking qualified engineers. To prepare these needed professionals, INVENIO sends forth licensed professionals with Bachelor’s Degrees in: Information Impresarial Technologies, Engineering in Business with an emphasis in Production and Logistics, and Mechatronic Engineering. “Education as a right, investigation and development as a service.”
Economic impact
This system allows a greater interaction between industry and academia, giving pertinence to advanced education. The University’s system offers businesses a model for “an early search for talent.” INVENIO contributes to the development of businesses and established industries, as well as to smaller/medium sized businesses and new enterprises in the region.
Environmental impact
Complementing the campus, INVENIO has 330 hectares for a reserve of biodiversity.
Within the curriculum of all INVENIO are the courses of Self-Management, Leadership, and Enterprising. These are based on the concepts of Self-Education, Attachment, and Apostolate. It is expected that the student be motivated in a process of self-education, organic, in groups, searching for an ideal and achieving to study in depth leadership for service, and enterprising as a service to the individual, family and society.
To learn by doing
The motivation to offer academic/practical education comes directly from Father Kentenich.
“We want to learn, not only in theory: one has to do it, it is good this way, it is necessary… In reality, all that would be of little use for us. No. We have to also learn in a practical way. We have to work at it everyday, every hour.” (Pre-Founding Document, 1912).
Father Kentenich spoke of the concept “To learn by doing. “ (Hands on) which is utilizing today’s technologies in education. At INVENIO, this concept is the model for learning…in its laboratories, workshops and projects.
For the application of Kentenich Pedagogy at INVENIO, the students have the freedom to choose projects, usually related with their ideas for study, but always focused on service to the community.
Translation: Carlos Cantú, Schoenstatt Family Federation, La Feria, Texas USA 08162011
Contact and further information
Campus INVENIO GML
A 6 km de Canãs hacia Tilarán
A mano izquierda (norte), 800 m
50801 Tilarán, Guanacaste
Costa Rica
Tel. +506 26 95 13 00
info@invenio.org
http://www.invenio.org (Spanish, English, German)
https://digitalcampus.invenio.org/ilias
