Desde Corea del Sur, nuestra alumna de Diseño Digital, Valeria Martínez, nos cuenta como vivió su beca internacional en Hallym University.
When you entered Uni did you know there were international programs?
Sí, estaba consciente y eso es una gran motivación.
When you entered your career, did you think you would go to live and study abroad?
Siempre me visualice en un intercambio, sin embargo, no creí que sería tan pronto.
Have you ever lived or studied outside of Mexico before?
No, jamás había estado tanto tiempo fuera de mi casa
What prompted or motivated you to study in another country?
Conocer nuevos lugares y culturas, y estos aprendizajes son invaluables.
Why did you decide to study in that country?
Realmente fue mi primera opción, siempre me ha llamado la atención la cultura asiática.
How did you feel when you arrived in the new country?
Sentí muchos nervios, no dominaba las ingles al 100% así que estaba algo insegura por ese aspecto, pero estaba emocionada de que por fin se había cumplido mi sueño con irme de intercambio al extranjero
How have you been received at the university where you arrived?
Los maestros y directores siempre fueron muy amables.
What will you miss most about Mexico and UNI?
Extrañe demasiado a mi familia, amigos y a mi novio, pero también me hizo mucha falta la comida mexicana.
What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far in this experience?
Fue sorprendente visitar un lugar tan lejos y vivir ahí fue algo inexplicable, era como un sueño.
And the hardest part?
El idioma, los coreanos casi no hablan inglés, realmente Corea es un país muy seguro, pero a pesar de eso tienes que saber adecuarte, es parte de la cultura y mi capacidad de adaptación.
What do you expect as a person and as a professional from this experience?
Esto me ayuda mucho a mi desarrollo profesional, quiero seguir aprendiendo y viajando.
Do you recommend these opportunities provided by Uni to your colleagues?
Recomiendo que no lo piensen, que apliquen a las BECAS al Extranjero! La UNI nos apoya bastante con estas becas y el apoyo para poder hacer todos los trámites. También ahorren porque vivir en Corea es más caro que vivir aquí.
Estoy muy agradecida con mi Universidad por este gran apoyo!
Fanny Orozco from Digital Design, won the international scholarship to spend a semester at Hallym University in South Korea, here she tells us about her experience.
When you entered Uni did you know there were international programs?
Yes, I knew that and that was motivating.
When you started your career, did you think you would go to live and study abroad? To tell you the truth, no...... although I wanted and expected to have the opportunity, and it came very soon!
Have you ever lived or studied outside of Mexico before?
Never. This was the first time I went out of my country.
What prompted or motivated you to study in another country?
The curiosity to get to know another place that is completely different from Mexico. The teachers always pushed me to go beyond and look for opportunities to broaden our vision of the world.
Why did you decide to study in that country?
Well, because of the pandemic this University continued to receive foreign students and the Uni always supported me to be able to fulfill the requirements requested by Hallym University.
How did you feel when you arrived in the new country?
It was exciting and scary. Coming to a place where no one speaks your language, where you know absolutely nothing can be very shocking. It was difficult to communicate with people even with English because you could hardly understand them because of their accent.
I also think I still wasn't processing the fact that I was in another country and the fatigue and stress of such a long flight can make you a little cranky. But it's all worth it.
How have you been received at the university where you arrived?
I was very well received despite arriving in the country at midnight. They were always attentive if I needed anything.
What will you miss most about Mexico and UNI?
From Mexico it was the food, our gastronomy is the best in the world.
From UNI it's a little more difficult since I only made it through a semester and a half before quarantine started. I missed the Uniclubs a lot but will continue to participate.
What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far in this experience?
I have two experiences: Watching the snow fall quietly and the next day seeing everything covered with snow. And visiting the border with North Korea and entering one of the incursion tunnels. It was fabulous and great to be so close to the other side and watch the scenery.
And the hardest part?
I insist with the food, it was not easy, even now that I have been living in Korea for half a year, also the time change; it is difficult to communicate with the family because when you go to sleep they wake up and vice versa.
What do you expect as a person and as a professional from this experience?
To have expanded my way of perceiving the world. I hope to be more responsible and independent since I had to fend for myself on many occasions. I also understood why my career is so attracted to this country.
