An emotional ceremony was held to deliver the benefit.

With the presence of the Academic Vice Chancellor, Dr. Jorge Catalán Ahumada, the Corporate Banking executive of Banco Santander, Aída Palacio, School directors, academics, beneficiary students and special guests, the delivery of certificates took place at the University of La Serena that certify the delivery of the “Santander Practical Scholarship”.

At the ceremony, the students received gifts from the banking institution and the ULS, as recognition. In addition, the university authority highlighted the commitment that the university has with the students and the permanent cooperative bond with the private institution that grants the scholarships.

Five students received this benefit, who belong to the careers of Commercial Engineering, Journalism, Pedagogy in Spanish and Philosophy, and Auditing.

This scholarship includes the delivery of USD $1.000 in a period of 520 hours. of practical work, which is why it provides a solution to those students who must carry out internships in companies where their situation is not remunerated.

This is the second year that the scholarship has been awarded to students from the University of La Serena. In this regard, the person in charge of representing the banking entity, executive Aída Palacio, pointed out that Banco Santander is committed to education and that is why their social responsibility is to give incentives to students to, in this way, be a contribution to the training of new professionals, highlighting their effort and desire to improve, along with promoting education in a comprehensive manner.

In this scholarship granting process, the Graduate Monitoring Office was the coordinator to make the call for applications from the Academic Vice-Rector's Office, gathering the necessary documentation and, through a commission, choosing the favored ones.

During the ceremony, a former scholarship recipient and current journalist with a degree from the ULS, Ricardo Muñoz, who during 2017 received the monetary incentive, was also present and addressed the guests, highlighting that “this aid is essential for those of us who cannot qualify for a paid internship. Many times 'poor students', as was the case in my case, thanks to this contribution, we can close a circle of effort and begin a new stage; In my case, I managed to do my internship, I managed to get my degree, and without the contribution and help of the bank and the ULS I would not have been able to do it, since I was my own support during my university life. I can only say that as long as we want it, we can do it, the effort is always rewarded.”

Source: DEIP

More than 700 students applied via PACE Quota to the ULS.

One hundred and thirteen students are part of the third 2019 generation of Vía Cupo and PSU income, belonging to the Accompaniment Program Effective Access to Higher Education (PACE) of the University of La Serena.

With a high number of applications for the various ULS careers, more than 700 students preferred the higher education institution, with more than 300 applications being effective.

Claudia Toledo, Coordinator of the PACE ULS Higher Education Accompaniment area, stated that “as a program we are happy that so many students belonging to Educational Establishments (EE) assigned to the PACE program throughout the country have chosen to apply to our University. For this year, the state campus made 130 extra places available to its academic offer, spread over its forty majors. We are happy that the number of students who enter our University through this route continues to increase”.

The process that the PACE students had to carry out was the enrollment of all students entering the ULS, in which the digitalization and incorporation of new technologies stood out, which facilitated the attention of a large number of young people and their families.

Once the University route was completed, the PACE students had to complete a parallel route of the program, which consisted of a brief induction that was carried out at the PACE stand, a characterization interview by the psychologists and the signing of a letter commitment in which students accept or do not accept the accompaniment of the program.

The Coquimbo Region Education Seremi, Claudio Oyarzún, who visited the ULS registration process, stressed that “the Accompaniment and Effective Access to Higher Education Program, well known as PACE, is a tremendous opportunity for young people to access the university".

Testimonials

It should be noted that the vast majority of PACE students are the first in their family to enter Higher Education.  

Jessica Medina, a student who entered the Design program, expressed: “I am fascinated, happy, because they are opening the doors to a new stage, world; The support of the program has been paramount to me. Now with all the energy for what is to come”.

While Matilde Quispe, Jessica's mother, pointed out that “PACE is support for young people who study in technical, foreign and immigrant schools. This program opens the doors for us, I think it is an excellent foundation since they provided guidance not only to my daughter, but also to the parents and guardians. I am grateful because my daughter will have the support of a team of professionals who will help her get her university degree”.

