UC welcomes 60 representatives from universities in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean

Chile hosted the 2024 general assembly of the Magalhães network, and among the summit’s main topics were advances in technology, engineering, and architecture, highlighting the importance of collaboration between universities in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Fotografía Samuel Díaz, Vicerrectoría de Asuntos Internacionales.

On October 6, representatives from the Magalhães Network member universities arrived in Chile to participate in the 2024 general assembly. The assembly aims to present the progress and developments of the past year regarding the collaborative themes that drive the network, in addition to sharing experiences in innovation, internationalization, and technology.

On October 7, 8, and 9, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile hosted the Magalhães Network General Assembly Chile 2024, along with the University of Chile and Federico Santa María University.

More than 60 representatives attended the summit at the three Chilean universities, participating in eight thematic sessions that addressed R&D, global mobility and postgraduate research exchange, Global Virtual Collaboration (COIL), the role of universities in technological development, and more.

“The connection created through this summit and the ongoing contact between member universities in the network allows us to share experiences, results, and projections of collaborations between Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean for knowledge exchange, project development, and technological modernization,” said Catalina Gerstmann, head of Strategic Relations at VRAI UC.

The group concludes this meeting with high expectations and discussions about joint projects, exploring common ground and internationalization strategies. The next general assembly of this network will be held at the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, to commemorate its 20th anniversary.

Conference at UC Chile

Fotografía Samuel Díaz, Vicerrectoría de Asuntos Internacionales.

Despite a rainy morning, the delegation of representatives arrived at the Lo Contador campus on Tuesday, October 8, to participate in the second day of the summit, hosted by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

The event was organized by the Vice-Rector’s Office for International Affairs, together with the School of Architecture , the School of Engineering , and the School of Civil Engineering . UC Engineering Dean Loreto Valenzuela, along with the Director of the School of Architecture, Luis Eduardo Bresciani, began the event by greeting the authorities present and, from the various schools, highlighting the importance of collaboration among the network’s member institutions.

“Furthermore, this international connection gives us the opportunity to work together to find solutions to the global problems affecting our societies today, such as climate change, sustainability, digital transformation, and social equity,” said Dean Loreto Valenzuela.

The School of Engineering highlighted the collaborative work carried out since January of this year with other universities in the network through the Erasmus Capacity Building Project Meeting (ELA4ATTRACT), which aims to attract diverse talent in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

The School of Architecture, which welcomed the delegation in its auditorium, highlighted the importance of this meeting, particularly in terms of student mobility, reinforcing the intense exchanges it has had in recent years with Aalto University in Finland, the Polytechnic University of Madrid, the Polytechnic University of Milan, the Autonomous University of Mexico, and others.

It also served as a forum for discussions to renew the Dual Degree Agreements between the School of Architecture and the Politecnico di Torino (20 years since the first agreement was signed) and the Politecnico di Milano (18 years since the first agreement was signed). These agreements benefit student and knowledge exchange.

During the day, four sessions were presented that brought together the network’s projects and initiatives, with presentations by representatives from the Politecnico di Torino, TEC de Monterrey, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Grenible INP, and Magalhães Network officials.

During this visit, the group toured the campus facilities, located near San Cristóbal Hill, which boasts significant architectural heritage. The group’s impressions highlighted the balance between the modern structures and the 18th-century mansion, located in the heart of the campus and a National Monument.