The agreement defines the bases of work between the ULS and the Catholic University of Manizales, promoting the implementation of joint actions of mutual interest in areas of academic services, research in science, technology, education, environment, society, extension, among others. .

With a working meeting between authorities and the signing of the document that ratifies the alliance of mutual cooperation, the Framework Agreement for Academic Cooperation was signed between the Catholic University of Manizales (UCM), Colombia, and the University of La Serena.

Through this agreement, among other actions, it seeks to promote the realization of joint projects with the participation of undergraduate and graduate students, facilitate internships and academic practices, organize national or international academic events and execute joint research projects.

That is why the directors of the foreign institution, Sister Luzmery Chaverra, dean of the Faculty of Education, and Lina Parra, academic of the Master's Degree in Education at the Catholic University of Manizales, held a working meeting aimed at ratifying the link and strengthen ties with authorities of the only state university in the Coquimbo Region.

“For some time now we have been carrying out internationalization exercises and from this, we began to recognize the links and affinities that we have in the area of ​​education with the University of La Serena, especially with the pedagogy programs that they have here (…). For our institution it is important to establish strategic alliances and we thought of an agreement that would allow us to carry out exercises, publications and exchange and with this visit we come to formalize these ties. Now we bring the agreement to our country so that our rector can sign it and give free rein to concrete actions,” said Lina Parra, during the meeting.

While Sister Luzmery Chaverra indicated that “the University of La Serena has been a constant surprise for us, where we have had a great reception, privileging the person above all. We have found interest in betting with the highest level of quality in the processes of education, interests, bets and common concern and we believe that if we think and work with others, better results are obtained and that is the inter-institutional work that we are betting on.”

According to the clauses of the established agreement, all actions must have institutional support, providing each university with the necessary human, academic, technological and cultural resources. That is why, in order to put these purposes into practice, both parties must designate representatives who will form an inter-institutional coordinating committee.

The conversations to carry out this inter-institutional work began thanks to the actions initiated by the academic from the Department of Education, Dr. Carlos Calvo, who is also a guide in the Doctoral Thesis that both academics are currently carrying out.

The Rector of the ULS, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, the Academic Vice-Rector, Dr. Jorge Catalán, the dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Dr. María Zúñiga, the coordinator of the Office of International Relations, participated in the meeting with the foreign representatives. Mg. Dietmut Graeff, the director of Student Affairs, Mg. Miguel Zuleta, the director of Postgraduate and Postgraduate Studies, Dr. Jorge Rojas, the director of the Department of Education, Mg. Bernardo Jopia, and the unit's academic, Dr. Carlos Calvo.