Chilean and Colombian universities meet in Bogotá to discuss Postgraduate training

The Colombian Association of Universities and the Council of Rectors opened a space for dialogue and exchange on the trajectory and perspective of postgraduate training in Colombia and Chile, in order to move towards greater academic collaboration.

The meeting was held in Bogotá on October 8th of this month, within the framework of the visits organized by the Postgraduate Advisory Commission of the Council of Rectors to that country; which also included meetings with universities in Bogotá and Medellín.

This dialogue involved eight universities from CRUCH – University of Chile, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, University of Concepción, Federico Santa María University, Catholic University of the North, University of Valparaíso, University of Talca, University of Antofagasta and University of La Frontera – which sought to strengthen their internationalization strategies in doctoral training.

For Ziomara Zarur, Secretary General of ASCUN, “the presence of Chilean universities commits us to seeking human connection and reaching agreements for joint work and greater reciprocity.” Meanwhile, for María Teresa Marshall, Executive Director of CRUCH, “this meeting represents another milestone in strengthening academic collaboration, and we hope to continue these discussions in future activities to be held in Chile.”.

ASCUN's work as an association of universities is similar to the tasks undertaken by CRUCH in the areas of research networks, academic innovation, postgraduate studies, and internationalization. Along with recognizing common ties, both entities committed to facilitating links between Colombian and Chilean universities, while also fostering connections between agencies that support scientific development and international cooperation.

The group of postgraduate directors from the nine universities belonging to the Council of Rectors met with their counterparts from the National University of Colombia, the University of Los Andes, the Pontifical Javeriana University, the University of Antioquia, and the National University of Medellín. In each of these meetings, they shared guidelines for doctoral training—in terms of areas of knowledge, quality assurance systems, funding, and international collaboration strategies—in order to identify areas of common interest and ways to establish academic collaboration between Chilean and Colombian universities.

Understanding the strengths of these universities—both public and private—provides a significant boost to the pursuit of more systematic collaboration. Recognizing complementary areas will allow for future progress in joint programs for graduate student and faculty exchange, as well as joint supervision and dual degree programs. This has opened a dialogue for both sides, one that must be resumed and developed to bear fruit, both within each university and through their respective associations, such as the Council of Rectors and ASCUN.