Professor Gloria Tapia, who currently works at the Instituto Agrícola Pascual Baburizza, in the city of Los Andes, Chile, was part of the first experience of the ChileMass Teachers program, with the support of Luksic Scholars.

ChileMass Teachers is an initiative through which teachers working in public education in Chile have the chance to take English courses and internships in public schools in Massachusetts, with the goal of observing how the classes are conducted in schools in Framingham, along with actively participating as students of the “English Language Studies” program at Framingham State University.

ChileMass is a non-profit organization that seeks to maximize social impact and the transfer of knowledge between Chile and Massachussets.
Gloria Tapia, having returned to Chile after her experience in the United States, shares the following about her experience:

“At Middle Walsh School I did class observation twice a week for two hours each day. My personal observation consisted in “observing” the methodology applied by the teacher in a certain subject. For this purpose, I took notes on the pedagogical aspects that were significant and/or “profound” in the teaching-learning process of the students, such as the clear and visible presentation of the learning objective(s), the three phases of a class (start, development and closing), how the use of technology positively impacts, or vice versa, the educational process, the role of the teacher who focuses its class on students and not on itself, student projects, the teacher-student relationship, the coordination of the directors with the teachers and the curricular proposal of the school.

During the last three weeks at the school I gave Chilean history and geography classes to the students.

As a student in the university’s ESL program, I underwent a written and oral exam to assess my level of English to decide which course was for me. I participated in the advanced course in which I had classes every day from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. Its aim was to improve English through public speaking, grammar, vocabulary, writing techniques and how to write an essay, and phonetics. In addition, we had to participate in tutorial classes once a week. The classes were made up of a maximum of 10 students from different nationalities, such as Brazilians, Salvadorans, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Italians.

I lived in the university’s international building, which facilitated me with access not only to classes, but also to all cultural events held at and near the university. Having lived in that building gave me the opportunity to share with students from different cultures and nationalities, and there was a healthy coexistence of respect and true interest on knowing other ways of life.

I also participated as an observer-doer teacher at Middle Walsh School, and I had the possibility to become a student again, thing that filled me with energy and sharpened my senses in how all students should be taught respecting their personal learning rhythm, their strengths, weaknesses and emotions, aspects that together are relevant when learning.

As a student, I enjoyed each class with a participatory attitude in each of them. It was an instance to generate friendship bonds with my colleagues. And the fact of being an English teacher increased the demand for me, so I really prepared myself so as to give credit to the University of Chile, where I studied, and the IAPB school as well.

This experience enriched me in my methodological approaches, which was the primary objective, and will allow me to put them into practice at school. Personally, there was also a significant personal growth, since sometimes it is necessary to make a stop in the daily routine… And I did it in the state of Massachusetts! One of the teachers in the United States, Karen, even gave me the opportunity to teach my classmates Phonetics and Grammar, and that made me immensely happy!

My experience as a teacher/student was highly significant and I recommend living it, mainly because it is imperative to improve our educational practices having in mind the 21st century education, for it is characterized for being for a generation highly gifted in technology and we, as guides and teachers, must know how to get directly involved with it in order to achieve all the advantages that it can generate for all of us.”

In February, six students from the Faculty of Economics and Business of Universidad de Chile will fulfill their dream, and of many, of traveling and studying abroad, thanks to the “Luksic Scholarship for Chile-China Undergraduate Exchange” program.

These young students will travel to China for what is, perhaps, their first great adventure: getting used to another culture, language, big cities and, probably most challenging, to know themselves.

These scholarship recipients are Francisca Valenzuela Quezada, Rodrigo Delgado Finaldi, Vicente Alarcón Ávila, Marcelo Gómez Rojas, Constanza Castillo Durán and Catalina Gaueca Carrillo . The students, who are between 21 and 24 years, will be distributed in two destinations, three of them going to the Guanghua School of Management of Peking University, in Beijing, and three to Fudan University’s School of Management, in Shanghai. Both are globally recognized universities for their academic level and, together, have almost 70,000 students.

Luksic Scholars talked to the awarded students, who join 20 other young students who have obtained this scholarship in the past, to learn about their experience before they begin this incredible journey.

