President of the Conference of Rectors of Germany meets with CRUCH authorities

09/03/2015
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Dr. Horst Hippler, president of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK), met with authorities from the Council of Rectors, as part of a visit organized by CRUCH, in which he also spoke with other actors in the system such as the head of Divesup, the president of Conicyt and student leaders.

During a two-day visit to Chile, Dr. Horst Hippler, President of the German Rectors' Conference, met with officials from the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) to discuss prospects for academic collaboration between the two institutions. The meeting, led by Diego Durán, Rector of the Catholic University of Maule, focused on strengthening cooperation between universities in both countries. To this end, a memorandum of understanding will be signed to promote research, doctoral-level academic exchange, and greater dialogue on institutional frameworks in higher education.

Dr. Hippler valued the meeting with CRUCH authorities and noted that meetings between rectors' conferences should be held periodically in order to "define the framework" under which academics from both countries will interact. He also expressed great interest in the reform process that Chile will undergo in higher education. "I think it's good that the government is convinced it must allocate resources to education and research," he said.

Meeting with authorities and students

In addition to his meeting with the Council of Rectors, the president of HRK met with the head of the Higher Education Division, Francisco Martínez, to discuss the government's proposed reforms to higher education. The government official expressed interest in receiving support for technical education, given Germany's strength in this area.

Dr. Hippler also met with student leaders gathered at the Confech (Confederation of Chilean Students): Ricardo Sande from the Catholic University, Valentina Saavedra from the University of Chile, and Marta Matamala from the University of Santiago. During this meeting, they discussed the challenges facing Chilean universities in light of the reform, and the students shared their perspectives on the changes. Following this meeting, the president of HRK concluded his public activities with a meeting with the president of Conicyt (National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research), Francisco Brieva.