SEBASTIÁN KAUFMANN AND CONSTANZA BAUER

5. UNIVERSIDAD ALBERTO HURTADO, ,

Strengthening Mission through International Cooperation

INTRODUCTION

This paper analyzes the relationship between internationalization and Catholic identity at the Universidad Alberto Hurtado (UAH). To relate internationalization to Catholic identity is not an easy task, since both concepts can be interpreted from several perspectives. In this paper, the Catholic identity of the UAH is understood as the specific features and characteristics of a Jesuit university. It is important to highlight that some of these characteristics do not pertain only to the UAH as a Catholic university, but also as a response to its Jesuit mission. With respect to UAH’s approach to internationalization, three dimensions are taken into account: the partnerships established with institutions and networks within higher education; the type of cooperation established with those partners; and finally, the internationalization strategy as it relates to the larger mission, that is that institutional goals can be achieved through partnerships and alliances. Other important aspects of internationalization will not be tackled in this paper, such as internationalization at home or the internationalization of the curriculum. A brief description of the university can be found below. The Universidad Alberto Hurtado (UAH) is a Jesuit institution located in downtown Santiago de Chile founded in 1997. In order to understand the complexity of the economic, political and cultural situation that defines Chilean and Latin American reality and to promote positive social change through research, teaching and social engagement, the university places particular emphasis on the fields of social sciences, education and humanities. The UAH has been accredited by the national accrediting agency for five years and in all eligible areas. Only six private Chilean institutions have achieved this distinguished status. The UAH is the private university with the largest number of accredited programs. The first part of this paper presents the contribution of the Jesuits to higher education in Chile, the university’s history and how the Catholic and Jesuit identity have been conceived. The second part explains the process of internationalization at the UAH with particular emphasis on the influence of Jesuit and Catholic identity in that process. In the conclusion, we analyze how Catholic and Jesuit identity have

© KONINKLIJKE BRILL NV, LEIDEN, 2018 | DOI:10.1163/9789004382091_005 S. KAUFMANN & C. BAUER shaped partnerships, participation in networks and alliances, and the university’s strategy for internationalization.

JESUIT HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE CHILEAN CONTEXT

In order to explain the internationalization process at the Universidad Alberto Hurtado, it is necessary to understand the early connections and collaborations that characterized Jesuit higher education in Chile prior to its founding. The presence of Jesuits in Chile dates back to the 16th century. Jesuits first arrived on April 10, 1593, only 50 years after the founding of the in Rome by under the guidance of the Provincial, Baltasar de Piñas. The Jesuits were hosted in Chile by the Dominicans until they could settle onto their own land, thanks to generous donations from several wealthy families. Although the main purpose of their arrival was to contribute to the evangelization of the natives and slaves, the Jesuits also started to develop the ministry that had made them well known in Europe by that time, the work of education (Contreras, 2013). In 1623, with the permission of the Inocencio XI, the Jesuits in Chile received authorization to develop higher education. They founded the Convictorio San Francisco Javier that was focused on the formation of priests and missionaries for the evangelization of natives. With the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, Convictorio San Francisco Javier became Convictorio Carolino, under the authority of the Universidad de San Felipe, later to become the Universidad de Chile, the leading state-owned institution of higher education in the country today. Since the restoration of their status and their return to Chile in 1848, the presence of the Jesuits in higher education has been strong, especially during the twentieth century. In 1951, the Jesuits were asked by the Bishop of Valparaiso diocese to DVVXPHUHVSRQVLELOLW\IRUWKH3RQWLILFLD8QLYHUVLGDG&DWyOLFDGH9DOSDUDtVR 38&9  This thirteen-year period is called the “Jesuit era” of PUCV and was one of the most significant periods for the university in terms of institutionalization and academic progress (Urbina & Buono-Core, 2004). ,QWKH-HVXLWVIRXQGHGWKH8QLYHUVLGDG&DWyOLFDGHO1RUWH 8&1 WKHWKLUG Catholic institution in Chile by that time. Their goal was to provide youth in the northern part of Chile with access to a university that promoted culture, science and GHYHORSPHQWZLWKDIXOOFRPPLWPHQWWRWKH&DWKROLFIDLWK 8QLYHUVLGDG&DWyOLFDGHO Norte [UCN], 2017). Another important example of the presence of the Jesuits in higher education in &KLOHLVWKH3RQWLILFLD8QLYHUVLGDG&DWyOLFDGH&KLOH 38& IRXQGHGLQ)URP the very beginning, the presence of the Jesuits was very important, particularly in the school of theology founded in 1935. This was the first canonical school and the first center of religious studies in Latin America. From the beginning, the PUC’s school of theology was both a national and international academic body; Fr. Alberto Hurtado SJ, holy patron of the school, collaborated in finding appropriate professors. In 1958, Roger Vekemans SJ founded

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