Vicente says:

“The Luksic Scholarship is not like any other scholarship. Unlike other traditional opportunities, it doesn’t merely focus on academics, since it requires a fairly attainable grades average. However, it has a high level of requirement in extracurricular aspects, evaluating how the student’s performance is in our personal development. It’s highly valuable that the scholarship rewards people for their cultural development, participation in student organizations and/or commitment to social matters. I hope this selection process remains as it is to continue giving the opportunity to cases like mine.”

Constanza points out:

“My application process started from the moment I entered university, because I always knew that studying abroad was a learning experience that I had to go through. However, many times I found limitations, such as having the resources or speaking the language. I knew that I had to build my path to that dream step by step and that, despite it was going to take time to fulfill it, I was definitely going to do it.

After I got over all those limitations, I realized that the problem was actually me, because I always told myself: “When I’m ready, I’ll do it”; “I still have to master this, and this too…” So, there was always something else that should be improved, until one day I wondered “Why not now? What prevents me from doing it?” I was studying English, I had the option of the scholarship, which facilitated my resources problem, and I fulfilled several of the requirements. At that moment, I stopped limiting myself and believing that everything should be perfect to just take the next step.

In particular, I was interested in the destination because for me it’s really incredible, something totally new and challenging. This, along with my fascination for Asian culture.

Even during the selection process I didn’t realize I was at the precise moment that I’ve always dreamed of since I first started college, considering that for me it was a dream difficult to achieve, because when you are used to certain living realities, sometimes, you don’t dream big, or try to adapt the parameters to your reality. Now that I’ve come to this point, I don’t have much to say more than thank you for believing in me and in my abilities. I hope to represent the university well so that many more other students have this possibility that is given to me today.”

This generation of Luksic Scholarship recipients share a common value as the most relevant part of the exchange: giving the opportunity not only to talented students, who will be future great professionals, but people with unique vision and effort, interested in intercultural development and who will definitely contribute to build a better Chile and a better world.

Recently, 20 students from the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University visited Chile in the framework of the Chilean Immersion Program for China. This is the second time that a group of undergraduates from a Chinese business school has come to Chile thanks to a scholarship funded by the Luksic family, in partnership with the University of Chile.

This trip represents a milestone for Guanghua, since it is the first time the school has sent undergraduate students to South America for a study tour, thus strengthening the growing academic bond between China and Chile.

The 20 young students had the opportunity to meet with their Chilean peers and other Latin Americans during their stay in Santiago, where they also took business classes and Spanish in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Chile.

Likewise, this group made visits to relevant companies from various sectors, such as Banco de Chile and its innovation center, Viña Tarapacá, and more.

They also experienced cultural and touristic highlights such as the gastronomic offerings of Santiago, and the picturesque architecture of Valparaíso.

Congratulations to these young Chinese students for their interest and desire to venture across the world to learn more about Chile, its culture, its landscapes, and its people!

Ignacio Sánchez, a pediatrician, longtime faculty member and president of Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, received an honorary degree of doctor of science at Notre Dame’s 174th University Commencement ceremony on May 19.

“It was very touching,” said Sánchez. “I was impressed by the atmosphere and the conversations. The students’ speeches were full of deep and profound messages.”

Sánchez is one of four distinguished U.S. and international leaders who were honored with a degree, along with University of Notre Dame’s Executive Vice President John Affleck-Graves and the principal speaker, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and renowned speechwriter, Peggy Noonan.

“Known as a wise and engaged leader who takes the time to listen despite a schedule which finds him juggling weekly patient appointments with his many other duties, he is a tireless champion of inclusion for underprivileged students and those with special needs,” said Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins during commencement.

Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (PUC) was founded in 1888 and is considered one of the top universities in Latin America. To date, it has built collaborative research and student exchanges with nearly 280 international universities from over 40 countries.

Sánchez was appointed president of PUC in 2010 and reappointed to a second term in 2015 by Pope Francis. He specializes in the study of cystic fibrosis, asthma and other respiratory illnesses in children. Previously, he served as the university’s head of pediatrics and director and dean of the School of Medicine. Sánchez is the head of the Chilean chapter of Catholic universities, a part of the International Federation of Catholic Universities.

