Our University's Successful Institutional Alliance Adds More Than 170 Beneficiaries
The main objective of the historic partnership between the UC Chile, the University of Notre Dame in the United States, and the Luksic Scholars Foundation is to contribute to the Chilean educational system and to encourage collaboration and bilateral exchange.
photo_camera From left to right: President of the UC Chile, Ignacio Sánchez, Executive Director of the Luksic Scholars Foundation, Isabella Luksic, and Vice President & Associate Provost for Internationalization of the University of Notre Dame, Michael Pippenger.
In 2013, the Luksic Scholars Foundation inaugurated the "Faculty Exchange Luksic Grants" to strengthen the exchange of researchers, professors, and administrative staff between the UC Chile and the University of Notre Dame du Lac in the United States.
Over the past decade, 170 professionals have participated in these exchanges, deepening the relationship between the two universities. Presently, both institutions prioritize internationalization in their development plans and share a common goal of fostering global competencies in students and collaboratively disseminating knowledge and innovation. This partnership gave rise to the "ND-UC Chile Luksic Scholars Joint Research Awards," a research competition aimed at promoting collaborative research across various knowledge domains.
10th Anniversary
To celebrate 10 years of collaboration, members of the University of Notre Dame and the UC Chile who participated in the scholarship program convened in Chile. They gathered with representatives of the Luksic Foundation to discuss the accomplishments and outcomes of the program at both universities, including notable collaborations and research in various areas such as philosophy, engineering, mathematics, the arts, and humanities.
Regarding this collaboration and the relationship between the two universities, Michael Pippenger, Vice President and Associate Provost for Internationalization at the University of Notre Dame, said:
“We are very pleased with what has been achieved with this program. Thanks to the Luksic Scholars Foundation for planting this seed, which has meant that today we are very close strategic partners with the UC Chile. We feel that in the future this bond can only grow stronger since the relationship with Chile is an exchange that is very important to us.”
For his part, the UC Chile President Ignacio Sánchez stressed the importance of promoting internationalization in higher education:
“As a university, we are committed to continuing to establish strong relationships with universities and research centers around the world. This program marked the beginning of a very fruitful collaboration that has benefited academics, administrators, and in particular, our students. We believe that we need to foster global skills for global challenges, and internationalization opens opportunities in that path.”
Internationalization in Higher Education
As part of the celebration of the partnership’s 10th anniversary, a seminar titled “Internationalization in Higher Education: Reflections on the Effects and Impact of the Strategic Collaboration of Institutions” was held on December 17 at the Central Campus of the UC Chile, in Santiago, the capital city of the country.
The seminar addressed topics such as the challenges of establishing an Office of the Vice President of International Affairs; international collaboration in research; and the impact of inclusive and sustainable student exchange.
Lilian Ferrer, Vice President of International Affairs, shared the following reflections on the involvement of all three institutions:
"Our challenge has revolved around imprinting the mark of internationalization across our university efforts, spanning research, teaching, and public engagement. Throughout this pursuit, the partnerships with our strategic allies have proven remarkably beneficial. I want to underscore the significance of collaboration between foundations and academia. It plays a crucial role in training and attracting talent that generates the necessary knowledge to address the challenges we face as a society.”
The event was open to the public and featured panelists from both universities, including Lilian Ferrer (UC Chile), Michael Pippenger (ND), Domingo Mery (UC Chile), Robert Nerenberg (ND), Cristian Díaz (UC Chile), Hong Zhu (ND), and Steve Reifenberg (ND), among others.
