Academic ties begin to sprout between the US and Cuba

Chronicle of Higher Education : Under President Raúl Castro, the Cuban government is undertaking a series of reforms that are transforming Cuba’s economy, society, and political landscape. Although the country remains a one-party state, the reforms have proved sufficiently encouraging that the US has eased travel restrictions. In response, academic ties are forming—or reforming—between the US and Cuba, writes Ian Wilhelm of the Chronicle of Higher Education. Harsh travel regulations that President George W. Bush imposed in 2004 had sharply reduced the number of US professors and students visiting Cuba. Now the numbers are rising steadily.