^{Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat (third from right) and the Santiago PE team with Directors from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Left to Right): Ms. Catalina Gerstmann of Engagement and Development; Mr. Cristian Díaz of Global Mobility; and Ms. Maribel Florez of Global Education}

^{Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat presents PUC a replica of a 1613 J. Hondius India Orientalis map showing the Philippines}

(SANTIAGO, 08 March 2024) As part of the continuing efforts of the Philippine Embassy to bolster academic ties between the Philippines and Chile, Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat met with officials from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) to discuss collaborative initiatives spanning various areas of specialization.

The discussions centered on exploring avenues to enhance opportunities for students and faculty from both countries, such as cross-cultural community exchanges, joint research, scholarships, and academic partnerships.

Ambassador Balatbat underscored the significance of nurturing people-to-people linkages to foster a dynamic environment that promotes cultural understanding, innovation, diversity, and academic interaction between the two countries, specifically in promoting the Philippines as  a destination for English as a Second Language (ESL) students, as well as engaging the astrophysics program of PUC through knowledge-sharing with relevant institutions such as the Philippine Space Agency.

PUC is one of South America’s premier educational institutions excelling in research in various fields of knowledge. The PUC Directors looked forward to establishing cooperation with universities in the Philippines as well as organizing events with the Philippine Embassy in Santiago. END