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During the meeting, the participants made progress in the strategic planning of the collaborative work they are carrying out, as well as in generating consensus and common guidelines for the internationalization of the institutions that are part of the commission.
At the Concepción campus of the University of Bío-Bío (UBB), on Thursday, May 14, and Friday, May 15, the plenary session of the Internationalization Commission of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) was held. At the beginning of the meeting, Rector Benito Umaña welcomed the commissioners, emphasizing that international engagement is now an essential task for universities. In this context, he stressed that inter-institutional cooperation is key to addressing the challenges associated with the globalization of knowledge and academic and scientific development. He also expressed his gratitude for the commitment and effort of the Commission members.
According to Nelly Gómez, Director of Institutional Relations at UBB, representatives from 17 universities attended the meeting in person, while members of other institutions joined remotely. Gómez indicated that, during the meeting, various subcommittees addressed topics such as migration and mobility policies, quality, global curriculum and internationalization at home, studies, regional focus, and territory.
Nelly Gómez emphasized that hosting the session was very significant for UBB. "It's a very important milestone, because our University is interested in strengthening institutional internationalization and academic mobility at the undergraduate and graduate levels, consolidating the agreements and protocols under which they are developed.".
For his part, the president of the CRUCH Internationalization Commission, René Garrido, emphasized that the body has been strengthening its position and contribution. He especially highlighted the work of the subcommittees, which provide relevant information to the rectors for decision-making on international matters. "Specifically, we are interested in evaluating and contributing from a technical perspective to the areas we have analyzed in this meeting.".
Meanwhile, Mary Hayes, head of the International Relations Unit at the Catholic University of the Holy Conception, commented that these forums allow us to realize that, even though each institution has its own profile and mission, they share many challenges and are enriched by dialogue and the experience of other institutions. At the same time, she added, "we have managed to overcome together some gaps that are difficult to resolve individually.".
In addition, during the session held at UBB, the representative of the University of Los Lagos, Oscar Díaz, was elected as vice president of the Commission.
Text and photos: Communications University of Bío-Bío.
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