Crossing the Equator: UF’s Global Reach Grows
Source: https://graduateschool.ufl.edu/articles/2026/news-2023052401/09-01.html Parent: https://graduateschool.ufl.edu/
UF reps enhance and expand higher education ties in South America
Posted: February 9, 2026
Over January 9-18, 2026, University of Florida Graduate School Dean Dr. Nicole Stedman joined Dr. Marta Wayne (UF International Center Dean), Dr. Michael Kung (UF Office for Global Research Director), and Dr. Javi Rudolph (UF’s first Computational Literacy Librarian) as part of a delegation to deepen ties and explore new opportunities with higher education partners in Latin America.
UF ambassadors on the move! Left: Intrepid travelers Drs. Rudolph, Wayne, Stedman, and Kung during a layover in Bogotá, Colombia’s Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado. Right: A warm welcome toward the tour’s end at PUCV in Valparaíso, Chile.
Part of the UF International Center’s Comprehensive Strategic International Partnerships initiative, this working trip focused on cultivating student and faculty exchanges, joint degree programs, study abroad programming, and collaborative research with these institutions in Ecuador and Chile:
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) in Quito, Ecuador — the country’s first totally private and self-financed university, known for liberal arts education and strong environmental research, with campuses in the Galapagos Islands and the Ecuadorian Amazon.
- Universidad de la Fuerzas Armadas (ESPE) in Sangolqui, Ecuador — a public university with ties to Ecuador’s Armed Forces, noted for blending higher education in engineering and technology with military tradition.
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC-Chile) in Santiago, Chile — a major higher education powerhouse in Latin America (ranked Number 2 in the region by QS World University Rankings), whose January 14, 2026 International Education Summit featured UF’s Hans van Oostrom (AI2 Center Director) as keynote speaker on artificial intelligence and education.
- Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB) in Santiago, Chile — the country’s leading private university, known for its dynamic strategic approach to prepare students optimally for the workforce by aligning academics and professional development across fields of study.
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV) in Valparaíso, Chile — a historic institution with a highly prestigious reputation as a research university that attracts hundreds of exchange students from Europe, North America, and the rest of South America.
In addition to visiting universities and research venues, the UF delegation met with Gator alumni in both countries, plus with the Public Diplomacy Attaché for Education and Culture at the United States Embassy in Santiago, Chile to discuss the logistics of educational and cultural exchanges.
Top row: The UF delegation’s tour took it from stately historic campuses to tropical jungle research stations. Bottom row: UF AI expert Dr. Hans van Oostrom speaking at UC-Chile conference (left); UF delegation visiting U.S. embassy in Santiago, Chile (right).
International ventures like this working trip not only bolster UF’s global profile and impact. Most importantly, they also open exciting new educational opportunities for Grad Gators and draw fresh intellect and talent from around the world into their ranks.
To view an online interactive StoryMaps presentation about this venture, click here: UF in Latin America: Global Partnerships in Action.