With traditional dances, live music and an environment marked by cultural diversity, our university held the traditional closing activity aimed to international students that took part in academic, language and exchange programs during 2025.
Gabriella Ramírez, 21, is a humanities, communications and rhetorical students in the United States, and she studied spanish at the Student Exchange International Program (PIIE). “My experience in Valparaíso was incredible, there are many beautiful places and many things that I did here”, she commented. She highlighted the chilean warmth because “people are very nice, and they always want to help. They are willing to support you to learn spanish”.
After studying in Ecuador for some time, Gabriella chose to come to the PUCV because of its cultural richness. “There is a strong culture related to art, beauty and poetry, it is very interesting. Also, I learned many chilean expressions and that is “bacán (cool)”.
From Spain, Marina Rodríguez, an Architecture student, valued the formative emphasis of the university. “At the PUCV the focus is much more poetic and that will help me to re-direct my projects in Spain, where everything is more technical. It is a different way to view our discipline”, she noted.
Iika Stadelmann, a Mathematics education student from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, highlighted the practical experience she had in Valparaíso. “ In education we do a lot with didactics, and we learn how to teach incorporating play. Thanks to the PUCV I got to know schools in Chile and interact with children, it was a well-rounded and enriching experience”.
From Utah State University, Ike Huff underscored the academic support PUCV faculty members offered. “People here have been very kind. Professors are intelligent, nice and always willing to help. It is a very different environment to what I am used to”, the American student pointed out.
Alexander, an anthropology student from the University of Kentucky, also from the United States, shared that “the culture here is very beautiful because people make it that way. During my stay I lived with a family in Recreo, which enriched my cultural immersion”. About PUCV he said that he “loved the Central Headquarters, it’s a community. Also, my professors were very nice, and I am very grateful for this whole time”.
In 2024, 454 students from 32 countries chose the PUCV for their international exchange experiences, internships, special programs or continuing education, a number that represents a 5.83% growth in relation to 2023.
Europe contributed with 37,7% of incoming students, followed by North America (35%) and South America (20,3%). The main countries of origin were the United States (156), Spain (72), France (50), Chile (39, in returning programs or double degree) and Colombia (29), reflecting the consolidation of a global and diverse student community.
In 2024, 345 students participated in semester-long exchanges and internships. They came from 27 different countries, which represented a 68.8% increase in nationality diversity in relation to the previous year. In addition, there are short-term special programs (52 students) and continuing education, with 46 participants, among which we can highlight the Italian Language and Culture Diploma program and the Tsunamis Diploma in partnership with JICA and AGCID.
In the linguistic aspect, the Center for Spanish as a Foreign Language (CELE PUCV) offered 45 Spanish courses and advanced in its process of accreditation with the Cervantes Institute. It also published the manual Chile: in context, strengthened its faculty team and developed the new Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language Diploma program. The English as a Foreign language program (PILE) provided supplemental academic support for international students.
By Camila Rojas
Strategic Communications Department
