Directors of International Relations meet for the third annual meeting

Representatives from the International Relations offices of the CRUCH universities discussed the global landscape facing their institutions. They also addressed the challenges ahead in this area and reviewed the year's activities.

At the University of Los Lagos, a two-day meeting was held between the representatives of International Relations of the Universities of the Council of Rectors, with the presence of rectors of the CRUCH and guests.

The meeting was attended by the rectors Luis Pinto of the Metropolitan Technological University, Óscar Garrido of the University of Los Lagos, and Víctor Cubillos of the Austral University, who chairs the CRUCH International Relations Committee. Also present were María Teresa Marshall, executive director of CRUCH, and guests Gabriel Rodríguez, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, José Goñi of the University of Concepción, Daniela Moriamez of PROCHILE, and Pablo García of AGCI.

On the first day of work, a panel discussion was held that included the rectors Cubillos and Garrido along with Gabriel Rodríguez and José Goñi, with the purpose of analyzing the current situation of internationalization of the higher education system and raising the challenges in this matter.

The panel analyzed the internationalization scenarios that CRUCH universities should address, as well as the global changes that may shape the institutions' strategies for fostering greater mobility. In this regard, Rector Óscar Garrido noted that there is significant heterogeneity among universities. Many do not consider international relations as part of their strategic plan. Therefore, he suggested that CRUCH should "move forward with a cooperative approach," both among universities and with the government.

Rector Cubillos emphasized the importance of universities—both faculty and students—having the opportunity to connect with foreign institutions. “This allows us to see what universities abroad are doing in terms of partnerships with businesses or donation strategies, to name a few areas. And students gain a broader perspective when they go abroad.”.

When asked about the best course of action for International Relations, José Goñi pointed out that universities today must be able to adapt to and anticipate the new international landscape. He highlighted four elements that, in his view, are crucial for developing a successful strategy. First, a thorough institutional assessment is essential to identify strengths and, based on that, determine which countries to work with. Second, the topics to be internationalized must be prioritized, taking into account each institution's comparative advantages. Third, this issue must become a shared concern for the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH). Fourth, a strategy for interaction between the Council of Rectors, the government, and the private sector must be established. Ambassador Rodríguez added that there are no hard and fast rules for navigating these scenarios, but he emphasized the importance of identifying alliances, considering that scientific development operates in networks that require critical mass. Given the size of our higher education system, it is essential to combine our capabilities.

Other agenda items included a progress report on the situation of undergraduate student mobility by Complementa Consultores; the alternatives offered by the Pacific Alliance scholarship program; the evaluation and projections of doctoral missions in Latin America carried out by the CRUCH Postgraduate Commission; and the OUI offer for strengthening management and internationalization capacities in CRUCH universities.

The meeting culminated in a broad debate on proposals to strengthen internationalization in CRUCH universities based on student mobility strategies supported by academic recognition, the mobility of academics in priority areas, the need to make international contributions in the field of research visible and to strengthen active membership in networks at the regional and international level.