UVic-UCC and the Andrés Bello University in Chile will teach the double international bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy

UVic-UCC has recently signed an agreement covering the international double degree that includes its EHEA Degree in Occupational Therapy and the Occupational Therapy degree from Andres Bello University (UNAB) in Chile. Under the terms of the agreement, students from the two institutions who complete this programme will obtain both official degrees from the two signatory universities.

UNAB and UVic-UCC began their cooperation with the signing of a framework agreement in 2013, which was followed in 2016 with the signing of the mobility agreement with the Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare. UNAB is one of the most prestigious private universities in Chile, it offers the same bachelor's degree courses as the Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, and it has become an important international partner. The International Unit of the FHSW and the coordinators of the EHEA degree in Occupational Therapy have worked to promote this double degree over the last two years, given the equivalence and similarities in the training and professional field in the competencies included in the Occupational Therapy courses at the two institutions.

Benefits in both directions

Josep Bau, vice-rector for International Relations at UVic-UCC, says that "expanding our areas of collaboration with Latin America is part of our strategic internationalisation objectives" and stresses the importance of establishing international double degrees, as "it is a major asset within our academic range." The vice-rector believes that the double degree provides a twofold benefit for students, on an academic and personal level: "apart from enriching the curriculum enormously, this double international qualification not only assesses the student's academic skills, but also their experience, determination and personal initiative, which are intangible personal assets that are generally much more important in the professional field than we imagine."

Bau also emphasised that the benefits of the double degree are in both directions, since "not only will the students who leave for Chile benefit, but so will those who share a classroom in Vic with Chilean students who come to complete their double degree with us." A maximum of three UVic-UCC students and three UNAB students will be able to participate in the programme each academic year. A requirement for UVic-UCC students will be to have completed the first four semesters of Occupational Therapy, and to have enrolled in the academic plan for 2015 and those subsequent to it.

The agreement also provides for the mobility of teaching, technical and administrative staff in order to consolidate the double degree and to broaden relations with the UNAB. Bau added that "this type of collaboration has a significant impact on the ability of teaching staff and researchers to propose and carry out joint projects in research and knowledge transfer, which today must always be considered within an international context."

The programme is scheduled to begin in the second semester of this academic year, when the first students from the UNAB arrive at UVic.