• Before an audience of over 800 people at the Aula Magna, Universidad de Santiago de Chile bestowed an honorary doctorate on Rafael Correa, President of Ecuador, for his academic merits, his strong commitment to universities’ development, for favoring links between Chile and his country, and for contributing to South American integration. Dr. Juan Manuel Zolezzi, President of Universidad de Santiago, said that this high academic honor was promoted by the Faculty of Administration and Economics and also highlighted President Correa’s contributions, specifying that he has driven “the largest educational reform in the history of his country, in order to improve the quality of primary, secondary and higher education; a public policy that has become an example for all Latin America”. After receiving a gold medal, the highest institutional distinction, President Correa said he was “honored” and he invited the University community “to believe in talent and in the transforming power of education, science and technology.”

On May 14th, our University bestowed an honorary doctorate (Honoris Causa) to his Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ecuador, Rafael Correa Delgado.

The highest academic distinction, bestowed by Universidad de Santiago on distinguished figures who contribute to knowledge and humanity, was awarded to the Ecuadorian head of state in a crowded ceremony held at Aula Magna, headed by Dr. Juan Manuel Zolezzi, President of our University.

Distinguished Ecuadorian and Chilean guests attended the solemn activity. Diplomatic delegations from several countries and high authorities of our University, like Dr. Silvia Ferrada, Dean of the Faculty of Administration and Economics, were also present. This faculty was the one that promoted President Correa’s distinction.

Members of the University’s community and other guests, like Joan Turner, Víctor Jaras’ widow and his daughter Amanda Jara Turner also attended the ceremony.

Dr. Zolezzi highlighted President Correa’s achievements and significant social contributions, particularly, to education in his country, the reasons why he deserved the Honorary Doctor distinction and the “Universidad de Santiago de Chile Medal”, gold category.

Contribution to education

Dr. Zolezzi said that President Correa “has driven the largest educational reform in the history of his country, in order to improve the quality of primary, secondary and higher education; a public policy that has become an example for all Latin America.”

“This fact has a special meaning to us- he added- when we are before the Chileans’ majority clamor asking for large educational reforms (…) we are certain that this is the time to implement them, because education is the best tool to defeat inequality.”

Dr. Zolezzi said that through this distinction to the Ecuadorian head of state, “we are expressing our highest respect and admiration for him as an example to the world’s young generations, which are constantly fighting for noble, just and viable causes that identify men as men, by understanding humanity and justice; that identify men with their origins, with nature; that make them feel as part of a world vision, as citizens of the world.”

After President Zolezzi’s words, Universidad de Santiago’s General Secretary Gustavo Robles read the official resolution document by which President Correa was distinguished, for his contribution to favoring links between the Republic of Chile and his country, his strong commitment to universities’ development, as well as for his academic merits and contribution to the South American region integration.

“Believe in human talent”

In his speech, President Correa, an economist who has been re-elected for a third period to the Presidency of his country, said he felt “honored” for being conferred this distinction by our University and expressed his admiration for Chilean people and Chilean historical figures like Salvador Allende, Víctor Jara and Pablo Neruda.

With great eloquence and knowledge of the reality of the countries of what he called “Patria Grande” (Latin America), President Correa reviewed his major achievements during his tenure regarding matters like economy, health, labor policies and, especially, education, where he highlighted the progress made by his administration.

While he was speaking, the new Universidad de Santiago’s Honorary Doctor- the 14th awarded since the institutional regulations were established in 2000- was interrupted several times by loud applause by an audience that crowded the Aula Magna. Regarding education, he highlighted, for example, the creation of four new universities during his tenure, the closure of 14 “deficient” universities and the higher rate of participation in higher education of the lowest income quintile of his country.

Also, President Correa reiterated his support to the idea of education as a human right and he called for “believing in human talent.”

“I strongly believe in the transforming power of education, science and technology; even more, my hopes rely on this power: my hope for the future of our planet, for a sustainable way of living, for the possibility of offering a good life to all humankind (…),” he emphasized.    

“Promoting knowledge will allow a higher scientific and technological progress, but what is most important, its application for the common good. In Ecuador we have banked on investing in talent in order to achieve sustainable and sovereign development,” President Correa concluded.

