• The  Memorandum of Understanding signed today in the United Kingdom establishes an unprecedented partnership between that renowned English university and a Latin American institution to implement an experimental laboratory focused on conducting research on Social Sciences.
• In his address, the President of Universidad de Santiago, Dr. Juan Manuel Zolezzi, said that this centre means “a new development path for Social Sciences in Latin America, the beginning of a new model for the future development of science collaboration between the United Kingdom and Chile, and the first step towards the creation of a global centre for the experimental analysis of public policies.”
• The memorandum will be valid for four years and both institutions will work in partnership for the implementation of the Centre for Experimental Social Sciences (CESS) of Santiago that is expected to produce a significant volume of academic publications and become a benchmark consultancy for the region. “The research carried out by this centre will have a big impact on the social and economic development of Chile and Latin America, through the consolidation of common research lines and their integration,” President Zolezzi said.

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At the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed today between that university and Universidad de Santiago de Chile for creating the Centre for Experimental Social Sciences (CESS) of Santiago.

It is an unprecedented partnership between the University of Oxford and a Latin American higher education institution focused on developing Social Sciences and promoting scientific collaboration across the region.

In his speech at the Nuffield College Tower Room, President Juan Manuel Zolezzi said that the CESS will open “a new development path for Social Sciences in Latin America and will begin a new model for the future development of scientific collaboration between the United Kingdom and Chile.”

President Zolezzi added that, as a state and public university, Universidad de Santiago “owes much to the society it belongs to,” and stressed the importance of receiving a fair treatment from the Chilean State, with more inclusion, equality and free education, because “at present, Chile is the country with the most expensive and most unequal education system in the world.”

For the above, he showed himself pleased for joining forces with Nuffield College of the University of Oxford. Nuffields’ model for approaching Social Sciences views Social Sciences as active in society, rigorous, ambitious and with the courage to question, evaluate and propose alternative ways for the development of society. President Zolezzi explained that this approach shows a path for Universidad de Santiago that can contribute to evidence inequalities and produce knowledge for developing better public policies.

“Universidad de Santiago de Chile will contribute to this project with all its skills and will go beyond strict compliance with the objectives proposed by both institutions,” he said. These objectives include conducting joint research projects, laboratory experiments, assessing public policies, exchange, cooperation and teacher training, and developing continuous education programs, among others.

Challenges

The ceremony was attended by the highest authorities of the renowned British university, particularly by representatives of the Nuffield Centre for Experimental Social Sciences, who will be in charge of implementing this collaboration agreement that will allow these institutions to work together from two different regions in order to deal with the big challenges faced by the developing world.

CESS Santiago is expected to become a model in the region and a future global centre for experimental research and evaluation. “This is the first step towards the creation of a global centre for the experimental analysis of public policies,” Dr. Zolezzi said. “The research carried out by this centre will have a big impact on the social and economic development of Chile and Latin America, through the consolidation of common research lines, the joint participation of Social Sciences researcher from different countries, and the strengthening of these sciences,” he added.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the President of Universidad de Santiago, Juan Manuel Zolezzi; the Director of CESS Santiago, Juan Carlos Oyanedel; the Warden of Nuffield College, Sir Andrew Dilnot, and the Director of the Centre for Experimental Social Sciences, Raymond Duch.

The agreement considers the research teams of Nuffield and Universidad de Santiago as strategic partners with regards to funding research studies for requesting and implementing consultancy projects in Latin America.

The agreement also establishes the implementation of an experimental laboratory overseen by both institutions, so that the CESS generates a significant volume of academic publications. The agreement will be countersigned in March this year, in Santiago.

Translated by Marcela Contreras