Dr. José Rosas Vera -Director of the School of Architecture (1997-2000), Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urban Studies (2005-2012), Director of the Heritage Center (2012-2017) at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) discussed the developments of their PhD program in Architecture, which started in 2004.

Two interVIEWS were conducted: one in the Spanish language in Chile (InterVIEW/LISTEN 2), and a second one in the English language (InterVIEW/READ 3). Dr. Rosas Vera was invited to discuss the impact of architectural research in the urban context and the role of the academic institution in the public life of Santiago, and the wider regional and national context.  Additionally, he reflected on the country’s complex political scenario since the beginning of the Chilean protests in October 2019.

The PhD program is recognized as one of the most relevant in the Ibero-American context and is part of the Urban Studies Institute, which is the first interdisciplinary institute of PUC. The doctoral research covers the areas of urban history, theory, landscape, geo-politics, and representation. The program has graduated sixty-eight doctors in architecture, and sixty dissertations are currently ongoing. He discussed the role of the architect and architecture in urban design and development, and the relationship between the PhD program and the planning department of the city of Santiago, the impact of research on public policies and urban planning, the importance of public space, and the Western influence on the urban development of the city historically and in its present context.