To see the photo gallery, click on the following link: http://www.udesantiagoaldia.cl/content/presidente-de-ecuador-rafael-correa-doctor-honoris-causa-por-la-universidad

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Translated by Marcela Contreras

• Dr. Juan Manuel Zolezzi, Vice President of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (Cruch, in Spanish) and Universidad de Santiago’s highest authority, remarked that criticism of the government proposal to appoint an intervention agent when a university commits a serious infringement, “is not justified if the bill´s content is analyzed in a less ideological and more objective way.” He expressed these ideas while he was participating in a special session held by the Chamber of Deputies’ Education Commission, to which he was invited. On the occasion, Dr. Zolezzi reiterated that the proposal -though it addresses a limited aspect of the educational problem- is positive and it “intends to protect the students’ rights and to guarantee that they continue studying when their universities commit acts in breach of law.”

As Vice President of the Cruch, Universidad de Santiago’s President, Dr. Juan Manuel Zolezzi, was invited by the Chamber of Deputies’ Education Commission to a special session held on May 12th. On the occasion, he expressed the Cruch’s support to the bill that creates the entities of “Provisional Administrator” and “Institution Closure Administrator” for Higher Education institutions.

During the session, Dr. Zolezzi said that some of the criticisms of the proposal presented by the government a week ago were “disproportionate”, “expressed in an alarming tone” and “are not justified if the bill is analyzed in a less ideological and more objective way.”

In this context, the Cruch said that the bill did not violate the Constitution, as the concept of Provisional Administrator “has already been recognized by Law 20.529.”

Education as a fundamental right

Also, Dr. Juan Zolezzi belittled the complaints about an alleged violation of universities’ autonomy by the bill and said that “when a higher education institution has a financial and academic disaster that may risk the continuation and quality of its programs, the law cannot allow that institution to hide behind the concept of university autonomy.”

According to Dr. Zolezzi, “the State has the obligation to create mechanisms that effectively protect the right to education as a fundamental right for all people.”

“The closure of Universidad del Mar, which had 16,907 students, is a paradigmatic case of the institutional crisis and the lack of legal protection for students (…) Up to now, we do not know about the situation of more than 8,000 students who did not continue in that institution and were not able to relocate to other universities. What happened to Universidad del Mar could happen to other universities too,” he said.

He said that the Cruch thinks that “instead of threatening the Rule of Law, the bill strengthens and legitimizes it.”

“It is indeed a bill that addresses a limited aspect of the higher education problem,” he said, but he added that the Cruch valued “an approach that is a way forward to recognize the significance of the right to education, and to take responsibility for the State’s obligation to strengthen institutionality and to allow the effective enforcement of this fundamental right.”

For his part, Deputy Mario Venegas, President of the Chamber of Deputies’ Education Commission, highlighted the Cruch’s presentation and explanations given during the special session.

“President Zolezzi gave an excellent presentation that answered to most of the criticisms of the government bill that come from sectors with conflicts of interests,” he said.

“The Cruch clearly expressed that all these criticisms lack serious foundation, as these new action would be taken under exceptional circumstances. The Ministry (of Education) would be the most interested party in having a permanent respect for ethical norms, with a strict compliance of legal regulations regarding education in the country,” Deputy Venegas concluded.

Mitko Koljatic, President of the National Accreditation Commission (CNA, in Spanish); Claudio Elórtegui, representative of the G-9 Group of Universities; Carlos Peña, President of Universidad Diego Portales and representatives of Fundación Jaime Guzmán and Centro Libertad y Desarrollo were among the presenters at the special session held by the Lower House’s Education Commission.

Translated by Marcela Contreras
 

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• While visiting Chile for the presidential hand-over ceremony, the highest authority of this Mexican institution, José Alfonso Esparza, met with Universidad de Santiago’s President, Juan Manuel Zolezzi and expressed his interest in creating academic partnerships in the fields of mining, engineering and social sciences.

On Monday 10th, Dr. Juan Manuel Zolezzi was visited by José Alfonso Esparza, President of Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Mexico, and by other representatives from that university, who showed their deep interest in creating formal links between both institutions in order to allow academic collaboration and student exchange.

President Esparza came to Chile to take part in the presidential hand-over ceremony and he seized the opportunity to visit our University, with which he has kept in contact thanks to our Department of International and Inter-University Relations.

