Fiorela Quispe Valencia, a student in the Master’s Program in Government and Public Policy, and Renato Calderón Soto, a student at the Faculty of Administration and Executive Management of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), are the first students from our university to undertake an academic mobility program at Shanghai University, China.
This mobility experience was made possible thanks to the institutional relationship between PUCP and Shanghai University. Both universities have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a specific academic exchange agreement, which provide a framework for promoting student mobility and strengthening new opportunities for cooperation between the two institutions.
During the 2026-1 semester, Fiorela and Renato took part in an academic exchange in Shanghai, where they met students from different parts of the world and gained firsthand experience of the city’s culture and university life. This experience allowed them to complement their academic training in an international setting, broaden their perspectives on their respective fields of study, and strengthen personal and professional skills such as adaptability, independence, and the ability to navigate intercultural environments.
Fiorela highlighted the academic and personal value of her time in China. For her, this experience was an opportunity not only to enrich her graduate education, but also to discover new personal perspectives:
Spending my exchange semester at Shanghai University in China was one of the most enriching experiences of my graduate studies. Not only was I able to expand my knowledge and learn from an international perspective, but I also had the opportunity to experience a completely different culture and connect with students from different parts of the world. This experience encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone, gain confidence, and discover new ways of looking at my field of study and my professional future. I am taking away valuable lessons, unforgettable memories, and lasting friendships. Without a doubt, I encourage everyone to take advantage of these opportunities and embrace an exchange experience that can change the way you see the world
Fiorela Quispe Valencia Student in the Master’s Program in Government and Public PolicyFor Renato, the experience in Shanghai also provided an opportunity to engage with new academic, cultural, and social dynamics, which broadened his perspective on the international environment and his own personal and professional development:
My exchange experience in Shanghai has been one of the most transformative experiences of my university life. China, and particularly Shanghai, exposed me to a level of technological, urban, and social development that broadened my perspective on the world. At the university, I experienced a demanding and international academic environment, with dynamics that were different from those I was accustomed to. I had the opportunity to interact with students from China, Asia, and around the world, which significantly enriched my intercultural experience. On a personal level, navigating an environment with a different language, rules, and customs constantly pushed me out of my comfort zone. This experience strengthened my adaptability, resilience, independence, and ability to embrace change with a more open perspective.”
At PUCP, we promote international academic mobility as part of an education that extends beyond the classroom, allowing our students to broaden their knowledge, build intercultural connections, and engage with new academic and social realities. Fiorela and Renato’s experience, as the first PUCP students to undertake an academic mobility program at Shanghai University, represents a new milestone in the relationship between the two institutions and opens up opportunities for more students to pursue academic experiences in China.
In this way, we reaffirm our commitment to comprehensive and international education, as well as to strengthening partnerships with universities around the world that contribute to the academic, personal, and professional development of our university community.
