The new graphic form of communication of the University comes to complement the traditional Institutional Shield that will be used in solemn communication contexts.

The University of La Serena chose social digital environments to launch a new visual image for its institutional and promotional communications. It is an isotype that rescues the elements of the original institutional Shield -which is part of the tradition of the house of studies- and that seeks to improve the visibility and recognition of the name of the University in small format formats.

“The ULS began an exercise to review the use of its Shield, observing that when it was used in the context of mass communication, the name of the institution lost notoriety. This happened because the Shield was used and adapted as if it were a logo, without the necessary safeguards. Thus, to the sophisticated original construction work of the Shield, elements such as circles, words and phrases were added, forcing it to become a logo and slogan," explains Carola Espinoza Orellana, a professional who joined the ULS last March within the framework of the project to create the Strategic Communication Department, a new unit that will manage the communications of the corporate brand in order to increase its reputation.

In this way, to respect the solemn use of the Coat of Arms created in 1981, it will be ensured that this important symbol is used in solemn acts and documents, such as titles and degrees, certificates, theses, etc.

“The challenge was to rescue the central elements from the original 1981 Shield and bring them to modern graphic styles that are compatible with smaller format digital formats. For this reason, in addition to the logo in vertical and horizontal application, we created one with the acronym ULS, whose use will be applied in social networks, smaller digital formats, clothing and small corporate articles”, explains the Master in Communication, in Management of Marketing and Direct and Digital Marketing, Carola Espinoza.

On social networks, criticism did not take long to arrive, especially from those who thought that the logo replaced the Shield. Before them, the Director of Strategic Communication points out that the opinions are valid and that they hope that once the community understands that the logo does not replace the traditional Shield, but rather accompanies it, acceptance will improve.

“It is a good sign that a community defends its identity. The important thing is to understand that the essence does not change, but its forms of expression must evolve. It would have been strange if everyone applauded the measure. Furthermore, since some believed that we had eliminated the Shield, the criticism is understandable. For now, what must attract us all is for ULS to be easily recognized in the national context, which is where our image is less known. The logo and the communication isotype come to help us in this task of being seen, while the stories and content that we are generating must fill that visuality with meaning,” the professional points out.

The visual identity project is one of the first innovations of the new ULS era in terms of strategic communication, a discipline with which it hopes to reinforce a relevant personality and voice in the face of its community of officials, students and the regional, national and international social environment. .

"We are preparing to reach 40 years of institutional life with a brand that, based on its heritage and tradition, is willing to innovate to walk together with its Region, in the challenges imposed by the XNUMXst century," says Espinoza.

The signing of the agreement took place at the Extension Center of the University of Talca, an event in which the Rector of the University of La Serena, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés Pizarro, participated.

Within the framework of the modifications to the Quality Assurance System established in Law 21.091 on higher education, the rectors who make up the Consortium of Universities of the State of Chile, signed the Collaboration Agreement for the promotion of strengthening the quality of Public Universities, which will allow the new mandatory comprehensive accreditation model to be addressed in a coordinated, collaborative manner and with the highest quality standards.

The signing of the agreement took place at the Extension Center of the University of Talca, an event in which the Rector of the University of La Serena, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés Pizarro, who valued the signing of this agreement that will allow the new framework for quality assurance to be collaboratively faced and that, in addition, reflects the commitment to quality and continuous improvement of the universities of the State of Chile, institutions that have a role leading role in the development of the country and society. In the case of our institution, for several years it has defined the existence and application of various self-regulation mechanisms and, considering the relevance of the implementation of a comprehensive quality management system, it has reorganized the Directorate of Institutional Studies and Planning, transforming it into the Strategic Development and Quality Directorate.”

Under the regime, the system will operate with the following dimensions of accreditations: teaching and results of training processes, strategic management and institutional resources, internal quality assurance, links with the environment, and research, creation and innovation. In turn, it will have new levels of accreditation ranging from the basic level (3 years), advanced level (4 to 5 years) and level of excellence (6 to 7 years).

The president of the Consortium of State Universities of Chile, Rector Ennio Vivaldi Véjar, stated that this agreement is a signal so that “the Chilean family feels very deeply that these institutions give them a guarantee of quality. If the children of a Chilean family come to a state university, they will receive an education and training of the best quality here. That is why quality is central to us; we are a quality guarantee. We call on the country to support its universities, especially to make them feel like their own, because we feel like we belong to the country as a whole and that is what we are pointing out through this document.”

Also, during the work day, the rectors who make up the eighteen universities of the State, signed their commitment to support the Mineduc proposal on gender equality as agreed in the plenary session on March 27.

These milestones are a reflection of the collaboration and coordination established by Law 21.094 on state universities, which considers that public institutions must promote the excellence of all universities, gender equity and access opportunities throughout the territory, in addition to the relevance of teaching, academic and research activities according to the needs and interests of the country.

This app is an example, among many, of the capacity to develop content for the education of the future, in consistency with the ICT training seal of the ULS Educational Model.

