Yuriko Aquino
The content of this news item has been machine translated and may contain some inaccuracies with respect to the original content published in Spanish.
Nowadays, more and more young people are choosing to do a student exchange as part of their university years, as they gain life experience in another country. Although the pandemic caused by COVID-19 paralysed many of these academic activities, some universities have continued to receive students in compliance with all biosecurity protocols. For example, this past semester, 69 PUCP students have travelled abroad to receive courses in various study centres abroad.
On the other hand, although PUCP has not received exchange students on campus, it has given them the possibility of accessing virtual classes. "This opens up the possibility of internationalisation at a lower cost," says Dr Eduardo Dargent, director of the Academic Directorate of Institutional Relations (DARI).
If you are interested in doing a virtual or face-to-face exchange in 2022, listen to the virtual chats on PUCP International's Facebook page. DARI is also organising a virtual international fair in November so that students can learn more about the processes and opportunities coming up next year.
"Being in a different place, with different traditions, language and political-territorial organisation, is already interesting. One of the nicest features of an exchange is to get to know and spend a long period of time in a different country. We can realise that there are more similarities than differences in the new 'ecosystem' we are integrating into.
"The biggest learning experience is the interculturality. Academically, I learned new things in my classes and it opened my eyes to European culture. Also, the friends I made here I will treasure. Thanks to the exchange I got to know a lot of countries and cities, I would definitely come back".
"I took classes with great teachers with a great track record, with extensive knowledge of the courses they taught and I perfected the language. In the exchange, everything is a transversal learning experience: you realise that the world is very big and the possibilities are limitless. You can aspire to whatever you want.
"I had a very rich intercultural experience. The approach that any other university apart from PUCP gives you is different and enriches your learning. In my case, being able to function autonomously in another country has strengthened my independence, especially in a pandemic.
For Dr Dargent, one of the strengths of doing an exchange is the internationalised education you will receive. In addition to that, you will increase your networks and have a different outlook on life by learning about other cultures and languages. "In terms of employability, it will allow you to reinforce a range of skills, from the more utilitarian to the more humanistic," he adds.
For her part, María José Guardia, head of the Student Mobility Section at the DARI, says that this is a very good opportunity, especially at this time of virtual classes, because some courses can be taken abroad and others at the PUCP so as not to fall behind. "With the vaccinations completed, students will be able to leave with peace of mind and study abroad without any problems," she says.
