International Students Arrive at UC Chile to Learn About Climate Change and Public Health

At the foot of the iconic Christ statue near the main entrance of UC’s San Joaquin Campus in Santiago, the Office of the Vice President of International Affairs (VRAI) recently welcomed students arriving to participate in these summer programs. 

The programs are led by the Special Programs, Internships, and International Placements team within the Office of Global Mobility, in collaboration with academic faculties and administrative units. Together, they design summer opportunities that tackle global challenges and bring together students from a wide range of cultural and academic backgrounds. 

“What stands out most in these programs is the value of intercultural and academic dialogue. Students from different parts of the world share ideas and experiences on global issues, propose innovative solutions, building lasting connections,” explains Cristián Díaz, Director of UC Global Mobility. 

“What stands out most in these programs is the value of intercultural and academic dialogue. Students from different parts of the world" - Cristián Díaz, Director of UC Global Mobility. 

This summer, UC Chile welcomed 65 students from countries including South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, Italy, and New Zealand — a testament to its strong partnerships with institutions such as Kookmin University, University of Ulsan, University of Auckland, University of Tokyo, and Università della Calabria. 

“The purpose of these special programs is to give international students a unique academic experience focused on experiential learning and the development of critical thinking in academic settings. This approach also helps strengthen global competencies aligned with the UC graduate profile,” says Cristián Bonilla, Head of Special Programs, Internships, and International Placements. 

“The purpose of these special programs is to give international students a unique academic experience focused on experiential learning" - Cristián Bonilla, Head of Special Programs, Internships, and International Placements.

Several UC units contributed to these summer initiatives, including the Faculty of Agricultural and Natural Systems, the School of Nursing, the UC Office of Sustainability and the UC Interculturality Program, further enriching the range of academic and cultural experiences offered.

Climate Risk and the Path Toward Sustainability

The course “From Climate Risk to Sustainability” invites international students to critically examine urgent global socio-environmental issues through scientific data and systems thinking, while exploring climate risk networks and key variables in today’s environmental crisis.    

This 2025 summer edition, run in partnership with the Faculty of Agronomy and Natural Systems and the Special Programs, Internships, and International Placements team from UC Office of Global Mobility, welcomed students from Kookmin University and the University of Ulsan.

 

For Han Kim (Fabio), a student from the University of Ulsan, the opportunity to improve his Spanish, deepen his knowledge of Latin American studies, and learn more about climate change were key motivations for choosing this program—all of which he was able to pursue at UC. 

“It’s an incredible opportunity to be here and learn. I’ve been especially impressed by the outstanding professors who lead the program,” 
says Han Kim, a student in the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Ulsan. 

“It’s an incredible opportunity to be here and learn. I’ve been especially impressed by the outstanding professors who lead the program,” 
says Han Kim, a student at the University of Ulsan. 

Participants also had opportunities to connect with peers from other special programs through welcome events and workshops. Among those contributing to the program was Benjamín Ulloa, a teaching assistant for the course and master’s student in Natural Resources at UC, part of the Faculty of Agronomy and Natural Systems. 

The delegation attended classes led by faculty members from UC’s Agricultural and Natural Systems programs, particularly from the Natural Resources Engineering program, and joined a bike tour of the San Joaquin Campus, organized by UC Office of Sustainability.

“Climate change and its effects have become a common language for citizens and nations worldwide. Each country responds in its own way, prioritizing adaptation and mitigation—and Chile has much to share in those areas. Our international students also share insights about what’s happening in their countries and the solutions they’re developing, whether in adaptation, mitigation, or technology. We all learn together,” explains Érika Cortés, head of the Natural Resources Engineering program. 

"Our international students also share insights about what’s happening in their countries and the solutions they’re developing, whether in adaptation, mitigation, or technology. We all learn together,” explains Érika Cortés, head of the Natural Resources Engineering program. 

As part of the course, students took field trips to agricultural and coastal areas to identify the challenges facing these regions and examine sustainable practices in agricultural production, such as livestock and vineyard operations. While visiting Algarrobo, they observed the effects of heavy swells on coastal infrastructure. 

One symbolic activity was a tree-planting ceremony at the San Francisco Garden on the San Joaquín Campus. The event celebrated the partnership between Kookmin University, University of Ulsan, and UC, and included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque. Among the participants were Lilian Ferrer, UC Vice President of International Affairs, and Yoon Hee Kang, Director of the Climate Education Office at Kookmin University. 

“We’re very happy, because through this sustainability program the three institutions have come together to learn how to tackle global challenges such as climate change,” says Professor Yoon Hee Kang of Kookmin University. 

“We’re very happy, because through this sustainability program the three institutions have come together to learn how to tackle global challenges such as climate change,” says Professor Yoon Hee Kang of Kookmin University. 

Starting Monday, January 13, 2025, the commemorative plaque will be visible in the San Francisco Garden as a symbol of the partnership and joint commitment to climate action. 

The program concluded with a trip to Patagonia, where students sailed to UC’s Regional Research Station in Bahía Exploradores, observed native wildlife and flora, and spoke with researchers about the need to fight climate change and its local effects. 

During their visit to the station, students learned about the ongoing research at the site from Professor Johannes Rehner, director of the UC Institute of Geography, and UC geographer Adrián Fernández. 

The group was accompanied by Pía Mendiburu, Head of Global Mobility.  
These programs stem from consistent relationship-building between the universities. For Kookmin University, recent years—especially 2024—have been pivotal, with campus visits in January and a return visit by Vice President Ferrer to Korea in April. These exchanges laid the foundation for the active collaboration now seen in this summer’s special programs. 

Exploring Public Health Through an Intercultural Lens 

In a joint initiative between UC’s Office of International Affairs and the School of Nursing, the third edition of the special summer program “Intercultural Approaches for Public Health” took place throughout January. 

This year’s edition welcomed 10 students from New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan, and Italy, brought together by a unique program designed to explore Chilean public health from an intercultural and holistic perspective—with a particular focus on the traditional medicine practices of the Mapuche and Aymara peoples. 

“This initiative helps elevate our academic unit on the international stage by showcasing our research and faculty areas of expertise. It also aligns with our strategic plan and our mission to train well-rounded professionals capable of working effectively in diverse environments,” says Marcela González Agüero, Associate Director of International Affairs at the UC School of Nursing.  

Alongside the international students, UC participants included Teresa García and Benjamín Meneses from the School of Nursing, Pilar Isidora Amaro from Occupational Therapy, and Danary Ayelen from Speech Therapy. 

“This program expands my professional horizons, helps me improve my English, and gives me a deeper understanding of how public health systems function in other countries—insights that will help me think critically and propose improvements for Chile’s own system,” says Danary Ayelen, a UC Speech Therapy student. 

“This program expands my professional horizons, helps me improve my English, and gives me a deeper understanding of how public health systems function in other countries” says Danary Ayelen, a UC Speech Therapy student. 

The program integrates conceptual and empirical knowledge from the social sciences, helping students understand health processes within a complex sociocultural context. It also identifies key challenges facing the region and fosters global competencies to help address these issues. 

Combining theory with immersive Latin American and Chilean experiences, the course includes Spanish language classes and visits to cultural and historical sites such as the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, and La Moneda Presidential Palace in Santiago. Students also explored the historic port of Valparaíso and took part in community activities with Conecta Asia UC. A highlight of the program was a visit to Ruka Choyituyiñ Warria Meu, a traditional Mapuche house located in the Macul district.