"Teaching is an act of courage and hope: it is to guide not with answers, but with questions that transform."

For more than twenty-five years of career at the UPB, Rosmy Tamara Pol Rojas, Ph.D., has contributed in a committed and active way to the consolidation of academic and institutional excellence of the UPB. Throughout her brilliant career, Rosmy served in different roles encompassing teaching, university management, and academic leadership.
Upon recently leaving her functions as Vice-Rector of Postgraduate Studies, she also leaves an indelible legacy at the institution. Her journey reflects a rigorous vision of education, where knowledge, ethics, and commitment to the country's development are articulated as fundamental pillars of higher education.

1. You have built a solid career within the UPB, from the classroom to high management roles, what lessons did that path leave you regarding female leadership in academia?

Throughout more than twenty-five years at the UPB, I had the opportunity to play different roles that allowed me to know the institution from multiple perspectives. Each stage represented a space for learning and growth, and reaffirmed that female leadership in academia is built from collaboration, active listening, and mentoring. Leading with authenticity, coherence, and empathy has been key to strengthening committed academic communities and promoting solid and innovative environments. Working with highly professional teams allowed us to consolidate a solid academic offer and project an institutional presence with national and international reach.

2. We live in an era in which knowledge advances at the pace of technology, how is human and ethical training kept relevant?

Technology has deeply transformed educational processes, but it will never be able to substitute ethical judgment or critical awareness. Higher education must integrate innovation with humanistic thinking, ensuring that professional training is guided by values, social responsibility, and permanent reflection. Training cannot be limited to technical competencies; it must develop an ethical awareness that guides decision-making and the impact of professional actions.

3. From your experience, what is the greatest challenge of postgraduate studies in Bolivia and Latin America today?

The main challenge is to achieve a balance between relevance and quality. Postgraduate programs must respond effectively to the social, economic, and cultural needs of the environment, without losing academic rigor or international projection. Advanced training has the responsibility of preparing professionals capable of interpreting global challenges and leading transformation processes in their fields of action.

4. What led you to make education the axis of your professional life?

From my first teaching experiences, I understood that teaching goes far beyond transmitting content. Accompanying processes of human and professional development, and seeing students discover their potential or transform their way of thinking, is one of the greatest rewards of this vocation. In postgraduate studies, this process acquires an even deeper dimension, because learning becomes a dialogue between peers oriented towards practice, research, and innovation.

5. Your background combines law, economics, administration, and educational management, how does this interdisciplinary perspective influence your vision of higher education?

This combination of disciplines allowed me to understand higher education from a comprehensive perspective. Law provides the ethical and institutional framework; economics, sustainability and efficiency; administration, strategic planning and decision-making; and educational management translates these ideas into concrete actions oriented towards learning and continuous improvement. This interdisciplinary vision has been key to leading academic teams with a broad perspective, integrating ethics, innovation, and management as pillars of institutional development.

6. If you had to define the UPB seal in one word, what would it be and why?

Excellence. Not understood solely as high academic performance, but as a comprehensive way of acting based on commitment, ethics, passion for knowledge, and a permanent connection with the country's needs. The UPB trains professionals who actively contribute to the productive, social, and academic development of Bolivia, and that is one of its greatest values.

7. In your years of teaching, was there any moment that reaffirmed that teaching was your path?

Many. In subjects related to management and conflict resolution, accompanying students in understanding and managing complex situations has been especially meaningful. Seeing how they move from rigid positions to an attitude open to dialogue and the construction of collaborative solutions confirms the deeply transforming power of education.

8. What would you say to those who choose teaching as a professional path today?

Teaching today is an act of courage and commitment. It is not about having all the answers, but about accompanying students in formulating the correct questions and in constructing their own answers. Teaching implies adapting, integrating technology with critical thinking, and cultivating empathy as the foundation of meaningful learning.

9. What inspires you to continue leading, teaching, and training people?

I am inspired by seeing how education transforms lives in a tangible way. Each generation brings new ideas, challenges, and ways of looking at the world, which constantly renews the commitment to teaching. Turning those experiences into projects with real impact, strengthening academic communities, and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration is one of the greatest motivations of academic leadership.

10. What reflection would you share with those who dedicate their lives to teaching?

That teaching is, above all, a deeply human act. Beyond degrees or technological advances, the true value of the educator lies in their capacity to inspire, guide, and believe in the other's potential. Teaching is a form of silent leadership that accompanies, leaves a mark, and transcends the classroom.

INSIGHTS:

• A book or movie that marked you: Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World (El infinito en un junco), by Irene Vallejo, for its reflection on the power of the written word and its capacity to transcend time.

• A person you deeply admire: Nelson Mandela, for his ethical leadership, his resilience, and the coherence between values and actions.

• A phrase or principle that guides your life: “Man must be like bamboo: the more it grows, the more it must bow.”

• Your most precious asset: Time and the capacity to balance it between family, work, well-being, and learning.

• A fear you learned to transform: The fear of not meeting others' expectations. Accepting strengths and vulnerabilities allowed for greater coherence and personal balance.

• A favorite flavor or gastronomic experience: Enjoying a good shared meal, where the moment and the company make the difference.