IE University continues to set the standard in holistic learning, with enriching events that bring notable speakers to our classrooms. These events cover wide-ranging topics, but they’re all designed to enrich our students’ learning experience. This time, it was an incisive analysis of multilateral cooperation around the world from the perspectives of two of its staunchest supporters: China and Uruguay.
Dissecting cooperation
Just before the Easter holidays kicked off, students were treated to a scheduled visit from Nicolás Albertoni, the undersecretary of foreign affairs for Uruguay. Mr. Albertoni led a masterclass on “The Current State of Multilateralism: Perspective from Uruguay,” where he talked about the country’s unique experience of this international system.
IE University students Antonia Campos and Manuela Camarero attended the event as part of the Global Governance and International Institutions course for their Dual Degree in Laws + International Relations. According to them, it was an eye-opening session that brought up a slew of interesting questions.
“Several students asked about the feasibility of a common currency in Mercosur,” says Antonia. The Southern Common Market—Mercosur, as it’s commonly abbreviated in Spanish—is a political and economic bloc comprising Uruguay and three other powerhouse states in the region. Creating a common currency could have great implications for the European Union’s economy; after all, the EU is the bloc’s biggest trade and investment partner yet.
Mr. Albertoni provided further insights into Uruguay’s place in Mercosur, the unique challenges it faces in the LATAM region, and its outlook on the future of multilateralism at the global scale.
Alternative narratives
In a separate masterclass, Dr. Huiyao Wang comprehensively outlined “A View on Multilateralism & IOs from China”. As the founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), a leading think tank, Dr. Wang is well-positioned to provide a unique perspective on the matter. He was accompanied by Mabel Miao, the center’s secretary general.
Manuela found the masterclass particularly insightful as it offered a point of view she had never considered before. “I haven’t had many opportunities to get a firsthand account from someone who actually works in China,” she admits. “So hearing [Dr. Wang’s] opinion, which presented an alternative narrative to what I’m used to hearing, was incredibly exciting.”
The students gained valuable insights when Dr. Wang touched on the narratives around US-China relations and the need for greater cooperation to solve complex global challenges. He also engaged attendees on the importance of multilateralism to global governance, human rights and sustainable economic development. As Antonia notes, “Dr. Wang explained that China’s open position is maintaining good relations with other nations and pushing for further alliances.”
Enriching experiences
These masterclasses allowed our students to explore complex topics with the guidance of high-level policy- and decision-makers. What’s more, they availed the perfect opportunity for networking and building bridges that push us collectively to a more prosperous, connected world.