During the meeting held at the Casa Central building, the two Presidents shared experiences regarding the higher education systems in Mexico and Chile and they agreed to foster the establishment of these academic partnerships that will benefit both institutions.

After the meeting, BUAP’s President highlighted the willingness that our University has shown to develop agreements, particularly in the fields of mining, engineering and social sciences.

“It was a very interesting meeting that exceeded our expectations. I think that this University has many experiences to share and we are very likely to settle an agreement in the short term, because we are very interested in this and Universidad de Santiago’s President showed his interest too. We will probably be signing a frame agreement soon to start with student exchanges,” Esparza said.

BUAP´s highest authority said that Puebla, Mexico, is starting to extract mineral resources, but it does not have any university program related to this field. This is why he thinks it is an area in which they could start learning from other experiences.

“Also, our researchers in the field of social sciences expressed their interest in forging links with this University. The engineering programs are equally interested,” he said.

The Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla is an independent, decentralized higher-education institution, located at Puebla City. It was founded 435 years ago and it has 65,685 students in undergraduate and graduate programs (2010). Today, it has shown its willingness to strengthen links with our renowned University.

Translated by Marcela Contreras

• On February 28th, the University’s President submitted the statutory documents to Paula Beale, the Executive Secretary of the National Accreditation Commission. The dossier was delivered previous to the Institutional Self-Evaluation Report, which will be submitted by the end of this month, to subsequently have the visit of the external peer reviewers. President Zolezzi invited the University’s community to face this process with the maximum commitment and to stress our University’s strengths, both quantitatively and in terms of values.

On February 28th, President Juan Manuel Zolezzi arrived into the National Accreditation Commission (CNA, in Spanish) offices to submit to Paula Beale, its Executive Secretary, the documents included in the “institutional file” of our University.

Submitting the dossier is the starting point for the process through which our University seeks to renew the institutional accreditation, which is valid until October, for the maximum period of seven years.

“That is what I expect and many people at the University expect it too. We do not see any obstacles to proudly consider that possibility,” President Zolezzi said.

President Zolezzi invited the University’s community to participate in the process and to wait for the visit of the external peer reviewers that could be scheduled for the beginning of the second term. “No matter what the circumstances may be, the University’s community spirit should be the best and we would expect that the academics, the administrative staff and the students consider the University as a priority,” he said.

“We are entering the last stretch (of the process); there is no way back. We have been working for a while and the deadlines have been met,” he added. The goal is to focus the efforts “for the University to be the best institution possible.”

The institutional file contains a letter of introduction by the University’s President, the University’s Strategic Plan, the balances of assets and liabilities for the past three years and the organization chart, besides basic statutory definitions regarding the Institution’s statute, the way of appointing the University’s President, the University’s constitution and several productivity indicators regarding the number of students and academics and the proportion between them.

The purpose of all this quantitative information is to offer a picture of the different dimensions of Universidad de Santiago. The next step is the submission of the Self-Evaluation Report, on March 28th, so that the CNA calls the external peer reviewers that will visit our University.

The time for the visit

Although 2013 was marked by the institutional work towards renewing the accreditation, this year there will be an election process at the University: something that could affect the peer reviewers’ visit.

“We think that elections days are not a good time for the visit of peer reviewers. And in case that we have a new President and new authorities, we think that a visit after those changes is not optimum either. Therefore, the best time would be July-August this year. We have pointed out this situation and I think that the CNA will take it into consideration, due to the changes in the University’s environment,” President Zolezzi said.

Strengths of our Institution

President Zolezzi explained that, even though it is still necessary to fix some details of the Self-Evaluation Report, there are important strengths that should be stressed, like the University’s social commitment, and in this regard, the defense of public education that defines Universidad de Santiago’s spirit through its institutional management. He also highlighted the University’s competitiveness in the field of research, particularly in innovation and patenting, and in the area of outreach and engagement, “in which, for example, our radio station has shared the University’s way of feeling with the community that listens to it,” he said.

President Zolezzi concluded by emphasizing the University’s performance regarding our undergraduate and graduate programs, considering that the students of our Institution graduate in a reasonable time and become part of the world of work a few months after graduating, getting paid accordingly. “This is an example of the design and the product that the University is developing, including all our support to students, not only from the technocratic point of view but also from the human one, what allows us to say that we will have positive data regarding this aspects.”

