10 Latin American Universities Employers Love
Earlier this month, the QS Latin America University Rankings 2018 were published, ranking the top universities in Latin America and assessing them across a series of metrics, including the reputation of each university among academics, and the number of staff at each university qualified to PhD level.
One of the most significant of these metrics – and arguably the most interesting for students – is employer reputation, a measure of how highly regarded each university is by the top employers in the world. More than any other element of the Latin America rankings, this metric hints at how well each university in the region can prepare you for your dream career.
If advancing your career prospects and graduating with a degree highly valued by leading employers is important to you, these universities are the ones to apply to.
10. Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez
Tenth on our list of top Latin American universities that are loved by employers is Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, a Chilean institution based in Santiago, with satellite campuses in Viña del Mar and Miami in the US. Ranked 23rd in Latin America this year overall (up from 37th the year before), the university is particularly well-regarded for business and management studies, featuring in the top 150 universities in the world in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017.
9. Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp)
Universidade Estadual de Campinas may be the second-best university in Latin America overall, but it’s only ranked ninth for employer reputation specifically. In fact, this is one of the metrics the university performs the poorest for, with only the university’s international research network and its faculty to student ratio receiving lower ranks. The Brazilian university is ranked in the top 50 in the world for two subjects: dentistry and agriculture & forestry.
8. Universidad de los Andes Colombia
The eighth best university in Latin America according to employers is Universidad de los Andes Colombia. Based in the country’s capital city Bogotá, the university is also ranked eighth in Latin America overall and is among the top 100 universities in the world for six different subjects. They are: anthropology, art & design, development studies, law, modern languages and social policy & administration.
7. Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Also in Bogota, Universidad Nacional de Colombia fell out of the top 10 overall this year but is the seventh best university in Latin America when ranked by employer reputation. The university is also ranked seventh for its reputation among academics, and is in the world’s top 100 universities for both art & design and modern languages.
6. Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM)
Tecnológico de Monterrey is the first of two Mexican universities included in this top 10. Encompassing 31 campuses in 25 cities across Mexico, ITESM is a sprawling university that’s home to over 90,000 students. If you’re considering studying here, it’s worth noting the university is ranked particularly highly for its art & design and business & management studies programs. Both are ranked within the top 50 in the world.
5. Universidad de Chile
A non-mover at sixth overall in this year’s Latin America ranking, Universidad de Chile is considered to be in the region’s top 10 universities for every metric apart from its faculty to student ratio, where it’s ranked a disappointing 187th. If large class sizes don’t faze you though, this Chilean university is likely to stand you in good stead for a career, with academic strengths in multiple areas. The university featured in 28 different subject rankings, including five different branches of engineering, law and sociology.
4. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
The highest-ranked university in Mexico for both employer reputation and overall, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a highly competitive university to get into, with only 8 percent of applicants in 2016 securing a place. If you do get in, you’ll definitely experience a high-quality education. The university is included in 40 of the 46 subject rankings published by QS, scoring particularly highly for its arts and humanities programs.
3. Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
Leading the way in Brazil, Universidade de São Paulo is the largest public university in the country and a regular feature in the Latin America ranking. Down two places to third overall this year, the university is one of the best places in the world to study mineral & mining engineering. Approximately a third of the university’s international students come to USP to study an engineering course.
2. Universidad de Buenos Aires
Universidad de Buenos Aires may only be ranked ninth overall in this year’s Latin America ranking, but for employers it’s undoubtedly one of the finest universities in the region. Beaten by only one university (more on them later), Universidad de Buenos Aires is also ranked second for academic reputation. It features in the top 50 of the most-recent subject rankings for modern languages and sociology.
1. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC)
The indisputable winner of both the Latin America rankings and our countdown of Latin American universities employers love is Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, which has performed fantastically well across all metrics. One of six Catholic universities in Chile, UC performed particularly well in the theology & divinity studies ranking launched earlier this year, coming 30th in the world. UC has four campuses in Santiago and one in Villarrica, and is also highly regarded for its arts & humanities and social sciences & management programs.
Want to learn more about the top universities in Latin America? Click here.
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Thinking of studying in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina Colombia or elsewhere in Latin America? These are the universities employers think look best on a resume.
where-to-study/latin-america
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Most Beautiful Places in Mexico
There are plenty of perks if you study in Mexico: stunning beaches and sunny weather, mouth-watering cuisine, friendly people, the opportunity to improve your Spanish and much, much more…including a very Instagram-friendly selection of famous cultural and geographical sights.
We’ve looked at some of the most beautiful places in Latin America before, but with the release of the QS Latin America University Rankings 2018, we thought we’d celebrate with a Mexico-focused edition, to highlight the best the country has to offer…
Cañón del Sumidero (Sumidero Canyon)
Starting off our look at the most beautiful places is the Cañón del Sumidero, located just north of the city of Chiapa de Corzo in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico. Formed around the same time as the Grand Canyon in the US, the Cañón del Sumidero is a deep, narrow canyon split by the Grijalva river, with vertical walls reaching up to 3,200ft, creating breath-taking sights reminiscent of Lord of the Rings.
Hierve el Agua
Another must-visit in Mexico is the Hierve el Agua in the state of Oaxaca, a set of natural rock formations formed over thousands of years, which now resembles a frozen waterfall. It’s a truly unique sight – there’s only one other calcified waterfall like it in the world.
El Castillo, Chichen Itza
We couldn’t miss out the iconic Mesoamerican pyramid of El Castillo, which dominates the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the state of Yucatán. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the pyramid was built around a thousand years ago by the Maya people and served as a temple to the god Kukulkan.
Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City
Heading to the capital next for another one of the most beautiful places in Mexico, the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts). This is Mexico City’s grandest and most prominent performance venue, hosting a range of music, dance, theatre, opera and literature events as well as art exhibitions.
