Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences

The Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Faculdade Latino-Americana de Ciências Sociais or FLACSO) is a graduate-only university and inter-governmental autonomous organization for Latin America dedicated to research, teaching and spreading of social sciences. Headquartered in Costa Rica, it has several campuses and centers spread across Latin America.

It was created on April 17, 1957, following a UNESCO initiative at the Latin American Conference on Social Sciences in Rio de Janeiro. Its goal was to promote academic research and development in the region.

Its membership is open to Latin American and Caribbean countries that subscribe to the FLACSO agreement. Current members include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Suriname and Uruguay.

Josette Altmann Borbón, a historian and former First Lady of Costa Rica, was elected Secretary General of FLACSO in June 2016. She succeeded Manuel González on July 31, 2016.

Notable people

 * Paulina Aulestia - first Ecuadorian woman to summit Everest
 * Teresita de Barbieri
 * Fernando Cortés Cáceres
 * Carmen Diana Deere
 * Ricardo Lagos Escobar
 * Enrique Correa
 * Fernando Henrique Cardoso
 * Hilda Herzer
 * Amparo Menendez-Carrion
 * Juan Carlos Portantiero
 * Suzana Prates
 * Paolina Vercoutere - Governor of Imbabura Province