Learn Chile institutions generate more than 150 agreements at NAFSA 2022
After a two-year gap due to the pandemic, NAFSA 2022, the world’s largest gathering of international educators, was held in-person once again. Learn Chile was present at the event, together with 20 universities and technical institutes, with the largest stand of any Latin American country (100 m2) and 40 representatives of Chilean institutions who reached more than 150 agreements with international universities.
NAFSA 2022, held from May 31 to June 3 in Denver (United States), is the world’s largest international education fair, and was attended by more than 6,000 university representatives from around 100 countries. The event undoubtedly provides an excellent opportunity for outreach and international recognition, both for Chilean higher education institutions and to position the country as a great place to study. The event is supported by ProChile every year, both in Chile and the U.S.
This year, Chile was a special guest at the NAFSA 2022 ambassadors’ meeting, which was attended by only six countries selected to present their academic offering. Chile’s representatives, Scarlett Ramírez (ProChile Trade Representative in Washington) and Marcos Avilez (Learn Chile Director) had the opportunity to hold 30 business meetings to promote education in Chile to universities from around the world, which was a great privilege for the country.
Learn Chile is the only network that brings together public and private universities and technical institutes from throughout the country to promote their higher education offering internationally.
Positioning Chile
Universities that participate in the NAFSA event have always shown great interest in establishing relationships with Chile, above all institutions from the United States this year. “This week, we have had the opportunity to hold numerous meetings with various higher education institutions from the United States, which are very interested in the Chilean education market. We are happy to promote business and friendship relations with the Government of Chile”, said Ana Keener, from the U.S. Embassy in Chile’s Commercial Department.
On this occasion, the seventh time that Learn Chile has been present at the event, other Latin American countries showed remarkable interest in deepening their ties with Chile, thanks to the cooperation efforts undertaken as part of the Latin American Initiative for the Internationalization of Higher Education (INILAT). The NAFSA event was a conducive setting for representatives of INILAT’s member countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru) to meet in person for the first time, further consolidating the bonds established virtually since 2020.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s Ministry of Education met with Learn Chile to present Go Colombia, a program created last year, and to find out more about how the Chilean network has become a benchmark for Latin America.
The expo
Learn Chile representatives held 600 networking meetings with their peers from other countries to provide information on the Chilean education system, higher education institutions, and their academic offering. These relationships will give rise to more than 150 new cooperation agreements (some of which have already been signed), and the arrival of students from around the world who wish to continue their education in a Spanish-speaking country.
“At these events, we can verify the interest in collaborating with Chilean universities. The results have been positive, and we are highly satisfied with our participation through the Learn Chile brand”, said Jorge Burgos, Director of International Relations at Universidad Católica del Maule.
Participating higher education institutions
- Duoc UC
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
- Universidad Austral de Chile
- Universidad Autónoma de Chile
- Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins
- Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
- Universidad Católica del Maule
- Universidad Católica del Norte
- Universidad Central de Chile
- Universidad de Chile
- Universidad de La Frontera
- Universidad de los Andes
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile
- Universidad de Valparaíso
- Universidad del Bío-Bío
- Universidad del Desarrollo
- Universidad Diego Portales
- Universidad San Sebastián
- Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María
- Universidad Viña del Mar