Adolfo Ibáñez University and the Bravioo Project held a seminar to strengthen university coexistence in Latin America.

Adolfo Ibáñez University (UAI), in collaboration with the Bravioo Project, held the seminar “Strengthening University Coexistence through Ombudsmen” in the Alejandro Jadresic Auditorium on the Peñalolén Campus. The meeting brought together academics, university authorities, and conflict resolution experts with the aim of promoting the role of the Ombudsman as an impartial mediator, promoter of rights, and key agent in building healthy and democratic university coexistence.

The activity was part of the Bravioo Project, an international initiative supported by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program, which seeks to strengthen university ombudsman offices in Latin America. During the opening ceremony, María José De las Heras, Secretary General of the UAI, highlighted the institutional satisfaction of organizing a space that promotes the strengthening of coexistence within higher education institutions through the role of ombudsmen.

Along the same lines, the Superintendent of Higher Education, José Miguel Salazar, emphasized that there is great expectation from the Superintendency that this collaborative work will be projected and maintained over time, contributing to the generation of new instruments, opportunities, and ways of working that will help mediate the growing competitiveness of the sector.

For his part, the UAI Rector, Francisco Covarrubias, highlighted the strategic value of this effort by pointing out that the Bravioo project, supported by the European Union, is an initiative in which the University has played a leading role and that it is projected to be a sustained effort over several years. Complementing this vision, the Vice Rector of the Viña del Mar Campus, Claudio Osorio, affirmed that the UAI university community is characterized by an environment in which respect, active listening, and amicable conflict resolution develop naturally and harmoniously.

International experience was also present thanks to the participation of Ana Yukelson, University Ombudsman at the National University of Córdoba, Argentina, who described the exchange with Adolfo Ibáñez University as very fruitful within the framework of this project. For her part, the UAI Ombudsperson, Francisca Rengifo, considered the seminar to be key in raising awareness of the role of ombuds and bringing their work closer to the entire university community.

The event, held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., served as a meeting point for exchanging best practices and reflecting on the strategic role of Ombuds in higher education, reaffirming the UAI’s commitment to coexistence, justice, and the rights of the university community.