A look back

The partnership with PUC is at the center of Notre Dame’s strategy for Latin America. The history of the University in Chile extends back three quarters of a century when the Congregation of the Holy Cross established its first educational institution in Latin America: Saint George’s College in Santiago, Chile. Saint George’s is one of Chile’s most prestigious primary and secondary schools with more than 2,600 students in attendance.

Notre Dame has continued to develop programs in Chile along with collaborations with Chilean colleagues. In the 1970s, the Kellogg Institute for International Studies and the Center for Civil and Human Rights were instrumental in finding key partners who shared Notre Dame’s goals and mission. With a shared vision to be preeminent research universities committed to both global engagement and a Catholic mission, PUC became one such partner.

Pontifical Catholic University of Chile’s Casa Central campus (in downtown Santiago)

A strategic alliance

Sánchez has played an integral part in the collaboration between PUC and Notre Dame. A new era of this mutually beneficial relationship with Sánchez started nearly a decade ago when he first visited Notre Dame’s campus in South Bend. At the time, the University was exploring ways to expand its presence in Chile to enhance faculty and research capacity.

In 2013, Sánchez signed a memorandum of understanding with Father Jenkins, strengthening scholarly engagement between both institutions. The agreement established an exchange program, encouraging faculty, doctoral students and university representatives from Notre Dame to visit, work, study, and collaborate with PUC colleagues.

“This kind of deep relationship and shared mission is very important to both students and faculty,” said Steve Reifenberg, associate professor of the practice of international development and co-director of Integration Lab at the Keough School of Global Affairs, who has had more than three decades engaging with Chile.

“Ignacio Sánchez has been a great champion of encouraging his faculty to take advantage of opportunities to come here and our own faculty and staff have been welcomed there.”

Pictured: Steve Reifenberg, Anne García-Romero, Ignacio Sánchez and his wife, Dr. Salesa Barja, following the commencement ceremony

Supporting faculty research

The faculty exchange collaboration between PUC and Notre Dame has been supported by Chilean benefactor Andrónico Luksic and his family. The Luksic Family Collaboration Grant program encourages the Notre Dame community to find new ways to collaborate with colleagues from PUC on research, exchanges, and conferences in order to increase the flow of Notre Dame faculty and staff going to Santiago. The Luksic family also supports faculty and staff from PUC to come to Notre Dame.

Anne García-Romero, associate professor in the Department of Film, Television and Theatre, was a co-recipient of a Luksic grant with her Notre Dame colleague Anton Juan, and they co-taught a Devised Performance course last fall semester at PUC’s School of Theater. She said Chile has a rich theatre tradition and spending a semester at PUC provided a remarkable collaboration between Notre Dame and PUC students.

“Our course was an extraordinary exchange of methodologies, ideas, ways of working, and knowledge in the discipline of theatre,” said García-Romero. “This valuable experience gave us a new appreciation and a deeper understanding of the legacy of Chilean theatre.”

This experience has led to an ongoing faculty exchange between the Notre Dame’s film, television and theatre department and PUC. This semester, two PUC theater faculty met with Notre Dame theater students and professors during a campus visit. Next fall, two additional PUC theater faculty will spend a week at Notre Dame, lecturing in theater classes and sharing their theater research with the Notre Dame community. García-Romero and Juan are also collaborating with the PUC School of Communications faculty on a new project as well. In addition to developing interdisciplinary research initiatives, both universities have interest in developing undergraduate and graduate exchange programs in the fields of law, mathematics, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and biology.

Since the program’s inception in 2013, Luksic grants have funded more than 60 projects at Notre Dame, spanning five colleges, the Law School, nineteen departments, and several institutes. The program has allowed Notre Dame to dramatically expand the breadth of research and collaborative missions in Chile.

Current snapshot

Collaborative faculty research continues to be a priority for both universities, as well as growing the study abroad opportunities for students. To date, more than 30 Notre Dame faculty members from various departments, including science, law, physics, chemistry, engineering, theology, and arts & letters have traveled to Santiago to conduct research or teach. With several faculty exchange programs in the works, PUC is looking to send more faculty to Notre Dame.

