With the purpose of promoting new opportunities of international cooperation and strengthen the connection among the academia, the industry and the regional community, the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso welcomed the Central Zone edition of AHK on Tour, an event that gathered representatives of businesses and organizations linked to productive development.
The activity was organized jointly by the Chilean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Chile) and the General Direction of International Affairs (DGAI) at the PUCV, in the context of the celebration of the 110 years of this organization.
The gathering sought to strengthen the networks between Chilean-German business community and strategic actors in the region of Valparaíso, through an event that included a business panel, spaces for conversation and networking, meetings in speed dating format and a technical visit to the Pacífico Sur Valparaíso Terminal.
The inauguration ceremony included the participation of Nelson Vásquez, rector of the PUCV; Macarena Gallardo, the Members and Integrity manager at the Chilean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Chile); Javier Torrejón, president of the Regional Chamber of Commerce of Valparaíso (CRCP); and Orlando de la Vega, General Director of International Affairs of our university.
An institution connected to global challenges
During his intervention, rector Nelson Vásquez highlighted that hosting the AHK on Tour is directly linked to the public mission and the 2023-2029 Strategic Development Plan of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. “We are soon to celebrate 100 years of institutional life and we have been able to propel development and growth of the city of Valparaiso, the region and the country”, he noted.
The rector stated that challenges derived from a globalized world require that opportunities, capabilities and development possibilities are distributed equally throughout the national territory. “We are convinced that challenges and the demands of a global world cannot be faced if the rest of the nation, not only Santiago, does not get to experience the benefits of these opportunities”, he expressed.
Within this context, he highlighted the importance of universities observing transformations taking place in the work world and creating spaces for analysis and cooperation with the productive sector.
This event is part of the internationalization strategy of the PUCV, oriented not only towards academic exchange, but also to the creation of alliances that will allow to connect institutional capabilities with the main economic, social, technological and productive challenges in the country.
The General Director of International Affairs at the PUCV, Orlando de la Vega, explained that the event is part of the work developed by the university to build a close connection between the academia and the industrial sector. “This activity is part of the context of one of the greater challenges we have set out in our university: to contribute and create alliances and bridges between academia and industry. We especially need this in the Region of Valparaiso, and also in the rest of the country”, he stated.
De la Vega added that the University has a Germany mission, an initiative through which the institution seeks to bring members of the university community closer to institutions and organizations in that country, to enrich the formative experience and create new cooperation opportunities from the region.
Relationship with the Chilean-German community
In representation of AHK Chile, Macarena Gallardo valued that the activity took place in Valparaíso, the city where the Chilean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry was founded 110 years ago. “This gathering represents a return to our origins and an opportunity to continue to strengthen our community engagement. We thank the PUCV and their team of professionals that helped to make this event possible”, she expressed.
The activity allowed exchanging experiences regarding current business challenges, identifying areas of shared interest and promoting connections between organizations that carry their activities in Chile and Germany. The program also incorporated a visit to the Pacífico Sur Valparaíso Terminal and the Immigrant Museum. Both visits were oriented towards facilitating opportunities for business and collaboration.
For his part, the president of the Valparaiso Regional Chamber of Commerce, Javier Torrejón, emphasized the importance of creating networks and projects that recognize the existing capabilities outside of the Metropolitan Region.
“Chile’s growth cannot be understood solely from Santiago. Our development depends on the ability of recognizing and developing the strengths that are present in regions, and creating spaces of encounter and network-building that will help us propel new opportunities for investment and collaboration”, he noted.
Torrejón also highlighted the strategic role of the ports in Valparaíso, San Antonio and Ventanas for foreign trade, along with the need to transform the advantages of the area in tangible initiatives that create investment, jobs and regional development. Along this line, he valued the articulation of a public-private alliance carried out with the university and various actors in the territory.
On the occasion, there was also a panel with the participation of María Jesús López, manager of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at BASF Chile and Perú; the General Director of Renolit Chile, Omar Borello; and the Rector of the CFT PUCV, Paulo Solari.
The Central Zone AHK on Tour event at the PUCV reasserts the institutional commitment to an internationalization process that is connected to the community, capable of contributing to the training, innovation and sustainable development of the Valparaiso region.
By Juan Paulo Roldán
Strategic Communications Department
