Student Science Outreach Programs Reach Record Enrollments in Chile and Spain

Eight students from Chile’s O’Higgins region secured university places in 2026 through the UNESCO Cupo Explora scheme, bringing the region to a national top‑three ranking. The program, run by the Regional Associate Project Explora O’Higgins and the University of O’Higgins, recognises students who have participated in school‑level research activities. One beneficiary, Ricardo Carrasco, said his experience was “bastante satisfactoria” and highlighted how the tools provided by Explora improved his study methods.

In Spain, the applied‑research centre AITEX recorded a milestone by welcoming more than 1,000 students from across the Comunitat Valenciana during the academic year. The visits, which included secondary‑school pupils, university undergraduates and master’s candidates, gave participants hands‑on exposure to laboratories, experimental plants and ongoing innovation projects, reinforcing interest in scientific and technological careers.

Both initiatives illustrate a growing demand among young people for direct engagement with research and higher‑education pathways in their respective regions.