UDP Internacional

Monday July 27th, 2026

This semester, more than 50 university students will begin their academic exchange, a challenging process aimed at developing skills, knowledge, and abilities with a global perspective. For this reason, the UDP International Relations Office held a meeting with the students to support and guide them through this formative stage.

“We are very happy,” commented Anoek van den Berg regarding this new process. “They are about to experience a life-changing event,” she stated, encouraging them to make the most of this experience. Richard Gillibrand, International Student Mobility Coordinator, emphasized that “international mobility is much more than studying in another country.” He indicated that “it is a transformative experience that broadens students’ perspectives, strengthens their personal development, and provides them with tools to thrive in an increasingly global and interconnected world.”

“Living an academic experience abroad allows them to develop intercultural skills, improve their communication abilities, adapt to new challenges, and build international networks that will serve them throughout their professional lives,” she explained.

During the meeting, the Directorate team addressed topics such as managing administrative procedures and documents, and answered questions about the exchange program. In addition, professionals from the Student Mental Health Department of the Student Affairs Office gave a presentation on how to cope with the culture shock inherent in a process of this nature.

For their part, the students expressed enthusiasm for this new academic challenge. “It’s a great opportunity because, in the field I’m interested in, which is International Law, we have the chance to learn more about International Law in different countries, how it’s communicated in relation to other international experiences, and how it’s regulated,” said Antonia Leiva, a law student.

Thus, Bastián Molina, an advertising student, commented: “My expectation is to learn how advertising develops on another continent, in another context, with other people.” Ultimately, he emphasized, “it’s important to understand other contexts, because advertising changes from country to country.”

This semester, 52 students will travel to different universities around the world. This is thanks to the agreements the University maintains with renowned academic institutions. Spain (33), Italy (6), the Netherlands (2), the United Kingdom (2), Brazil (2), and Mexico (2) are just some of the destinations chosen by the students.