A message from our

Program Director

News from the Regional Office

Dear Victoria,

From an international seminar on early childhood education to a conference on matters concerning women in Chile, this past month we continued bringing to the table important issues that affect the Region. This past month we also had the opportunity to strengthen our ties with the Harvard Clubs in the Region, meet with the U.S. Ambassador in Chile to discuss important issues affecting higher education, and celebrate the inauguration of the historic archive and library at the emblematic Instituto Nacional.

With the end of the year coming near, we are excited about the initiatives and programs that we’ll undertake in 2015, as well as the opportunities for students and scholars that we’ll continue to facilitate at Harvard and in the Region. We are grateful to you, our friends and supporters, for helping us make this year a successful one.

Sincerely,

Marcela Rentería

Program Director, Regional Office

2015-2016 Visiting Scholars Program

Each year the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies selects a number of distinguished academics and professionals who wish to spend one or two semesters at Harvard working on their own research and writing projects. Among the various DRCLAS opportunities available, the following are specific to the Region:

• Luksic Visiting Scholar Program in Chile
• De Fortabat Visiting Scholar Program in Argentina
• Custer Visiting Scholar Program in Peru
• Santo Domingo Visiting Scholar Program in Colombia and Ecuador
• Santander Visiting Scholar Program for any country in Latin America
• Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professorship in Latin American Studies

The deadline for the 2015-2016 academic year is February 1, 2015. For more information about the programs, click here.

Women’s Conference in Chile

The DRCLAS Regional Office and the Harvard Club of Chile, in collaboration with Comunidad Mujer, Cátedra Vida y Trabajo (PUC) and CEPAL (ECLAC), organized the women’s conference La Mujer en Chile: Debates Actuales on Friday, November 28, 2014. With the participation of distinguished speakers, the conference covered important matters concerning women in Chile, including their roles in politics and the arts, the inequality they encounter in the Chilean social security system, and their leadership in the public and private sectors. Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC Executive Secretary, served as the keynote speaker, offering her reflections on the role of contemporary women in Latin America and the Caribbean. For more information about the event, please click here. For photos of the event, click here.

4th Annual International Seminar on Early Childhood Education

On November 19, Fundación Oportunidad, in collaboration with Centro de Políticas Comparadas en Educación of Universidad Diego Portales, the DRCLAS Regional Office, Centro de Investigación Avanzada en Educación of Universidad de Chile, and Proleer, organized the 4th Annual International Seminar on Early Childhood Education: CREANDO OPORTUNIDAD. At the seminar, distinguished scholars and researchers presented their latest findings on the most effective pedagogical practices in early childhood education. Among the distinguished speakers, Harvard Graduate School of Education alumni David Dickinson and Hedy Chang presented their research on the relationship between language acquisition and learning, and the negative effects of chronic absenteeism respectively.

Inauguration of Historic Archive and Library at Instituto Nacional

This past November, Chile’s emblematic Instituto Nacional inaugurated its restored historic archive and library. With books dating from the Instituto’s founding in 1813, the historic archive and library underwent a thorough restoration and reorganization led by theProgram for Restoration of Scholarly Archives of the Institute of History of the Pontificia Universidad Católica (PUC). This initiative, which began in 2010, received support from DRCLAS’ Program for Latin American Libraries and Archives (PLALA) and funding from Chile’s National Fund for Cultural Development and the Arts. At the inaugural event, Sol Serrano, Luksic Visiting Scholar and one of the main PUC scholars who led the restoration, described the initiative as an important step in creating new partnerships and collaborations between universities and primary and secondary schools.

Harvard Clubs in the Region

On November 20, the Harvard Club of Argentina, in collaboration with the Universidad de Buenos Aires, organized the event Harvard a tu Alcance, geared towards Argentineans interested in pursuing a degree at Harvard. The Club brought together Harvard alumni and current Harvard students from the various graduate schools and the College to give an informal presentation on the various degree options, the application process, financial aid, and their personal experiences at Harvard.

On November 13, the Harvard Club of Chile hosted its annual dinner, bringing together dozens of alumni from the various graduate schools and the College. The event served as an opportunity for alumni to reconnect, as well as to cultivate new relationships. The Club’s President Ellen Guidera gave the opening remarks, followed by Sebastian Marambio, member of the Club’s Board, who presented onHACIA Democracy, a Club-sponsored Model UN program serving Chilean high school students. The dinner ended with a keynote presentation by Eduardo Aninat, who reflected on the past and future of Chile, from his point of view as former Minister of Finance in Chile.

In their recent visit to Lima, DRCLAS Executive Director Ned Strong and DRCLAS Regional Office Director Marcela Renteria met withHarvard Club of Peru President Victor Marroquin to discuss the scope of DRCLAS’ projects in the Region, to explore possibilities for future collaborations, and to strengthen the relationship between the Club and DRCLAS.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Gustavo Herrero, Advisory Board Member of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, was the keynote speaker for the 11th Annual Premio AmCham, Buen Cuidadano Empresarial(AmCham’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award) in Santiago. Herrero’s presentation focused on the evolution of corporate social responsibility in the world and community involvement, and was part of AmCham’s International Seminar on Corporate and Community Challenges. Along with Herrero, Maria Fernanda Villegas, Chile’s Minister of Social Development, and Katia Trusich, Chile’s Subsecretary of Economy, were among the distinguished speakers present at the seminar.

Luncheon with U.S. Ambassador to Chile at Universidad Mayor

On November 25, DRCLAS Executive Director Ned Strong and DRCLAS Regional Office Director Marcela Renteria attended a luncheon meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Chile Michael Hammer and Universidad Mayor President Rubén Covarrubias, among other local and international university administrators. The event, organized by Universidad Mayor, served as an opportunity for attendees to discuss current reforms affecting Chile’s education, and the importance of developing and expanding international education programs.

Harvard Business School Recruiting Event

On November 20, the Harvard Business School, in collaboration with the DRCLAS Regional Office, hosted an Information Session for prospective applicants in Santiago. Pamela Ralston, HBS Associate Director of MBA Technology, and Andrew Elrick, Director of Administration in Global Initiatives, led the event and met with over 50 prospective students.