In order to commemorate this new anniversary, online talks will be held by graduates of the degree.

The Environmental Civil Engineering program at the University of La Serena will celebrate its 25th anniversary in the coming days, in commemoration of the date on which, through Decree No. 1.665, the university made its creation official, the August 24, 1995, being considered the first undergraduate teaching program in Environmental Civil Engineering taught in the country.

"The creation of this prestigious study program attached to the ULS Faculty of Engineering constituted a response to the needs of the region and the country, taking into account our more than centenary experience and tradition in engineering education. It became one of the first civil engineering programs that address this topic that is so fundamental for improving the quality of life from the point of view of environmental sustainability,” highlights the Rector, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés.

In this regard, the Coordinator of the degree, Dr. Ricardo Oyarzún, states that the program "was created when the country was beginning to formally adopt the environmental issue, promoted and associated especially by the mining industry. In that context, it was very pertinent that "The degree was part of the Mining Engineering Department at our University. In its conception, the training of a professional focused on the issue of environmental management (in its multiple dimensions) was contemplated, a situation that turned out to be very successful and successful."

During these 25 years, the program has not only been dedicated to the professional training of hundreds of engineers, but has also permanently contributed to the development of research and links with the environment, both for the benefit of its students and the community. , standing out nationally and internationally.

“The environmental civil engineers at the University of La Serena are professionals with advanced knowledge in the area who, together with their critical and responsible vision of their environment, are capable of working to guarantee the execution and supervision of environmental projects. This is supported by the hundreds of graduates who today are working successfully in the country and abroad,” says the Rector of the ULS.

While Dr. Oyarzún specifies that "currently the world has evolved. The environmental issue has gone from being 'just another concern' to 'the biggest cause for concern' for society. Issues such as climate change, water scarcity, heat waves , overpopulation and overuse of natural resources, pollution, etc., appear day by day associated with the development, well-being and future of humanity. In this context, we need future graduates to be able to acquire the necessary knowledge and have a permanent attitude of concern and interest that allows them to address the important challenges that already arise today with both a national and global vision. In this context, the development of the degree within the University during the coming years must continue to reflect the priority option for environmental issues that has been part of the work of the ULS since its beginnings".

In this sense, the Director of the School of Civil Engineering, Eng. Jaime Rodríguez maintains that “the career is in a process of evolution and adaptation. On the one hand, the curricular renewal that began with the cohort that entered in 2017 is in full implementation. The challenge for the Environmental Civil Engineering degree is to be able, with the curricular innovations that are going to be carried out with the CORFO FIULS2030 Project, to position it as the best degree in Environmental Civil Engineering in the Northern Zone and as one of the national references in its disciplinary field.”

The academic also explains that for the next 5 years it is planned to continue and ideally expand the areas of career development, "considering environmental issues of increasing importance under a global approach."

Regarding the challenges of the degree, Rector Avilés indicates that he hopes that these will allow the study program "to continue advancing and solidly projecting the development of environmental civil engineering, so necessary for these times, where sustainability and care for our environment , are essential not only in our region, but in our entire country.”

Online talks

To celebrate such an important occasion, the race has organized an online event where the ULS graduates, Daniela Páez, senior specialist in Environment and Permits at Barrick Chile, and Samuel Guevara, director of Planning and Sustainability Projects at Codelco El Teniente Division, They will hold talks on August 28 at 18:00 p.m. via Zoom.