OPINION ARTICLE
Contribution of the university bulletin to the dissemination of activities and the comprehensive training of students
Contribución del boletín universitario a la divulgación de actividades y la formación integral de los estudiantes
José Fernando Placeres Hernández 1*, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6285-5029
Alba Rosa Elizalde Drake 1, https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8266-9715
Leonel Enrique Quesada Delgado 1, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4567-8101
Mileidys Alonso Gómez 1, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5062-5824
1 University of Medical Sciences of Matanzas. Matanzas, Cuba.
* Corresponding author: placeres.mtz@infomed.sld.cu
Received: 17/03/2024
Accepted: 01/04/2025
How to cite this article: Placeres Hernández JF, Elizalde Drake AR, Quesada Delgado LE, Alonso Gómez M. Contribution of the university bulletin to the dissemination of activities and the comprehensive training of students. MedEst. [Internet]. 2025 [cited access date]; 5:e326. Available in: https://revmedest.sld.cu/index.php/medest/article/view/326
ABSTRACT
In today's universities, the importance of communication is increasing, under the challenges of globalization, the circulation of diverse and abundant publications, and constant access to information of all kinds. Therefore, these institutions base their strategies on institutional and organizational communication, fostering an adequate teaching-learning process and promoting values and a general and comprehensive culture among their students. The University of Medical Sciences of Matanzas has a university bulletin, which, if it improves its quality and systematizes its publication, can be a tool that visualizes the achievements of the student organization and also contributes to increasing the prominence and preparation of students for evaluation and accreditation processes.
Keywords: Accreditation; Communication; Higher Medical Education; Teaching-Learning Process
RESUMEN
En la universidad de hoy se incrementa la importancia de la comunicación, bajo el reto de la globalización, la circulación de publicaciones disímiles y abundantes y el acceso permanente a información de todo tipo. De ahí que estas instituciones, basen sus estrategias en la comunicación institucional y la organizacional, propiciando un adecuado proceso enseñanza aprendizaje, fomentando valores y una cultura general e integral entre sus educandos. La Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Matanzas cuenta con un boletín universitario que si logra elevar su calidad y sistematizar su publicación, puede ser una herramienta que visualice los logros de la organización estudiantil, y contribuya igualmente, a elevar el protagonismo y la preparación de los estudiantes para los procesos de evaluación y acreditación.
Palabras clave: Acreditación; Comunicación; Educación Médica Superior; Proceso de enseñanza Aprendizaje
The primary function of the university is to promote the teaching of a wide variety of academic disciplines, allowing students to acquire advanced knowledge, specialized skills, and critical thinking abilities (1, 2). This is endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible for higher education mandates among its member states.
As a formal institution, the university operates within a hierarchical structure where individuals interact with defined roles, responsibilities, and purposes. (3)
Despite the growing importance of university communication in today's globalized world—where information is constantly and directly or indirectly accessible—many academic institutions still face significant challenges in adapting their communication and international positioning strategies effectively. Global competition, cultural diversity, technology, social media, and resource accessibility have become essential elements for institutional success. The challenge lies, among other things, in capturing the target audience's attention amid overwhelming informational noise and diverse news coverage. (4, 5)
For universities, the formula could be the same as in any other sector: a solid media plan, an efficient and committed team, continuous learning, and a good dose of humility to acknowledge and correct mistakes or shortcomings to achieve desired objectives. Perhaps this last point is the most crucial of all. (5)
However, there is no clear-cut definition that easily encompasses what university communication entails. Therefore, a conceptual foundation must be established to define university communication and identify its scope and functions.
Universities base their communication strategies on two disciplines: institutional and organizational communication. Additionally, due to technological advancements and the immediacy of user interaction, they have implemented digital platforms and hypermedia resources. (6)
While the forms of social communication in the university context have evolved—especially in virtual environments, where digital educational resources facilitate collaborative learning and work (7, 8)—traditional print and other media formats remain in use.
