• The comprehensive cooperation agreement will formalize the pre-existing relation between Universidad de Santiago and many French institutions and will provide co-funding for students of Universidad de Santiago who want to pursue internship programs in that country. President Juan Manuel Zolezzi and the Cooperation and Cultural Action Counselor of the Embassy of France, Patrick Bosdure, made the agreement official in a ceremony attended by the directors of the doctoral programs offered at Universidad de Santiago.

 

Keeping in mind that the School of Arts and Crafts- the alma mater of our University- was inspired by the French education system, the President of Universidad de Santiago, Juan Manuel Zolezzi signed a collaboration agreement with the Embassy of France, represented by its Cooperation and Cultural Action Counselor, Patrick Bosdure, in order to strengthen research and academic links between both countries.

The agreement signing ceremony was held a few days ago at the Casa Central of Universidad de Santiago, with the presence of the Pro President Pedro Palominos; the Vice President of Outreach and Engagement, Sergio González; the Director of the Graduate Studies Office, Gloria Cárdenas, and the Head of the Department of International and Inter-University Relations, Carol Johnson. The Director of the Neuroscience Doctoral Program, Rodolfo Madrid; the Director of the Science Doctoral Program with Major in Mathematics, María Isabel Cortez, and the Director of the Science Doctoral Program with Major in Physics, Luis Eugenio Hamm, were also invited to the ceremony.

The French diplomat said that one of the goals of his work in our country is to promote student exchange. “Student mobility is extremely important. In Chile, we have more than 350 agreements with different universities and it is very rewarding to sign agreements that are really effective from their beginning,” Patrick Bosdure said.

He said that, for France, it is very important to organize inter-university collaboration in the framework of agreements like the one recently signed, because they are an example of effective cooperation, and in the future, this relation could be stronger. He added that he is receptive to receive projects and research proposals, because doctoral studies are a priority.

President Zolezzi said that he was pleased for the opportunity of formalizing the agreement that will lead to strengthen the links that professors and different departments of the university have already developed with many French higher education institutions.

For his part, Pro President Palominos said that our University is really interested in this kind of agreement with countries like France, because the institution needs to have more accredited doctoral programs and to broaden its areas of knowledge. This idea was reaffirmed by the Director of the Graduate Studies Office who said that this exchange program is ideal for students to make new contacts and develop networks.

According to the Director of the Neuroscience Doctoral Program, Rodolfo Madrid, this is a very good time for signing the agreement: as the program is new, efforts are being made to strengthen the agreements that favor student exchange and improvement of programs.

Dr. María Isabel Cortez also valued the agreement “because it is very useful for students, particularly for Mathematics students, an area in which we have a strong collaboration with France, but at a project and professor level. Although she thinks that an internship of two months is not enough, “it will help students to build networks and make contacts to progress with their projects and to interact with more people than they usually do.”

Open contest

Carol Johnson, Head of the Department of International and Inter-University Relations, explained that the agreement gives the opportunity of engaging two-month research internships at high quality research centers in France to at least seven doctoral students whose dissertation projects have been approved. Universidad de Santiago and the Embassy of France made a commitment to provide the students with co-funded scholarships.

The application period is open between December 18th and March 13th. During this time, applicants should collect the required documents. Students will be staying in France between June and December 2015. For further information, click on http://www.postgrado.usach.cl/es/noticias/se-abre-convocatoria-becas-para-estadias-doctorales-en-francia

Translated by Marcela Contreras