Carolina Cepeda, a relative of a student who entered via PACE Quota, referred to this process: “I think it is a great option for my nephew, PACE opened the doors to Higher Education, from day one he had support, in his application and guidance regarding the careers offered by universities and now in Higher Education the welcome from the program team is appreciated.”

Meanwhile, the student who enrolled in Psychology, Camila Pereira, commented: “I am happy, since thanks to the program I entered the career that I always wanted and, in addition to that, the program team helped me in everything to be able to enroll. properly, with a lot of patience and good vibes.”

Cristina Alfaro, mother of a student who entered Via PACE Quota for a Bachelor's Degree in Astronomy, gave her opinion: “I am happy that my son enters the University of La Serena, the accompaniment seems ideal to me, since the contents of secondary education are not delivered properly and this support that they will receive in Higher Education is necessary, plus I see an enthusiastic team willing to help the kids, so wonderful.”

Source: Press PACE ULS Program

Authorities from Poland and the state campus expressed their interest in developing collaborative actions.

Within the framework of the celebration of the centenary of bilateral relations between Chile and Poland, a delegation from said country, accompanied by deputy Sergio Gahona, visited the University of La Serena in order to strengthen ties and establish joint work to highlight the legacy by Ignacio Domeyko, as part of the humanist scientific development of the Coquimbo Region.

The delegation that met with the university authorities was made up of the deputy of the Polish Congress and president of the Poland - Chile parliamentary group, Bartosz Kownacki; Ambassador Przemyslaw Hauser, high diplomat of the Order of Malta, president and co-founder of the Institute for Economic Development Europe - Latin America (Ideeal), owner of TBA television production company and author of films such as “Testimonio” (about the life of John Paul II ), “Apartament and “The Treasures of the Vatican”; Elzbieta Hauser, member of the Ideal Institute; the president of Polska Fundacja Narodowa (Polish National Foundation), Filip Rdesinski; the director of the Polish National Foundation, Ania Jankowska; the director of the TVN Poland television agency and former BBC London journalist, Maciej Czajkowski; the president of the Ignacio Domeyko Foundation, Marcin Schmidt, founder and vice president of the Ideal Institute; the general manager of Sierra Gorda SCM, Miloslaw Kidon, among other representatives of the European country.

During the meeting, the members of the Polish delegation expressed how important it would be for the University to be part of the celebration activities, mainly because it is a house of higher education closely connected to the legacy of the wise Ignacio Domeyko.

“It is a great honor to visit the University of La Serena, we were looking forward to this meeting and to be in the region that welcomed Ignacio Domeyko (…) We hope to be able to carry out a cooperation project with the University,” said Ambassador Przemyslaw Hauser.

The Academic Vice Rector of the ULS, Dr. Jorge Catalán, representing the Rector, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, valued the visit of the representatives of Poland and specified that Ignacio Domeyko is a figure permanently present in the region and in this University. In this sense, he stressed that it is important to keep in mind his contribution “to science, to our country and to our institution, and consequently also to maintain and increase the close ties that unite us with Poland” in order to establish and develop collaborative work. .

While deputy Sergio Gahona, who chairs the Chile-Poland interparliamentary group, highlighted the possibility that the state university of the Coquimbo Region can continue to link with the European country and promote joint projects, also considering the important connection it has with so distinguished Polish-Chilean scientist, who initiated professional mining education in our country.

The journalist and former presidential candidate participated in two activities with journalism students.

A television interview and a conversation were the activities carried out by journalist Beatriz Sánchez during her visit to the School of Journalism of the University of La Serena on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 23, events managed by students of the program, who extended the invitation to the also former presidential candidate to participate in this day.

In the first instance, an interview was carried out for the Television III branch, where two students had the opportunity to ask the guest different questions. Subsequently, a discussion was held in the context of the Radio subject, open to students of the degree and focused on the work of the journalist, mainly in the radio medium.