While faculty research has been a focus in recent years, the study abroad program in Santiago has been established for more than twenty-five years. Operating both spring and fall semesters, the study abroad program serves approximately fifty undergraduate students from Notre Dame each year. Sánchez said these numbers are impressive and he hopes to increase these types of opportunities for PUC students to study at Notre Dame.

In 1994, Notre Dame established a permanent office in Santiago to continue supporting students, as well as facilitating relationships and supporting faculty exchanges, shared research, internships and dual Ph.D. programs. The office has since moved to PUC’s San Joaquin campus and is known as the Santiago Global Center. The programs offered or supported at the Santiago Global Center through Notre Dame International are broad and cover undergraduate and graduate students as well as opportunities for faculty and staff.

The degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa is conferred on Ignacio Sanchez, rector of The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

The Catholic mission

“I think in some ways, the relationship with the Catholic University of Chile has served as an inspiring model for what Notre Dame is trying to do around world,” said Reifenberg.

Both universities share a vision for not only increasing strategic scholarly engagement, but to do so with a shared Catholic mission. Reifenberg and Sánchez both believe it’s a model that is being recognized around the world, as two universities come together with complementary perspectives and strong catholic identities as a force for good.

“With our complementary missions as premiere Catholic universities, we have to think about the value that we bring to different parts of the world,” said Sánchez.

The University recognized this partnership and storied history during commencement with the highest honor possible: an honorary degree.

“Rooted in his devotion to his family and his Catholic faith, he lives out the Gospel Call as healer and teacher,” concluded Father Jenkins.

**Originally published on international.nd.edu **

In the past few days, the first edition of Chile Conference UK took place.

Valentina Rosas, Luksic Scholar, one of the creators and monitors of this conference, explains why this initiative was born:

-We are a group of Chilean graduate students that started the organization of this project eight months ago, with the idea of building a bridge for the analysis of public policies between Chile and the UK. This Conference aims to examine different red-tape areas of public policy bringing together people from the academia, policy-makers and students, and question what country we want to be in an academic environment that promotes respect and tolerance.
As students, we felt there was a general lack of places to think and debate about our country while we were studying abroad.

She also says that this group, as graduate students, cannot be disconnected from the public debate on the challenges that Chile is currently facing: a growing economy and a stable political scenario that nonetheless is sometimes blind to an aging population, high inequality, disaggregation that its cities are creating. 

That is why they began with this idea: a conference to bring together Chileans currently living and studying in the UK to think about the country Chile wants to be.

Chile Conference on Public policy took place on May 24th in London (LSE) starting with the Ambassador David Gallagher and Consuelo Saavedra. Then, on labor market, taxation system,  new criminal law and pension systems panels.

A panel was held in Oxford (Blavatnik School of Government) on the 25th, about the taxation system reform with the participation of Prof. Nicholas Barr, former Minister Rodrigo Valdés, Prof. Claudia Sanhueza (Universidad Mayor) and Pablo González from ILC investments (CChC) as representative of the private environment. Parallel panels on smart cities and poverty alleviation were also held.

Speakers were Anandi Mani Professor of Behavioural Economics and Public Policy at BSG; Alexandra Barrantes, Senior Social Policy Specialist in Development Pathways, Adriana Conconi, Executive Director at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and Magdalena Rossetti, anthropologist from Universidad de Chile and currently, student of the Master of Public Administration at LSE.

At this panel, the multidimensional measurements of poverty as complement to income measurements, and behavioral science approaches to understand the effects and limitations that poverty produces in decision making were discussed

Again, in Valentina Rosas’ words: “With this round table, we are looking at new approaches that can enrich our protection system to enable us to deal with the next generation of social issues and their multicausality.”

In 2019, four new programs were launched, bringing the total current scholarship programs supported by the Luksic family to 18.

The four programs are “Columbia Executive Education for Croatia“, “Sciences Po Quiñenco Scholarship for Chile“, “Faculty Seminar at Sciences Po“, and “Chilean Immersion Program for China“, to be held in Croatia, France and Chile respectively.

These four programs promote the exchange of knowledge and intercultural understanding in an increasingly globalized world.

These new initiatives will allow the network to surpass 1,400 beneficiaries from Chile and the rest of the world who will have received an education at some of the most prestigious higher education institutions around the globe, supported by the Luksic family.