Pico de Orizaba
Mexico is known for its incredible beaches, but did you know 75 percent of the country is actually above 3,300ft? If you’re looking for something adventurous to do while you study in Mexico, how about taking a crack at climbing Pico de Orizaba? This dormant volcano is the highest mountain in the country, towering a whopping 5,636 meters (18,491ft) above sea level.
Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Oaxaca City
Oaxaca City, the state capital of Oaxaca, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its stunning range of colonial architecture and archaeological sites. Pictured above is the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, arguably the most beautiful church in the city.
Isla Mujeres
A list of the most beautiful places in Mexico wouldn’t be complete without a beach destination, and if you like the quiet life, the small island of Isla Mujeres could be the place for you. Located 13 kilometers off the coast of tourist hotspot Cancún, it offers a more relaxed setting, with its crystal-clear waters offering an ideal spot to go snorkeling.
Cabo San Lucas Arch, Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas is another major tourist destination for soaking up the sun on the beach, or – if you’re feeling more active – diving, snorkeling, jet-skiing, parasailing and more. At the southern tip you’ll find the beautiful natural rock formation of the Cabo San Lucas Arch, which sits at the point where the Gulf of California meets the Pacific Ocean.
Guanajuato, Jalisco
One of the largest cities in the country, Guadalajara, the state capital of Jalisco, is also one of the most beautiful places in Mexico. Guadalajara is a colonial city surrounded by mountains and is full of culture and beautiful architecture, such as the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, pictured above. The city’s historic center and adjacent mines are another of Mexico’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Tamul Waterfalls
In terms of natural beauty, it doesn’t get much more majestic than the Tamul waterfalls, near the city of Ciudad Valles in San Luis Potosí state. The Tamul falls plunge some 340 feet in the Tampaon River, with spectacular views and turquoise waters. Head 25 miles downstream and you’ll find pre-Columbian ruins at Tamtoc.
Uxmal
One of the most important archaeological sites in the country, the ancient Maya city of Uxmal is sure to be on your list of places to visit while you study in Mexico. Located 35 miles south of the city of Merida, Uxmal is a prominent example of Puuc architecture and dates back to the ninth century.
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Want to study in Mexico? Check out the most picturesque spots to visit during your trip.
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Five Simple Tricks to Learn Spanish Quickly
Is your Spanish basically on par with Joey’s French? If your language skills are not up to scratch, there are so many free resources you can use nowadays to learn a language quickly that all you really need to be fluent in Spanish in the year 2017 is a smartphone and the desire to learn. From Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s free online language courses to apps that connect you with other learners and native speakers, you’re thoroughly spoilt for choice. If you’re looking to learn Spanish, or another modern language, in your spare time, here are some tips to help you.
Never pay for a group lesson in your life ever again
You’re not at school anymore, so don’t feel as if you have to join a group class in order to learna new language. In fact, group classes are a tad outdated because beginners will all learn at their own pace, depending on their native language and language skills, and you’re never going to get the attention you need from a teacher when their focus is split between 10-15 students.
Fortunately, if you can’t afford private lessons, there’s a good mix of free online resources to help you, like MIT’s Opencourseware, the BBC’s Spanish language section, DuoLingo and Babbel (two apps which have great user interfaces), the public domain language learning material compilation LiveLingua, or SpanishPod for free audio and video lessons, flashcards and a forum.
Repetitively test yourself on commonly used words until they come to you naturally
There’s no point in learning obscure rarely-employed words you’re probably never going to use in your day-to-day life. A good starting place for beginners is to drill the 100 most commonly used words until you can write, speak and comprehend them without effort. One way to encounter these on a regular basis is also to change your phone language to Spanish (or whichever language you’re trying to learn). That way you’ll see common words on a regular basis and get used to using them.
Another trick to build vocabulary fast and build your confidence are cognates, words that sound or look similar to the English, e.g. delicious vs. delicioso. Like commonly used words, you’ve just got to drill them until you can recite them easily and quickly.
Have a good old chinwag in Spanish with native speakers
It used to be slightly trickier to practice speaking a language with a native speaker if you weren’t actually based in the country, but these days, thanks to a range of dedicated language apps and websites, you can speak to a Spanish teacher or native speaker from your living room in just a few clicks. The social language site Lang-8 connects you with native speakers, while Italki lets you book Skype lessons with vetted teachers online.
Train your ear by listening to videos and films in Spanish
It’s important that you listen to Spanish as often as you can to pick up the nuances and cadence of the language. Immersion is key, but if you aren’t based in a Spanish-speaking country, there are many resources you can use, like BBC Mundo’s video section and the vast range of Spanish TV shows available to stream on YouTube for free. Don’t expect to understand everything at first, but do put yourself out there and trust you will eventually have that lightbulb moment.
Immerse yourself in Spanish articles, news and picture books every day
Don’t neglect your reading skills either. Depending on your interests and level of Spanish, you might want to read magazines like Cosmopolitan in Spanish, news on sites like BBC Mundo, or even just funny cartoons for adults like the Argentine comic book series Mafalda. If you’re a beginner, you might want to start with something slightly more basic like children’s picture books just to practice simple words and verbs.
There’s also a number of different apps to practice reading in Spanish, like Readlang, which lets you turn Spanish-language websites into virtual language lessons, by saving any words or phrases you highlight with your cursor as flashcards so you can practice them later, and MosaLingua, which features a library of e-books with an instant translation tool and a similar flashcard function as Readlang’s.
¡Buena suerte!
Lead image: Contando Estrelas (Flickr)
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To mark the launch of the QS World University Rankings by Region 2018, we look at how you can learn Spanish quickly and painlessly.
where-to-study/latin-america
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