El Mostrador, La Cuarta newspaper and other national and local media Today they published a note about the virtual reality app to educate the community in astronomy, which is part of the project of the University of La Serena: “Virtual Reality to reinvent Astrotourism”, from the Innovation Fund for Competitiveness (FIC-R) - Coquimbo Region.

The project UNIVRSO, a new way of approaching astrotourism, is developed by Campus Digital ULS and includes the website Universo.userena.digital, four free massive open online courses (MOOCs), and its virtual reality mobile application.

read the news of The counter here

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read the news of The Star of Loa here

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The Kinesiology major, Jorge Carrizo, participated in the poster format with his latest research work.

In the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Mayor, in Santiago, the fourth version of the Seminar on Sciences of Physical Activity was held, an event in which the academic from the Kinesiology career of the University of La Serena, Jorge Carrizo Largo.

On this occasion, the academic and graduate in Physical Activity Sciences participated in the poster format with his latest research work: “Effects of a base period on body composition and sports performance in male weightlifters of different age categories” (Carrizo, J.; Westhphal, C.; Anrique, J.; Contreras, E. & Venegas, M.), carried out with the collaboration of the San Joaquín Weightlifting Club and the Kinesiology major.

The academic pointed out that "these are unique instances, where we can show the commitment to resolve the concerns and problems of our environment, nourish ourselves with new and innovative ideas, which allow us to perform according to the demands of this changing world."

Furthermore, the professional indicated that “last year we participated in the World Congress Of Kineanthropometry regarding this same line of interest; However, this opportunity makes it unique, due to the formation and existence of the Research and Technology Transfer Center, headed by Dr. Paola Salas Rivas, who together with the management of Dr. Alfredo Gary, director of the Kinesiology degree , they did everything possible to allow this great opportunity.”

The meeting held at the U. Mayor, had more than 300 attendees from various Latin American universities, who witnessed keynote talks by renowned guest experts, among whom were Abby King (University of Stanford), Aylton Figueira Jr. (USJT Brazil), Mikel Izquierdo (Public University of Navarra), among others.

This type of observation seeks to counteract the effect of the earth's atmosphere, which greatly limits the sharpness of the objects being observed.

Adaptive optics is a technique that allows us to correct in real time the effects produced by our atmosphere, allowing us to obtain much sharper, high-resolution images, without the need to observe from space.

With the aim of making known the functionality of this astronomical technique, the talk “Observing the Universe in high resolution with Adaptive Optics” will be held, which is part of the AstroSerena cycle “Exploring the cosmos from the Coquimbo Region”, organized by the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of La Serena and the Gemini Observatory, with the collaboration of the Gabriela Mistral Regional Library and the financing of the ALMA-CONICYT Project #31180047.

This talk will take place on Friday, April 26 at 18:30 p.m. at the Regional Library, and will be taught by Rodrigo Carrasco, astronomer responsible for the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager at the Gemini South Observatory, who will present the basic concepts of adaptive optics and some scientific results obtained with this technique, which rival the quality of images obtained from space.

Admission to this activity is free and for all audiences interested in astronomical work in the region within the framework of the next solar eclipse.

Written by Tomás Rodríguez, DirCom

The meeting aims to foster a convergence of leaders and activists of social transformation who, through various alternative pedagogical practices, seek to forge more just, equitable, sustainable and participatory societies for Our America.

Representatives from different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean will meet at the University of La Serena in the Fifth Meeting of “Our America” (ENA 2019), an event supported by the Rector's Office and whose purpose is to generate a deep dialogue and reflection on different topics linked to education, conceived as a channel for human development.

The ENA was born in Puerto Rico with the challenge of getting closer to the southern countries. The next meetings were planned there: in Bolivia 2013, El Salvador in 2015, Brazil 2017 and, finally, Chile 2019. It is a meeting space between peers; a search to build, through education, alternative forms for Our America.

“Our Latin America is populated by stories of oppression that pulse active resistance, founded on the bond of love, on the mutual care of those below, and from below. That is one of the meanings that we want to share from the ENA organization, largely based on our work and feelings during the event, but we also understand that something else is needed, something that reflects the harshness of our situation. "It begins a fabric that transcends nationalities and is found in the nuances of Latin American cultures to build a platform that contains us and gives us impetus," said the organizing committee, which on the part of the ULS is led by academics from the Department of Education, Silvia López de Maturana and Yanola González, and the former academic Carlos Calvo.

The organizing committee added that “a clear decision emerges to establish the Nuestra América Network, a meeting space in different spaces for views, conversations and mutual enrichment. A network that has not yet shown its shape, but is present in the links, by recognizing us as peers, by taking us into account in this path of 'our American' emancipation through education. Education that is just another space for struggle and action, which is only accompanied by the diverse and innumerable causes that advance for that same emancipation of the region.”

ENA 2019 is held under the slogan “Decolonization, transformation and emancipation” and is open to the entire community through prior registration on the website: http://www.encuentrodenuestraamerica.org/encuentros/chile-2019/.

According to the schedule, an intimate session will be held between May 6 and 8, while a massive meeting will be held on May 9 and 10 at the ULS open to the entire interested community. Finally, on May 12, a festival will be held in Santiago to disseminate successful experiences in favor of the common objectives of the organization.