From January 21 to 27, 2026, a team from the Center for Media Studies at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" conducted a research visit to Facultad de Comunicaciones, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile) – one of the most prestigious universities in Latin America and an internationally recognized center for education and scientific research in the field of communications.

The Bulgarian delegation included Prof. Dr. Veselina Vulkanova, Dean of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Prof. Dr. Nikolay Mihaylov, Prof. Dr. Efrem Efremov, and doctoral student Iva Ivanova. The visit was part of the Faculty's long-term strategy to expand international academic cooperation, exchange scientific and teaching experience, and establish sustainable partnerships with leading universities outside the European educational space.

The main focus of the visit was on the topics of transformations in the media environment, journalistic practices in the context of digitalization, visual communication, and the role of media and communication in defending democratic values. These areas of research are key both for the scientific work of the Center for Media Studies at FJMC and for the academic program and project activities of the Facultad de Comunicaciones at UC Chile.

During the visit, meetings were held, marked by in-depth and fruitful discussions on future cooperation. Bulgarian researchers held working meetings with the Dean of the Faculty of Communications, Polina Gomez Lorenzini, with the Director of the Creative and Research Department, Magdalena Saldana Villa, the editor-in-chief of the scientific journal Cuadernos.info, Raínez Condesa Dal'Orso, and Prof. Juan Cristóbal Edwards Correa – renowned scholars and academic leaders who have played a key role in the development of communication studies in Chile and Latin America.

During the talks, opportunities were discussed for:

• development of joint research projects;
• participation in international comparative studies;
• preparation of joint scientific publications;
• exchange of good practices in teaching journalism and communication majors;
• building long-term forms of institutional partnership between FJMC and UC Chile.

Special attention was paid to the comparative analysis of media and public processes in Europe and Latin America, including similarities and differences in professional standards, the role of journalism in public debates, and the challenges facing democratic publicity in the context of global political, social, and technological changes. This comparative approach was considered particularly valuable for future research and for expanding the analytical framework of communication science.

The visit also provided an opportunity to learn about the research infrastructure, academic programs, and scientific platforms of the Facultad de Comunicaciones, including practices for linking scientific research to public debate and the professional media environment. This experience is particularly important for building on the research approaches of the Center for Media Studies.

The research visit to Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile is an important step in the process of internationalization of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication and establishing the faculty as an active participant in the global academic dialogue in the field of journalism and communications. It contributes to the expansion of the Faculty's international network of scientific contacts and creates a solid foundation for future cooperation between the Bulgarian and Chilean academic communities.