There are diverse experiences regarding the publication of informational newsletters circulating in universities, covering academic activities, research, student organizations, cultural and sports events, and more. Despite their seemingly similar communicative purposes, these newsletters exhibit differences (9-11), hence the need to describe the importance of the one in question.
The University of Medical Sciences of Matanzas (UCMM) has experience publishing newsletters at different stages of its development, which have served as the official organ of the University Student Federation (FEU) on campus. Around 2012, El Galeno, a previously discontinued newsletter, was revived and published in a renewed format, remaining in circulation until the 2016-2017 academic year, when it disappeared again. (12)
On February 1, February 15, and March 1, 2021, the FEU newsletters were relaunched in a new phase. The editorial committee included students Lorien Rodríguez Sánchez and Jennifer Trujillo Sardiñas (third-year Medicine students at the time); Claudia Liz Muñoz Rodríguez and Claudia Simanca Monteagudo (second-year Medicine students); Yonathan Estrada Rodríguez and Ernesto Javier Zaldívar Arias (first-year Medicine students); and Julio César Ramírez Pérez (first-year Clinical Bioanalysis student).
The first three issues were characterized by their vibrant design, participation of students from different disciplines in the editorial team, and up-to-date topics. The first issue featured A Psychological Perspective by the Director of Educational Work and University Extension at UCMM, emphasizing the importance of positivity amid the COVID-19 pandemic while staying committed to students' primary duty: their comprehensive education. It also announced a contest to rename the newsletter.
The second edition, now titled La Jeringuilla Matancera (The Matanzas Syringe), included an interview with the president of the FEU History Chair on its seventh anniversary, reinforcing that keeping history alive means being present where events unfolded and becoming protagonists of today's history.
The third issue honored women, highlighting those who stood out in the fight against COVID-19, including interviews with professors Lilian Tamara Izada Carnesoltas and Maritza Betancourt Macías. (12)
Eight more issues were published before the newsletter ceased production in September 2021.
On March 13, 2025, the newsletter reappeared with Volume 1 and a special edition dedicated to the post-10th Congress Assembly results. A new phase began, with hopes that La Jeringuilla Matancera will remain a periodic and permanent publication for Matanzas and nationwide readers.
This new iteration includes sections such as: Changing Lives, FEU Connection, Corners of Matanzas, Historical Memories, Sports Passion, Musical Echoes, Dormant Knowledge, and Scientific Pulse. The editorial, review, and writing committee consists of students Richard Marcial Gálvez Vila and Juan Leonardo Pacios Dorado (directors), along with Yonathan Estrada Rodríguez, Carlos Luis Vinagera Hidalgo, Javier Alejandro Vélez Cruz, Amed Álvarez Cuyac, Leanis Lázara Viltres Camoira, Dianela Padrón Sánchez, Yan Luis Morejón Sardiñas, Sunay de la C. Pérez Borroto, Marcos Alejandro Galis Hernández, Claudia de la Caridad Ramos Paret, and Shania Naranjo Lima.
The newsletter should complement other communication and outreach efforts on student activities, improve in quality, expand its digital presence, and maintain regular and systematic publication. It is an ideal tool for promoting values, enhancing competencies, and fostering comprehensive education among medical sciences students in Matanzas.
UCMM has undergone multiple evaluation and accreditation processes for its degree programs and institutional quality. In recent years, external evaluations have been conducted for Dentistry, Hygiene and Epidemiology, and Nursing programs, with Medicine and Clinical Bioanalysis scheduled for evaluation before the end of 2025. Student involvement has been pivotal in these processes.
This engagement is key to developing students' skills, identifying needs, and providing feedback to faculty on educational quality. (13)
Thus, La Jeringuilla Matancera should serve as a platform to showcase FEU and UCMM achievements, demonstrating transparency, responsibility, and collaboration within the university community to external evaluators and the National Accreditation Board (JAN).
Furthermore, it can highlight the systematic, integrated teamwork among professors, students, and non-teaching staff in evaluating teaching and learning processes, promoting continuous improvement, and striving for academic excellence. (14)
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CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
SOURCES OF FUNDING
The authors received no funding for the development of this article.