The Chile Conference on Public Policy is supported by Luksic Scholars and organized by a group of Chilean graduate students in The UK, among them Valentina Rosas, a current Luksic Scholar studying public policy in Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University.

The goal of the conference is to discover new problems in “red tape” policy areas, by asking what country do we want to be? This question will be tackled jointly with high-level speakers producing various outputs to disseminate ideas and proposals.

This meeting is the foundational milestone to promote Chilean students in the UK as the hub of future policy ideas and innovative-led solutions.

The event will be held on May 24 at the LSE School of Public Policy in London and on the 25th at the Blavatnik School of Government in Oxford, and will include the participation of Ambassador David Gallagher; former Minister Rodrigo Valdés, Chilean policymakers as Andrea Repetto, Antonio Bascuñán, and Augusto Iglesias, as well as important academics from the UK such as Nicholas Barr and Peter Ramsey.

Relevant themes such as the labor market and the fourth industrial revolution, impact investing, the taxation system, new criminal law, pensions systems and its challenges, smart cities and urban studies and the future challenges for social protection and poverty alleviation will all be addressed at this event.

You can find more information at www.chileconference.co

Three students selected from the Facultad de Economía y Negocios of the Universidad de Chile are spending a semester abroad in Beijing at Peking University, participating in an exchange program sponsored by the Luksic family.

In 2018, a new Luksic Scholars program was established: the Chile-China Undergraduate Exchange, between the Facultad de Economía y Negocios of the Universidad de Chile, Peking University and Fudán University, some of the top business schools regionally. This agreement allows both Chinese and Chilean undergraduate students to study abroad for a semester.

Juan Martínez, Alessandro Campos, and Camila Rebolledo (in the photo, along with their exchange partner from PKU, Gavin Wang) are three Chilean students of Commercial Engineering and Computer Engineering & Management Control from the Universidad de Chile who are currently at the Guanghua School of Management of Peking University. We caught up with them in Beijing to hear more about their experience.

What has most impacted these young Chileans is the multicultural environment in which they find themselves living at Guanghua, considered one of the most prestigious business schools in China, where the student body is made up of Chinese students and young people from all over the world.

“We share residences with both Chinese friends and expats. We have had to learn to overcome the language barrier, and we even communicate with signs,” says Camila. “But the personal enrichment of sharing with other young people from all over the world has been great.”

The students also emphasize that they have learned to navigate the peculiarities of Chinese culture and admire their customs. They claim that Beijing is a very safe city, and conclude that academically the biggest challenge has been so far the level of rigor in the classroom.

“We are happy and we still have elements that remind us of Chile… from the cherries and apples and the good wine that we find in the shops, to the Latin music that our Chinese friends listen to much more often than one would imagine,” they say. “It’s a great experience.”

Within the framework of the agreement between Banco de Chile, Universidad Católica de Chile, and Tsinghua University, the twelfth version of the CMIX Conducting Business in China program has just concluded.

On this occasion, 17 MBA students and two professors from the UC along with two executives from Banco de Chile took part in a two-week study tour in China. The trip, which included academic, business, and cultural elements, began with classes taught at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, which is considered one of the best academic institutions in Asia.

Also, the students visited Schwarzman College – a new residential college in the same university, cradle of future global leaders – where the Chileans met with Latin American counterparts, and attended a conference by Richard Brodhead and Xue Lan, former President of Duke University and Dean of Schwarzman College, respectively.

As usual, the agenda also included high-level company and site visits in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen to the Banco de Chile Beijing office, Bank of China and Citi, Foxconn, Huawei, Tencent, BYD, and more.

On March 27, 2019, a reunion of the CMIX-Chile program in Beijing was held for a group of Tsinghua MBA alumni Luksic Scholars who participated in the Chile MBA study tour sponsored by Banco de Chile in previous years.

The meeting, which took place in the representative office of Banco de Chile in Beijing and hosted by José Miguel Besnier, Beijing Chief Representative of the bank, marked an important step in linking the different generations of scholars.

The students, treated with empanadas and Chilean wines, showed their commitment to continue opening networks, both in their country of origin, and with Chile.

Without a doubt, it was a very positive meeting that promises to be repeated in future years to continue consolidating the network of Luksic Scholars and their connections around the world.