Australian Universities Strengthen Ties with UC Chile
With over two decades of joint work, the University of Melbourne and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) visited UC Chile with delegations of authorities and academics aiming to strengthen strategic alliances in international networks, as well as with academic collaboration, especially in the field of indigenous studies.
photo_camera University of Melbourne Authorities
In December, UC Chile received visits from two Australian institutions that are ranked among the top 20 in the 2026 QS World University Ranking, which ranks the world’s leading higher education institutions.
Between December 1st and 3rd, a delegation of academics from University of Melbourne visited UC Chile to explore opportunities to expand and diversify the student exchange programs between the Australian university and UC Chile, particularly in the areas of the humanities, literature, and social sciences.
This project reflects UC Chile’s academic cooperation with one of its strategic partners in international networks such as Universitas 21 and the Global Humanities Alliance.
The University of Melbourne delegation was led by Mathilde Lochert, Director of Education and Students at the Faculty of Arts, accompanied by Adrian Hearn, Professor of Latin American Studies, and Israel Holas, Lecturer in Spanish and Latin American Studies. They were welcomed by the Mobility Team of the UC Chile Office of the Vice President for International Affairs: Pia Mendiburu, Head of Global Mobility, and Cristian Bonilla, Head of Special Programs, Internships, and International Internships.
The delegation also held meetings with senior authorities from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Language Sciences, and the Faculty of History, Geography, and Political Science.
In turn, from December 11th to 13th, UC Chile hosted a delegation from the University New South Wales (UNSW), composed of academics and members of Australian indigenous communities. The mission was led by Christine Evans, a member of the Wiradjuri people and Vice-Chancellor of Indigenous Education at UNSW, accompanied by Lucas Lixinski, Professor at the Faculty of Law and Justice, and Samara Hand, a member of the Worimi/Birimi people and Lecturer at the School of Law, Society, and Criminology.
They were also accompanied by two UNSW students: Illarrah Roberts, a member of the Bundjalung, Gomeori and Euahlayi peoples, who is currently pursuing a double degree in law and criminology; and Kaleisha Cowan Roberts, a member of the Yuin and Bundjalung peoples, who is studying her final year of medicine.
One of the main objectives of the UNSW visit was to establish a partnership for institutional transformation aimed at exchanging good academic and research practices. The institution proposed organizing meetings between teachers and indigenous students, promoting joint projects in the fields of human rights, justice, health, and interculturalism.
Academic cooperation relationships with Australia
Academic ties between UC Chile and both the University of Melbourne and the University of New South Wales span more than 20 years.
With almost 200 years of history, the University of Melbourne is currently ranked 19th in the 2026 QS World University Ranking. The first agreement with UC Chile was signed in 2004, and since then 85 UC Chile students have completed their exchange program at the Australian institution, while 56 of their students have come to our faculties.
With regard to this group of exchange students, those from the University of Melbourne welcomed by UC Chile mainly focus on History, Sociology, and Urban Studies.
UC Chile students who have studied at the Australian university mainly come from Engineering, followed by Law, and Economics and Management Sciences.
For its part, the University of New South Wales, founded in 1949, is ranked 20th in the 2026 QS World University Ranking. The first agreement with UC Chile was signed in 1997, and since then, 102 UC Chile students have completed their exchange program at UNSW, while 90 UNSW students have come to our campuses.
In terms of this form of mobility, UNSW students received by UC Chile primarily focus on Economics and Management Sciences, followed by Biological Sciences, and Political Science.
UC Chile students who have studied at UNSW mainly come from Economics and Management Sciences, followed by Engineering, and Design.
