UACh and Acoforag Strengthen Collaboration in Applied Research and Training

With a session focused on exchanging professional experiences and strengthening ties with the forestry sector, the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Natural Resources of the Universidad Austral de Chile commemorated Forest Engineer Day, a date traditionally celebrated every May 3rd.

The event included the participation of members of the Association of Forestry Contractors A.G. (Acoforag), who gave talks aimed especially at students of Forest Engineering and the various programs of the Faculty, sharing experiences, challenges, and projections of professional practice in the forestry field.

Within the framework of this commemoration, two agreements were also signed between the Rector of the Universidad Austral de Chile, Egon Montecinos, and the president of Acoforag, with the aim of strengthening collaboration between both institutions.

The Rector of this institution, Dr. Egon Montecinos, thanked Acoforag for the trust placed in UACh to establish this agreement. “It will allow us to advance on two levels: first, to work jointly with the members of this association and make our students available, but also to develop applied research by the academics of this Faculty. Second, we have advanced in a special admission agreement to strengthen the programs in the

Faculty, both Forest Engineering and Natural Resources Conservation Engineering, so that we have a space to offer a future to our students who are enthusiastic about this productive sector of the region and the south-central austral area,” he highlighted.

1. The first general cooperation agreement is aimed at promoting joint actions in various strategic areas, including:
2. Training on topics related to the sustainable management of natural and planted forests.
3. Strengthening the professional training of students in the Faculty’s programs.
4. Development of applied research on topics of mutual interest.
5. Dissemination of relevant content for the forestry sector and related communities.

Meanwhile, the second signed agreement is aimed at facilitating access to higher education for workers of companies associated with Acoforag and their sons and daughters. This initiative includes a special admission system to continue university studies at the School of Natural Resources Conservation Engineering and Forest Engineering at UACh.

From the Faculty, they highlighted that these initiatives reinforced the institutional commitment to training professionals linked to the sustainable development of the forestry sector and to generating strategic alliances that contribute to regional and national development.

“We are very happy with how this initiative with Acoforag, which brings together hundreds of contractor companies working in establishment, harvesting, biomass, roads, and transportation, is being realized today, and it will give us an opportunity to access all that practical information with our students,” expressed the Prodean, Dr. Marco Contreras.

Meanwhile, Roberto Castro, director of Acoforag, stated that “for us and especially for me, as a UACh Alumni, it is very important to be able to make this agreement. We are entrepreneurs and we need young people who can participate in our companies, do internships, and studies.”