UDP Internacional

Thursday July 9th, 2026

On Friday, July 3, at the main building of Diego Portales University, the International Relations Office met with representatives from the Fulbright Commission in Chile and the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., which oversees the Fulbright program. The meeting was part of the ongoing development of a joint collaboration agenda, in which the University has participated through the various Fulbright programs offered to faculty and students.

Participants included Gonzalo Arenas, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in Chile, and Katrin DeWindt, Academic Exchange Specialist from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, based in Washington, D.C. Representing UDP were Anoek van den Berg, Director of International Relations, and Carlos Ahumada, Coordinator of Cooperation and Global Training.

During the meeting, the University presented its academic and intellectual offerings. Attendees also had the opportunity to tour the American Space and the Nicanor Parra Library.

The visit also included a brief Fulbright presentation to the board of the CRUCH Internationalization Commission, where they explored new opportunities for network collaboration.

It is worth noting that Fulbright offers international educational and cultural exchange programs between Chile and the United States for students, academics, and professionals. Through these programs, applicants can access scholarships and funding for research stays, short internships, and master’s or doctoral studies. This collaboration also facilitates the arrival of American specialists and students to UDP, contributing to the internationalization of the university community.

For Anoek van den Berg, the collaboration between Fulbright and the University is important. “The current intention is to design a joint collaborative project between Fulbright and UDP to leverage the opportunities this platform offers to strengthen the internationalization of the academic community at UDP.”

“We want more UDP institutes and research centers to learn about the opportunities Fulbright offers to connect with the world and facilitate their academic interactions, with a special focus on research,” he said.

For her part, Katrin Dewindt, who works on Fulbright programs for the Western Hemisphere, including Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, explained that it is important to recognize the work they do to foster academic exchanges between the two countries. She also announced the official launch of the Fulbright Alumni Association in Chile. It should be noted that Nicanor Parra is among the many UDP alumni who are recognized as outstanding Fulbright graduates.

“We have a very strong network of Chilean alumni who have participated in the Fulbright program to study in the U.S. It is essential to continue promoting the United States as an educational destination. It is equally important to bring U.S. students and researchers to study and conduct research in Chile,” she emphasized.

Regarding the new partnership, Katrin noted that “the program has successfully created a network of leaders. We see that our alumni are experts and professionals in diverse fields. They are distinguished scientists, government officials, artists, and educators.” She emphasized that the goal is to build a network that can foster innovation, security, and economic growth, among other things.

This collaboration is part of the various strategic alliances promoted by the Office of International Relations at Diego Portales University to strengthen research, internationalization, and innovation through joint work with national and international institutions.