USS Expands International Partnership with Windesheim University

Collaboration with the Dutch university has enabled the establishment of pre-graduate, post-graduate internships, and Public Engagement initiatives, strengthening the internationalization with territorial and research impact.

Universidad San Sebastián (USS) progresses in its international projection through a research alliance with Windesheim University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), a collaboration that, after the signing of the agreement in December 2024, has generated specific results in student mobility, post-graduate education, and projects with territorial impact, mainly with the Engineering Faculty.

Regular Internship and participation in an international Minor

In 2025, USS students Francisco Flores (Civil Engineering) and Renato Núñez (Computer Engineering) participated in an international Minor, “Managing Projects for Sustainable Development,” an English program focused on the development of real projects with multicultural teams and focusing on sustainability.

“This internationalization experience has opened my eyes in several aspects and allowed me to understand social and cultural realities that I would have never imagined. It also contributed to the significant development of my soft skills, thanks to the collaborative work with people from different countries,” said Renato. Now he is applying to conduct a professional internship as a computer engineer in a Dutch company.

, Felipe Gajardo has joined the team for the 2026 first term, who will also conduct his regular internship at Windesheim, providing continuity to this student mobility subject. This has been possible thanks to the institutional agreement, which allows USS students to hold the payment of tuition fees in Chile, without additional academic costs at the host university.

Regarding the USS researcher Mauricio Pradena and Minor director of the “Managing Projects for Sustainable Development,” which is provided by Windesheim Honours College, highlighted that the bond value between both institutions stems from specific results that have been provided for USS students.

“This agreement allows  a high level academic experience in the Netherlands, by keeping the student enrollment in Chile, which makes the mobility possible. Integral education is also added, based on real projects, interdisciplinary work, and cultural immersion, having a transcending strictly curricular impact,” said Pradena, who also drove most of these initiatives between both institutions

Postgraduate internship and applied research on sustainability

The alliance has been extended to the postgraduate stage, through the two students’ internship from the Master of Construction and Sustainability Management of the Architecture, Arts and Design Faculty: María Josefina Salinas and Marcelo Garrido. Both graduate architects participated in an applied research project in sustainable engineering and architecture.

The execution of the initiative held at Windesheim is inspired by designs developed by the Dutch architect Ben Bronsema, based on biomimetic principles, energetic efficiency, and the reduction of environmental impact. The experience is directly articulated with the development of their master’s thesis, which they will continue upon their return to Chile.

Public Engagement: projects at Concepción and Windesheim students’ reception

Since 2023, several projects from Public Engagement on textile recycling developed at the Conception campus have allowed the continuing reception of Windesheim students, establishing it as one of the most demanding from the program by its territorial impact and formative experience. During 2026, a new group of Dutch student will begin their work in Chile, reinforcing the bidirectional internship and with the care of academic collaboration.

In 2025, USS students Francisco Flores (Civil Engineering) and Renato Núñez (Computer Engineering) participated in an international Minor, Managing Projects for Sustainable Development.

María Josefina Salinas and Marcelo Garrido,both architects and students of the Master of Construction and Sustainability Management of Architecture participated in an applied research project in sustainable engineering and architecture.

Students from Windesheim University (Netherlands) joined the Engineer School at the Concepción campus in order to participate in “Hilando Comunidad,” a Public Engagement project that revalues textile residues to strengthen the circular economy at Talcahuano.