Deans of the country's main universities meet to position Forest Engineering

The Faculties of Forest Engineering from the most relevant universities in the country in this area of knowledge took a concrete step toward collaborative work with the holding of the Council of Deans, an instance that brought together Prof. Christian Salas-Eljatib, dean of the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Nature Conservation at the University of Chile, along with his counterparts from the Faculty of Agronomy and Natural Systems at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Prof. Alejandr Engler; from the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Natural Resources at the Austral University of Chile, Prof. Oscar Thiers; and from the Faculty of Forest Sciences at the University of Concepción, Prof. Eugenio Sanfuentes. The University of Aysén and Mayor University also participate in this Council.

The meeting, held at the Central House of the University of Chile, aimed to review and define the next steps to, in an articulated manner among all academic units, position the Forest Engineering degree on the country's public, scientific, and social agenda. In a context marked by environmental urgency, mega forest fires, the water crisis, and the growing demand for professionals capable of sustainably managing natural resources and territories, the deans agreed on the need to move forward with a common voice and a shared strategy.

A common agenda for the forestry discipline

Among the topics addressed during the meeting, the guidelines for greater dissemination and visibility of the degree stood out, with a view to strengthening its vocational appeal among young people and more effectively communicating the contribution that forest engineers make to the country's development. Likewise, the authorities analyzed the active participation of the faculties in the development and discussion of public policies related to native forest management, ecological restoration, forest fire prevention, and land management.

Another central point on the agenda was coordination for joint participation in the upcoming Forest Sciences Congress, an event that brings together the scientific and academic community of the discipline and represents a strategic opportunity to showcase the advances of Chilean forest research and the leading role that universities play in it.