One of the differentiating characteristics of the University is its powerful international ties, especially with China. The UST is the first institution in Latin America to have a Confucius Institute, inaugurated in 2007 at the Viña del Mar headquarters and which is present today in 19 cities of the country. Likewise, it maintains exchange agreements with more than 110 study houses in 29 countries and is one of the founders of the International Council of Universities in the Spirit of Santo Tomás de Aquino, ICUSTA, created in 1993. On the other hand, thanks to the creation of nine centers for applied research and innovation, it has positioned itself as one of the universities with a projection in research in the country, being recognized in the Scimago 2019 ranking as number 12 among higher education schools Chileans. Réduire