Do you recommend these opportunities provided by Uni to your colleagues?
It's an opportunity worth living, even if it's only one semester in your professional career! Thank you Universidad de Celaya for supporting me in this great experience!
Our student José Antonio Merino from Communication Sciences is participating in a "Work-Camp" on the west coast of Iceland, an experience that will allow them to develop a global vision, personal and professional skills, within a multicultural environment.
Chosen as Winner in the "Hands for the World 20-21" Program issued by the State Government Congratulations!
"What we are doing is cleaning up the coasts of West Iceland in a community called Brú, we use a waste separation method in which each of the waste found is recorded, sent for recycling and the marine species we find in the Atlantic are conserved, the program is run by Worldwide FriendsThe program is run by Worldwide Friends, with volunteers from all over the world, right now we are from Mexico (me), Slovakia, France, Guatemala, Germany, Austria and Scotland. It is a beautiful experience on which I will base much of my knowledge and that is leaving me a great learning and memories for a lifetime."
The students of the Bachelor's Degree in Systemic Psychology, Salvador, Andrea and Jesús, received their CONOCER certificate for having accredited the ECO217 Certification for the delivery of human capital training courses in a face-to-face group setting, which includes the substantive functions of preparing, conducting and evaluating training courses based on quality standards in force in the country.
With this certificate our students accredit their knowledge, skills and attitudes in the field of training that is relevant to their work performance in any of the areas of specialization: labor, educational or clinical.
The certificate is endorsed by the National Council for Standardization and Certification of Labor Competencies (CONOCER), an organization of which the University of Celaya is a certifying entity, providing constant training and certification opportunities to our university community and the population of our region.
The University of Celaya in collaboration with the Government of the State of Guanajuato and the Association of Producers of Cajeta de Celaya, seek the declaration "Geographic Indicator of the Cajeta de Celaya" in order to give recognition and protection at national and international level of a product that gives us identity, for the benefit of producers and consumers. Why carry out this process? Because Cajeta de Celaya is linked to cultural, traditional and historical factors, the result of processes and traditional knowledge transmitted from generation to generation by a community of a particular region, that is why it can be considered as intellectual property.
In this process, the University of Celaya conducted the technical study with feedback from cajeta producers, historians and photographs taken by the Guanajuato state government and drafted the rules for the use of cajeta production. The study describes:
a) The historical, traditional and generation-to-generation approach to the production of cajeta.
b) The production approach: ingredients, blending, family business, "at the cajeta point" and elements such as the copper ladle and the wooden spoon (which gives a particular flavor to the cajeta).
c) Photographic evidenceThe cajeta producers were already constituted as an A.C. and in 2018 the protection of geographical indicators was added.
The holder of the geographical indication of "Cajeta de Celaya" is the Mexican State certified through IMPI. The reputation of a geographical indication is an intangible collective good. "Cajeta de Celaya" would be named to any produced within the geographical indication zone and complying with the established rules of use.
The importance lies in the fact that if it is not protected, it could be used without restrictions, its value would diminish and it would eventually be lost, besides, protection is not only local, regional or national, but international, through trade agreements. Europe, for example, requested Mexico to protect 350 geographical indicators (Spain alone has more than 60), as did the USA and the World Trade Organization (WTO), among others.
In Mexico there are only 18 appellations of origin and 13 or 14 geographical indicators. The advantages of this declaration are the protection of the product, which by having a geographical indicator becomes worth twice the price, because the consumer pays for the guarantee of origin, since for any producer of cajeta to sell it as "CAJETA DE CELAYA" would have to:
a) Obtain a certificate issued by La Uni de Celaya (who made the technical study) and
b) Obtain authorization from IMPI confirming that its production process complies with the rules of use registered with the geographical indicator, the relationship between the product, the quality and the place on which the protection is based prevents its transmission to producers outside the demarcated region.
This whole process also ensures quality because producers are less tempted to substitute traditional procedures for possibly less expensive ones, and it also encourages economic development based on traditional knowledge.
Obtaining protection of a geographical indication will also prevent the registration of the indication as a trademark by a third party, avoiding the risk of "Cajeta de Celaya" becoming a generic name.
With this, the University of Celaya consolidates its performance as an institution committed to the development, culture, history and future of our city.
