Chairperson

Carlos Araya Leandro is Rector of the University of Costa Rica (UCR), the country's leading public university, serving for the 2025–2028 term. A Full Professor at UCR, he began his academic career at the Atlantic Regional Campus in 1996, where he later held several leadership positions, including Director of the campus.

Dr Araya holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Costa Rica, and a Doctorate in Economics, Management and Public Policy from the University of Granada, Spain. He served as Vice-Rector for Administration from 2012 to 2020 and acted as Transitional Rector of UCR during the COVID-19 pandemic.