Cultural weeks that open campuses to the world
Over 9,000 members of the UC Chile community have explored and learned about diverse countries, including Indonesia, France, and South Africa, thanks to an initiative spearheaded by the Office of the Vice President of International Affairs. This initiative aims to enhance internationalization by promoting cultural diversity and fostering global connections.
photo_camera The global culture weeks “bring the diverse cultures of the world closer to our university community, providing everyone with the opportunity to gain international exposure and develop global competencies,” said Lilian Ferrer, Vice President for International Affairs. (Photo: Discover Indonesia with UC Chile/César Cortés Dellepiane)
Four years, nine countries, and over 9,000 participants are just a few of the impressive figures showcasing the impact of UC Chile's Global Culture Weeks.
This achievement has been made possible through collaboration with 10 faculties and 7 centers, including Libraries, Cinema, Bookstore, and the UC Chile Extension Center.
These efforts have extended across all our university campuses in Santiago and the Villarrica campus in the Araucanía region, significantly broadening their reach and enhancing participation.
The goal?
To learn about different cultures from around the world and contribute to building a global campus.
This is the mission of "Descubre con la UC Chile" (Discover with UC Chile), an initiative launched in 2021 by the Office of the Vice President of International Affairs, now entering its tenth edition.
Over the years, this program has featured countries such as Palestine, Israel, China, Korea, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, France, New Zealand, and now, Peru.
The cultural weeks offer the university community a rich array of experiences—gastronomic, academic, literary, and cinematic—further enriching the cultural life of the campuses.
In line with our university's commitment to advancing internationalization, the 2020-2025 development plan aims to promote "internationalization at home," a comprehensive model designed to provide a global, inclusive, and cross-disciplinary education for the entire UC Chile community.
Building on this premise, the Office of Global Learning, under the Office of the Vice President of International Affairs, has established the "Discover with UC Chile" Global Culture Weeks. These events, organized in collaboration with embassies, faculties, and various centers, bring a new culture to our campuses for a week.
“The cultural weeks represent a dynamic initiative designed to foster internationalization at the university in an engaging and accessible manner for all members of the UC Chile community. These events bring diverse global cultures to our campuses, providing everyone with opportunities to develop global perspectives and competencies. As a key component of our 2020-2025 development plan, deepening internationalization encourages us to cultivate skills essential for navigating and thriving in a globally interconnected society. The cultural weeks enable us to bring different parts of the world to UC Chile," explained Lilian Ferrer, Vice President of International Affairs.
The project aims not only to establish the concept of a global campus but also to cultivate global competencies that will empower community members to engage in global citizenship through interactions with diverse cultures. It emphasizes the importance of valuing interculturality in both local and global contexts.
This initiative is a key component of a broader educational program that begins with internationalization at home, extends to curricular internationalization within the university, and includes additional opportunities for developing intercultural skills.
Impact on UC Chile
The initiative has also encouraged the engagement and participation of the international community at UC Chile, strengthening relationships with various embassies, universities, and organizations.
The culture weeks have promoted Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiatives, fostering new academic connections across various disciplines and enriching the overall academic environment.
In this context, Maribel Flórez, Director of Global Learning, emphasized the positive impact of Discover with UC Chile:
“We have explored nine countries with which we often have limited interaction or are geographically distant. By understanding their customs, languages, and histories, we connect with realities vastly different from our own, broadening our perspectives. These events encompass academic activities, artistic exhibitions, and practical workshops that engage professors, professionals, administrative staff, students of all levels, and the broader university community.”
Feedback from the University community
To assess the community's response to the cultural weeks, periodic satisfaction surveys are conducted. The results reveal that Korea and South Africa have been the most warmly received countries.
The most popular activities are the fairs with cultural stands, noted for their music and dance performances. Additionally, 71% of participants consider the level of internationalization on campus to be good or excellent. These activities have primarily contributed to “broadening their vision of the world.”
Among the feedback received, an official from the Casa Central campus in Santiago noted, “It's exciting to see the impact these events have had on our UC Chile community, allowing people to see their cultures reflected and visible for everyone to learn and enjoy.”
An official from the San Joaquín campus added, “These events provide a valuable opportunity to connect with other countries and cultures, especially from a geographically distant country like Chile.”
Undergraduate students also agree, stating that the activities “broaden their perspectives” and “offer fascinating insights into other cultures from around the world.”
Discovering Peru with UC
After nine successful events, the focus turned to Peru, an Andean country renowned for its natural beauty, cultural richness, gastronomic delights, and historical significance. Recognized as South America's top destination by the World Travel Awards South America 2024, Peru has a strong connection with UC Chile.
The university currently maintains 11 agreements with 6 Peruvian institutions, covering areas such as cooperation, exchange, and special programs.
Additionally, 60 Peruvian academics and professionals are part of UC Chile, and over 164 Peruvian students have chosen UC Chile for their exchange programs.
To further strengthen academic cooperation, UC Chile has formed the Artesanos de la Unidad ("Artisans of Unity") partnership with Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo.
Watch the Master Classes
- Social Protection in Peru: Paradigms and Practices from the perspective of Social Work. (Enable English subtitles)
- Ergonomics and Systems for Inclusive Design: Human Factors and Activity (Enable English subtitles)
- Shaping the modern world: Polymer Chemistry and Applications (Enable English subtitles)
