On January 4th, Judith Singer visited Chile as part of the Annual Meeting of the Chilean University Alliance for Women in Academia. This alliance aims to discuss and share experiences, best practices, and challenges within universities, increase the number of women in academia, and give greater visibility to their contributions. It was inspired and promoted by Harvard's Office of Diversity and Faculty Development.
To highlight the work of women in teaching and research, their strengths and weaknesses, and future opportunities, the Universidad de los Andes assumed the general coordination of the alliance in 2023. In January 2024, they hosted the meeting, which brought together more than a dozen rectors from Chilean universities committed to the alliance.
Judith Singer was in charge of presenting the experiences and advancements of women in academia and highlighted Chile's commitment to the initiative driven by Harvard University.
Senior Vice Provost Singer stated, "It is a pleasure to see the progress made in Chile. I have suggested to several countries, such as Israel, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, that universities come together and form alliances to share data and best practices regarding women in academia, and none have done so, only you."
María Sara Rodríguez, Director of Academic Development at the Universidad de los Andes, presented the results achieved in 2023. She highlighted, firstly, the opportunity to meet and conduct in-depth interviews with women who have excelled in their academic careers. Another celebrated milestone was the signing of the Women's Alliance in Academia Agreement, with gratitude expressed to Rector Dr. Rosa Devés. The event highlighted the application of the EMA survey, which will provide a valuable data cycle to promote further necessary actions.
Finally, the recent addition of two regional universities was noted: Universidad Católica del Norte and Universidad de la Frontera. Universidad Mayor will lead this initiative in 2024.