Universitas 21: UC Chile’s Invitation to Incorporate South American Perspectives Into the Global Agenda
Through its active participation in the Universitas 21 network, UC Chile has strengthened its international presence by promoting collaborative work with universities across five continents, on a platform that invites members of the UC Chile community to enrich their education through initiatives that integrate teaching, research, and mobility in a global environment.
photo_camera UC Chile students, faculty members and staff who have participated in U21 programs gather to share their experiences. (Photo credit: Paz Morales, Office of the Vice President for International Affairs Outreach.)
In line with its commitment to internationalization, UC Chile actively promotes the participation of its students, faculty members and staff in international initiatives that foster academic and personal development. Through its partnership with Universitas 21 (U21), opportunities are opening that connect the UC Chile community and South America with a network of world-leading educational institutions.
U21 comprises 31 universities from different continents, united by a shared vision of the value of collaboration and internationalization in higher education to address the most pressing global challenges. UC Chile is the only South American institution in the network.
The network’s initiatives seek to generate concrete benefits for students, faculty members, and institutions through exchange, shared learning, and the collaborative design of solutions.
In this context, UC Chile students have access to opportunities for collaboration with members of the network and flagship programs such as Global Citizens, Leaders of the Future, Three Minute Thesis (3MT®), Sustainable Micro-Internships, and the RISE Showcase Awards, among others. These initiatives offer opportunities to develop key skills in an international setting, promoting a holistic education that addresses the demands of an increasingly interconnected world.
Global education with impact: U21 Global Citizens
The Universitas 21 Global Citizens program invites UC Chile students to join a fully online international experience that is compatible with their studies, during which they will spend three weeks sharing ideas and finding solutions to global challenges with peers from around the world. The initiative focuses on collaborative work to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), linking academic learning with real-world challenges.
The participants will engage in individual and group activities, exchanging cultural perspectives and acquiring tools to make an impact within their own contexts. In addition, this experience allows them to earn a digital micro-credential and strengthen key skills such as critical thinking, intercultural collaboration, and leadership in diverse settings.
Students who have had the opportunity to participate in this initiative highlight the opportunity Global Citizens provides for applying their academic fields of study to address issues that extend beyond the academic realm.
Catalina Arancibia, a business administration student at UC Chile who participated in the program, explains:
“What I take away from the program is a more interdisciplinary perspective on SDGs, I’ve gained the experience of interacting with people from different cultures, learning about different realities, and also being able to practice my English.”
The SDGs addressed by Global Citizens are global goals adopted by the United Nations (UN), designed to eradicate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all.
In the search for social, economic, and environmental balance, it is crucial to gather diverse perspectives, ideas, and experiences. In this regard, José Plaza, a geography student at UC Chile, shares his thoughts after participating in the program:
“I think it is important to participate, because we need more Latin American perspectives in these spaces. We can contribute as Chileans and as UC Chile students; it is truly valuable and we can have an impact not only among ourselves, but also on the rest of the world.”
Adding to this is the testimony of Alejandra Ávalos, a student in the master’s program in higher education at UC Chile:
“It can often be difficult to participate in an exchange program and live an entire semester abroad, and these opportunities allow us to have the same experience with the same quality, from the comfort of our own homes, and to build networks and create opportunities that can shape our professional futures”, she mentions.
Leadership that transcends borders: Leaders of the Future
With the mission of recognizing and supporting those who are making a difference in the world, the Leaders of the Future awards honor students and recent graduates from U21 member universities, who demonstrate leadership and commitment to internationalization, highlighting their impact in academic, social, or professional contexts.
In April 2024, the winner of this award was Rocío Rayén Alarcón Lipin, then a law student at UC Chile, who stood out in the “Current Student” category for her contribution as a driving force behind “Trawün Tinkuy,” a student organization that seeks to promote knowledge about the Mapuche, Aymara, Diaguita, and Lickanantay peoples through the experiences of UC Chile students.
This award seeks to showcase projects and initiatives that address topics such as climate action or global inclusion, aligning with today’s major challenges. Winners are announced at international events organized by the U21 network, which allows them to showcase their work to a global audience and consolidate their role as agents of change in their communities.
Innovation with purpose: RISE Showcase and Awards
The RISE (Real Impact on Society and Environment) program serves as an international platform for student projects focused on sustainability and social innovation. Through this program, UC Chile students can showcase initiatives that aim to make a concrete impact on society or the environment.
More than just a competition, RISE serves as a space to connect with experts from the academic and industrial world, who provide feedback and opportunities for growth for the projects. Additionally, the selected teams gain access to a global audience and are eligible for funding to scale up their initiatives, transforming ideas that originate in the classroom into solutions with international reach.
Antonia Ortiz, member of one of the teams nominated for the RISE awards for their project Laboratory of Public Policies (LEPP), a student initiative that engages the UC Chile community in the development of public policy proposals.
“By gathering projects developed by students from different countries and backgrounds, these awards enable the exchange of perspectives on common social challenges in various global contexts.”
Reflecting on her experience, Antonia highlights that participating in the competition allowed her to strengthen her teamwork skills, her ability to synthesize ideas, and her creativity in designing solutions to complex problems.
“The possibility of sharing experiences, knowledge, and proposals originating from diverse realities contributed significantly to strengthening and enriching our work”, says Antonia. “I had the opportunity to meet people who are deeply committed to sustainable development, which reinforced my motivation to continue working on initiatives with a public impact.”
UC Chile’s membership in Universitas 21 has boosted the inclusion of South American perspectives in spaces for global discussion and increased its ability to address major contemporary challenges. Through these initiatives, students and faculty members not only gain access to global experiences but also position themselves as active participants in constructing solutions with impact, connecting the knowledge generated in Chile with a network that transcends borders.