Translated by Marcela Contreras

• The Food Science and Technology Research Center of Universidad de Santiago was accredited as a laboratory for 4 years by the National Institute for Standardization, an agency that is in charge of certifying infrastructure, equipment and qualified staff, in this case, to perform scientific tests in the areas of chemistry and microbiology. President Juan Manuel Zolezzi congratulated the Center’s managers, academics and students for this achievement, stressing that “the commitment of our University to science, technology and innovation is faithfully reflected in this laboratory, so we will continue making it stronger.”

On Wednesday 8th, the President of Universidad de Santiago, Juan Manuel Zolezzi arrived in the facilities of the Food Science and Technology Research Center (CECTA, its acronym in Spanish) to congratulate its managing team, academics and students for the accreditation of CECTA by the National Institute for Standardization (INN, its acronym in Spanish).

The INN is an autonomous foundation created by the Chilean Economic Development Agency (Corfo) that is in charge of promoting the creation and use of Chilean standards and accrediting conformity assessment institutions like CECTA of Universidad de Santiago, which was certified for the maximum period of 4 years.

After a process started in 2009, with more emphasis as of 2011, the INN finally informed in December, 2013, that the CECTA has the infrastructure, equipment and qualified staff to run scientific tests as a test laboratory in the areas of chemistry and microbiology.

During his visit, President Zolezzi said that he was aware of “the great job done by everyone who is part of CECTA in an accreditation process that is not easy.”

“I know the efforts that CECTA has made to get accredited. These are not simple processes, but the excellent results obtained are worthy. Also, this certification significantly backs not only the Center but the University, that has contributed to this achievement with funds and will continue doing it,” President Zolezzi said.

“The commitment of our University to science, technology and innovation is faithfully reflected in this laboratory; this is why we are interested in continuing to make this type of organization stronger and we expect this to attract researchers from the University and other institutions,” he said.

For his part, Claudio Martínez, director of CECTA, described CECTA’s accreditation by the INN as “a milestone in the history of our Center.”

“This decision recognizes our very professional way of working and it open doors for us to undertake more complex projects, together with companies, exporting ones mainly, which we were not able to access before. It is a great opportunity and it is our challenge to make the most of it,” Martínez said.

“For example now, we can have access to other types of certification, through SAG (Agricultural and Livestock Service) or Sernapesca (Fishing National Service), which are agencies that require previous accreditations,” he added.

“This means that the accreditation was the first big step; now, our mission is to keep CECTA moving forward in the same way it has advanced up to now: meeting standards and regulations to the greatest possible degree,” concluded Claudio Martínez, director of this accredited Center.

Translated by Marcela Contreras

• The newly remodeled 700-square-meter facilities located in Estación Central, Santiago, was opened with the presence of the President of Universidad de Santiago, Dr Juan Manuel Zolezzi, and the authorities of the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

Six years ago, the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Universidad de Santiago de Chile opened a Center of Diagnostic and Physical Therapy in the commune of Estación Central, Santiago, to contribute to the training of the students at its different programs.

In order to meet the needs in the field of health, the building has been renovated and transformed in the Simulation and Clinical Procedures Teaching Center, which was opened last week.

The center will directly benefit students at the programs of Medicine, Nursing, Obstetrics, Occupational Therapy and Kinesiology and also students at the Bachelor’s Program in Physical Activity Sciences, as it includes a therapeutic gym for rehabilitation practices.

The 700-square-meter building includes two clinical simulation rooms, where students can work with computerized fantoms, and procedure rooms, where students (also using fantoms) can practice venous punctures, intramuscular injections, minor surgeries and wound care.

New health care model

“This innovative technology will be available for students who will put in practice our educational model while they train to be health care professionals,” President Zolezzi says.

He explains that clinical simulation is part of the current educational models, as it considers the student as the center of the teaching-learning process. Training students to solve clinical cases is a problem- based learning pedagogy, a widespread approach nowadays.

“For the Faculty of Medical Sciences- he says- it is a priority to make students face pathologies, health problems, unusual situations, and complex patients difficult to manage, as well as to change from a hospital-based health care model to a family-based model with a community approach.”

