Rafael F. Castro Alegría is a lawyer, holds a Master’s degree in International Relations, and a Ph.D. in Political Science, with a career that combines academic research, university teaching, and consultancy in international cooperation. His doctoral dissertation—awarded Magna Cum Laude by the University of Kiel and the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)—examines the processes of integration, disintegration, and regional reconfiguration in Latin America through post-structuralist and comparative international perspectives. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Legal and Political Science at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, where he coordinates the International Law area and teaches courses in public international law and international relations theory. His teaching experience includes universities in Germany and Colombia, such as Hamburg, Freiburg, Universidad del Valle, ICESI, and Universidad del Rosario. His academic output includes articles in indexed journals, book chapters, and policy analysis papers published by institutions such as GIGA, Fundación Carolina, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, and various universities across the region.

Beyond his academic role, professor Castro has worked as a consultant and researcher in regional and global projects funded by DAAD, GIGA, FLACSO, and international foundations, focusing on regional integration, foreign policy, global governance, and South–South cooperation. In the public sector, he has served as an advisor to regional government entities, where he led initiatives on territorial diplomacy, investment promotion, strategic alliance-building, and institutional strengthening. His training includes studies in project formulation, development financing mechanisms, and international cooperation. He has presented his work at international conferences such as ISA, LASA, WISC, the GIGA Forum, and other venues specializing in regional integration, global security, and comparative foreign policy, integrating in his trajectory a profile that brings together rigorous research, critical analysis, and strategic institutional action.