"Leiden University really stands out in the rankings. Not only at the National level, but worldwide."

Why I chose Leiden University

I really wanted to go back to The Netherlands after I did an exchange semester in Amsterdam. When looking for programs in the country, Leiden University really stands out in the rankings. Not only at the National level, but worldwide. Furthermore I wanted to deepen my knowledge on the European Union and the program offered several courses that seemed extremely interesting for my purposes.

My Leiden experiences

Even though I had lived in The Netherlands, before coming to study in Leiden I had never visited the city itself. The first impression was how beautiful and fascinating the town is, it is really living in a fairy tale. Regarding the study, I really liked the visits to all the EU institutions, the trips were not only a great way on learn on site how the EU decision making process works, but also the best way to create a bonding experience with the whole program. The best part is how international the program was, I had classmates from Thailand, China, Turkey, Bulgaria, Germany, England, and you name it, having the chance to study in such a multicultural environment certainly was an asset.

What I'm doing now

Right now I am back in Chile, I live in Santiago and work at the International Office in Duoc UC, one of Chile’s most important higher education institutions. I work as international partnerships manager and my duty is to look for the best institutions worldwide to build international collaborative projects and expand the student mobility network.

My reasons for becoming an Leiden Ambassador

Together with some other Holland Alumni we recently created the Chilean Holland Alumni Network. It has been a great experience and it allowed me to get to know some other Leiden Alumni. The Dutch embassy in Chile is extremely helpful and proactive fostering this kind of encounters. They even host the Cleveringa lecture every year. All of this really motivated me to become a Leiden Ambassador and together with the rest of the alumni be able to promote the University here in Chile and be a welcome team for all the Chileans returning to the country.