Beatriz Sánchez highlighted that it is important to be able to receive and be a participant in this type of invitations, where you can generate feedback with university students. “I think it is entertaining to be able to listen to people who are studying a career like Journalism, the visions they have and the opinions they give and it is interesting to be able to discuss what the ethical role is, why one studies journalism, and what is normally discussed bit".

In addition, he added that having spaces like this, where you can talk and share experiences, strongly complement the training of a professional future. “It is essential to have spaces like this, because it is part of the university, the university is not just studying, it is being able to debate, talk, find different spaces and be able to share with people from other careers,” said the journalist.

In total there were 50 students between grades 7 and 11 from the Tierras Blancas sector, who visited three campuses of the University of La Serena.

With the purpose of expanding and diversifying the sociocultural spaces and resources of boys, girls and their families, the Regional Center for Studies and Development of Education of the University of La Serena (CREDEULS) carried out a new version of the “Open University to the Boys and Girls.”

The activity was organized by the Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education program at the ULS and is carried out within the framework of the “Community Pedagogy” project, presented by academic Clara Tirado, which aims to expand the cultural and educational interests of boys and girls. on this occasion, from the Summer School of the Coquimbo Human Development Institute and the “Villa San Fernando” Neighborhood Council.

The visit allowed the boys and girls to get to know different spaces at the U. de La Serena, mainly the Andrés Bello, Ignacio Domeyko and Isabel Bongard campuses.

On this occasion, the schoolchildren were able to visit the Central House, where they were received by the Academic Vice-Rector, Dr. Jorge Catalán; in addition to the University Radio, the Mineralogical Museum, the Anatomy workshops, the Irma Salas Silva Central Library, the Gymnasium, among other university facilities, where they learned, in a didactic way, about the different functions that are carried out in these places.

For Juan Navarro, president of the “Villa San Fernando” Neighborhood Council, the visit to the ULS means a unique experience for the boys and girls, since from an early age they can understand what it means to be part of the University. “It is a nice experience, it is the first time that children from the neighborhood association can visit the University and they seem happy with this visit,” he expressed.

The activity ended with a tour of the University Park, where a musical presentation was performed by the Tuna Femenina Azahares.

The U. of La Serena exceeded 750 new students enrolled. This year the registration process was optimized by applying new technological supports.

More than 750 new students enrolled in courses at the University of La Serena, in a process that was characterized by the expeditiousness of the process thanks to digitalization and the incorporation of new technologies.

For the Rector of the ULS, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, “this successful process reflects that young people and their families continue to recognize the prestige of our institution and trust us to provide them with quality training.”

He also highlighted the development of the registration process and the implementation of new technologies, “which has allowed new students and their families to complete each of the procedures more expeditiously and in less time. As an institution we work every day to improve our processes in the context of quality assurance, and this 2019 enrollment process is proof of this.”

The registration process was carried out at the Ignacio Domeyko Campus, a venue where a large number of young people attended to complete their admission to the state campus.  

One of the students who enrolled at ULS was Francisca Barcaza, who traveled from Arica. “I wanted to come to the University of La Serena and study Architecture, there are good professors (…). “I am very happy to enter.”

While Isaac Araya, who graduated from Colegio San José, will be a new student studying Law. “I chose this University because I know how it works and I know it is good, plus I have friends and family who study here,” the young man clarified.

For his part, Maximiliano Salgado enrolled in Musical Education Pedagogy, “because it is the career he wanted and they teach it here, so all the ideal conditions were there to study here. “I want classes to start later.”

The enrollment process included the participation of units such as the Teaching Directorate, Financial Standardization Unit, General Directorate of Student Affairs, Information Technology and Computing Center, Support Program and Effective Access to Higher Education (PACE ULS), Directorate of Institutional Studies and Planning, Department of Corporate Communications and Digital Campus.