The Dicasterio for Catholic Culture and Education of the Holy See approved the designation of Juan Carlos de la Llera as Rector of the Catholic University of Chile, a position that will be exercised during the 2025-2030 period.
De la Llera is an engineer from the Catholic University of Chile, Doctor of the University of California and former Decoan of the Faculty of Engineering UC. It is one of the most awarded Chilean professionals globally.
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After more than 160 meetings, in the framework of a search process in which about 1600 people participated, the University Search Committee presented a list to Cardinal Fernando Chomali, Archbishop of Santiago and the great chancellor of the UC, to Who corresponded “in conscience, seeing all the reports, choose a person, a teacher,” according to his own words.
“It may have been any of the three, because the three fulfilled the conditions, spiritual, professional, moral, intellectual, academic skills to be rector of the university,” said the cardinal.
On this new mission, the rector assured that takes it “with very deep humility.” “Because I know the complex, I know what a university is about.”
“Here it is required that we all align us so that this great institution remains as great as it is until now. We will continue to push this university to transform this beautiful country that we have, that it needs universities too much, and I think that is a bit The idea of this project: connect the UC very deeply with our country and also with the world, ”he said.
In one Open letter to the new rectorthe Archbishop of Santiago recalled that “the university is a treasure for the Church and the country”, while recalling that “the Catholic University is based on anthropology that states that the human being has been created in the image and likeness of God ; It has been redeemed by Jesus Christ and is called to eternal life. ”
Within that framework, he stressed that “it is that dignity of the human being that has to guide the entire university work.” “The Catholic University is called to make a focus of reflection to make the light of Christ shine in the middle of the world that seeks more humanity, more fraternity, more justice and more peace,” he added.
Juan Carlos de la Llera happens to Dr. Ignacio Sánchez, who served throughout three periods.
The outgoing rector assured that the Academic and Management Trajectory of the Llera at the Faculty of Engineering have been key in the development of the UC.
“The next years will present great challenges, both nationally and international University “will continue to be a reference of academic excellence, public role and institutional responsibility.”
Who is Juan Carlos de la Llera?
Juan Carlos de la Llera is 63 years old. Graduated in 1985 of the School of Engineering from the Catholic University, he continued his postgraduate studies of Master of Science and Ph.D at the University of California, Berkeley.
From his investigations, he developed resistance systems for buildings in case of earthquakes. In addition to Chile, the technologies he developed are found in countries such as Japan, New Zealand, Italy, the United States, Greece and Turkey.
At the Catholic University of Chile, he served as Dean of the UC Faculty of Engineering in three consecutive periods, from 2010 to 2022.
He has received numerous awards and awards. Among them, the National Academy of Engineering of the United States summoned it to be part of its members, in a group that has had personalities such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, and of which only five Chileans have been part of.
Julieta Villar
I am a journalist, a graduate in Communication from the National University of La Matanza in Argentina. I have work experience in non -governmental organizations. Since 2016 I dedicate myself to Catholic journalism, first in the Argentine Catholic Information Agency (AICA) and, since 2022, as a correspondent for ACI Press for Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Bolivia.