April, 2016
The annual meeting of the Board of Friends of Catholic University in Chile, Inc. took place in Chile on April 11 and 12. During their stay, the Board members also took part in numerous parallel activities such as colloquiums, seminars, meetings with grant recipients and cultural events.
The Provost of Institutional Management Patricio Donoso, President of Friends UC Sava Thomas, Mario Kreutzberger, Rector Ignacio Sánchez, and the members of the Board discussed philanthropy over lunch.
The members of the Board of Friends of Catholic University in Chile, Inc., spent a busy two-days in Chile as they attended their annual meeting, along with different activities that took place at the university. Their first day of official activities began with a seminar jointly held with UC authorities during which they discussed education at the university, both from an historical perspective and with respect to the challenges ahead due to the changes currently taking place in the country.
The Dean of the Faculty of History, Geography and Political Sciences, Patricio Bernedo presented an overview of the history of the UC since its creation in 1888 to the present, mentioning the various contributions that the institution has made to the country and the milestones that marked the UC’s becoming one of the most prestigious institutions in the country.
Some of the other topics discussed during the seminar included institutionality, admissions and financing. During the meeting , Roberto Mendez, Friends’ board member and President of GfK Adimark also presented the results of a poll examining the changes in Chileans’ perception of major institutions over the past 10 years, a survey that was conducted in collaboration with the Center of Public Policy and the Faculty of Social Sciences of the UC.
Mr. Méndez’ presentation pointed in particular at the loss of trust of Chileans in their institutions. UC authorities expressed their desire to challenge the current situation and contribute to rebuilding this trust thanks to the institution’s involvement in different aspects of public life in the country.
Philanthropic prospects
Another topic discussed during the various meetings of Friends UC was that of philanthropy. The President of Friends, Ms. Sava Thomas, explained how a well-executed philanthropic program can promote projects and support valuable initiatives throughout the UC academic community.
The Foundation Director Mr. Roger Thomas described the work that Friends has been carrying out for the past 12 years. He explained the different challenges and successes it has encountered in regard to donations and contributions coming from the USA, a country where the culture of philanthropy is more firmly established.
This topic was further discussed during a lunch meeting attended by Mario Kreutzberger who talked with the participants about ways to encourage a stronger philanthropic spirit both in Chile generally and at the level of the university.
Some of the other events attended by the members of the board included a visit to the exhibitions “Love and Desire” of Pablo Picasso and “The Art of Keeping” from the Collection Joaquín Gandarillas Infante at the UC Outreach Cultural Center. They also attended a piano recital by Chilean musician Gustavo Miranda-Bernales who played pieces by Haydn and Chopin, along with more contemporary works.
Presentations and Discussion: “Philanthropy at UC: where we are, where we go?
Seminar: “UC: Ways to the future an uncertain present”
Lunch about philanthropy
Guided tour to Pablo Picasso’s engravings exhibition
Fostering innovative projects with high potential
