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During the activity "Mission Andean Countries to Chile", held on June 18 and 19 at the University of Los Lagos, Santiago Campus, Rector Aldo Valle emphasized the importance of this type of meeting for the improvement of the international relations of the universities that make up the Council of Rectors.
Convened by the Inter-American University Organization-OUI, and under the title “Doctoral training, research and innovation in universities of Andean Countries: Good practices and creation of new consortia”, the activity “Mission Andean Countries to Chile” was held this Thursday 18 and Friday 19 June, at the University of Los Lagos Campus Santiago.
The meeting aims to address the need to extend relations and promote academic cooperation between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in America, particularly among the countries that make up the so-called 'Andean region'.
The opening ceremony was attended by Patricia Gudiño, Executive Secretary General of the Inter-American University Organization-OUI, Aldo Valle, Rector of the University of Valparaíso and Executive Vice President of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCh), and Óscar Garrido, Rector of the University of Los Lagos and Regional Vice President for Andean Countries-OUI.
“We have a generation of academics who will conclude their contributions to universities in the next five years, and a significant portion of that group holds doctorates,” commented Patricia Gudiño. “We need to undertake a serious reflection within institutions, countries, and regions on how many people we need to train at the doctoral level, in what areas, with what resources, and how we can coordinate our efforts. In this regard, we believe that in the Americas there is a great opportunity to connect universities that demand training with those that offer it, as well as to establish better links between them and the institutes, organizations, or government entities that support scholarship programs. The goal here is to facilitate this dialogue, to create a platform for exchange to achieve this objective,” explained Dr. Gudiño.
For his part, Rector Aldo Valle emphasized the importance of these types of meetings for strengthening the international relations of the universities that comprise the Council of Rectors. “Our participation in the Inter-American University Organization as the Council of Rectors is longstanding, constituting an invaluable experience for many of those who currently serve as rectors in our universities. The IOU is also a very important platform for the development of the internationalization processes that higher education is currently undergoing. Finally, and viewed from a perspective that is not exclusively academic or institutional, these forums are a very reliable path for developing cooperation among our Andean countries. We must work to improve our cultural, academic, and intellectual integration, which is probably the fundamental link in all integration,” argued Aldo Valle.
“The Council of Rectors celebrates and congratulates this meeting because there is an opportunity here for development and growth for many of our institutions that, probably, we have not been able to take full advantage of,” concluded the rector of the University of Valparaíso and executive vice president of CRUCh.
For Óscar Garrido, Rector of the University of Los Lagos and Regional Vice President for the Andean Countries at the OUI (International Union of University Professors), the event provides a valuable opportunity to “invite universities from Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador to discuss and explore avenues for cooperation with Chilean universities. In Chile, the development of postgraduate studies, doctoral programs, and research is important; however, there are aspects related to a lack of solidarity in fostering effective Latin American integration. I hope this event will allow us to establish a platform, shared objectives, and common interests so that rectors, vice-rectors, and representatives from universities in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru can formulate specific requests, and we, from the University of Los Lagos, can coordinate and work to ensure that the universities within the Council of Rectors are available and that we assume a genuine cooperative role with these universities.”.
Following the official photograph, the event continued with presentations on the panel “Experiences in Doctoral Training in Andean Countries.” Presenters included María Isabel Eljuri, Director of International Relations at the University of Cuenca, Ecuador; María Teresa Marshall, Executive Director of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCh); and Víctor Cubillos, CRUCh Commissioner of the National Accreditation Commission (CNA) of Chile. The panel was moderated by Patrick Puigmal, Director of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Los Lagos.
When asked about the importance of the meeting, María Teresa Marshall stated, “This activity allows us to glimpse areas where collaboration among Latin American countries is essential. While today's event focused on doctoral studies, it is clear that these are by no means isolated from research. Therefore, as Patricia Gudiño pointed out at the beginning, we need to develop shared research agendas. This will allow us to convene faculty and seek funding opportunities for the entire system. In this endeavor, the vision and leadership of Rector Garrido, the event's host, and Rector Valle, who was present at the opening, are fundamental.”.
In the afternoon session, the panel “Scholarship Opportunities from Chile” took place. Participants included Carla Tossi, Head of Outreach for the Advanced Human Capital Training Program at the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) of Chile, and Pablo García, Head of the Chilean Agency for International Cooperation (AGCI). The session was moderated by Julio Crespo, Director of International Relations at the University of Los Lagos.
The day concluded with three 'Exchange Roundtables' in the areas of engineering, basic sciences, and social sciences. These roundtables included academics and researchers from the participating universities.
The meeting resumes tomorrow with the panel “Experiences in research and innovation: opportunities for new consortia”, continues with the launch of the book “History of Education in Chile: 16th to 19th centuries”, by Luis Celis Muñoz, and concludes with the Regional Assembly of OUI Andean Countries members.
WHAT IS THE OUI?
The Inter-American University Organization (OUI) is the only university association actively present throughout the Americas. Internationally recognized, the OUI is a leading forum for reflection and action, comprised of more than 300 higher education institutions and national associations from across the continent.
The OUI is a non-profit organization that aims to strengthen the contribution of higher education and research by creating common spaces in the Americas. It is responsible for promoting the interests of its members, analyzing trends in this field in depth, and developing concrete solutions to the challenges encountered in the region.
A true spokesperson for its members, for more than 30 years, the OUI is an organization that has a deep knowledge of Higher Education due to the close collaboration it maintains with its members and the support and consultancy it provides to its partners.
*Source: University of Los Lagos
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