For his part, Dr Humberto Guajardo Sainz, the dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, said that opening this center is a dream come true. “A few years ago we allowed ourselves to dream that we could have the best faculty of the country. We took up the challenge and we have been progressing since then. Today our schools are renowned and highly demanded by students, what is essential to continue growing,” he says. 

Dr Ricardo Peña González, director of this Simulation and Clinical Procedures Teaching Center, highlighted the opportunity that future health care professionals leave the university with the best training possible. “Updating this center and transforming it into a simulation-based center is a big contribution, considering the current lack of clinical campus for students,” he says. 

The center is located on General Amengual #185, Estación Central, and it will start operating in September this year.

Translated by Marcela Contreras

• The contest organized by the Ministry of Energy seeks to generate efficient solutions for households and neighborhoods and improve the access and use of renewable energies in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Dr Juan Manuel Zolezzi, President of Universidad de Santiago de Chile, will be part of the contest jury.

The “Impacta Energía” contest, organized by the Chilean Ministry of Energy and supported by the Laboratorio de Gobierno, seeks to generate innovations in the field of energy by attracting and encouraging talented entrepreneurs and innovators, and inviting them to get involved in the public challenges of the country with ideas, technologies, products or services.

“Impacta Energía” is an open contest for public innovation that seeks to find efficient energy solutions for households and neighborhoods and improve the access and use of renewable energies in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to enhance their productivity.

The call includes a Bootcamp stage or accelerated incubation process, where the selected teams will have the possibility of co-creating, improving and modifying their projects with the mentoring of representatives of the Government and the support of real users.

The four winners- who will be announced in November this year- will receive 75 million pesos each for piloting their ideas. They will have six months to implement their projects and will have the support of the Ministry of Energy in order that their ideas can become public policies.

Applications can be submitted in the link www.impactaenergia.cl, until August 23^rd. Both Chilean and foreign applicants can participate, as well as small, medium and large-sized companies from Chile or abroad.

Partnership between universities and companies

As one of the 16 members of the jury that will select the winning projects, Dr Juan Manuel Zolezzi, President of Universidad de Santiago de Chile, highlighted that innovation is an essential matter in this public and state university. 

He invited “students and young people in general to face these problems and propose ideas to progress in this challenge.”

For his part, Máximo Pacheco, Minister of Energy, said that he was proud to have President Zolezzi in the jury and also of the relation with Universidad de Santiago de Chile.

Asimismo, destacó la relación entre la academia, el Estado, la sociedad civil y el mundo empresarial para trabajar en conjunto y enfrentar los desafíos en el ámbito de la energía. “Tenemos la convicción de que la energía no es solamente algo estratégico, sino que es a partir de ella que se construyen las civilizaciones”, expresó el ministro.

He also stressed the importance of the relation among the State, universities, civil society and business world as partners to face energy challenges. “We are certain that energy is not only a strategic issue: it is the base on which civilizations are built,” the Minister said.

“Companies need to work in partnership with universities like Universidad de Santiago de Chile,” he concluded, insisting on the importance of committing to innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Translated by Marcela Contreras

• During the ceremony, President Dr Juan Manuel Zolezzi invited the university community to be part of the debate over the Higher Education Reform Bill.

On July 06^th, Universidad de Santiago de Chile celebrated its 167^th anniversary in a ceremony held at the Aula Magna. The ceremony was attended by authorities, academics, administrative staff and students.

In his speech during the ceremony, President Juan Manuel Zolezzi invited the university community to be part of the debate over the Higher Education Reform Bill.

“This is a historic time. We have achieved major progress, but we still have big challenges to face. One of them is, undoubtedly, the Higher Education Reform Bill that has just been introduced in the Congress,” he said.

Dr Zolezzi expressed his concerns about the future of this reform. “Now that we have examined the Educational Reform Draft, we cannot feel satisfied with or committed to it. I am concerned about this,” he said.

According to President Zolezzi, the bill, as it is now, “confirms a market model funded by the State. It does not strengthen public education. It does not take care of State universities. On the contrary, more resources are allocated to private universities, professional institutes and technical training centers.”

Awards

After President’s Zolezzi speech, members of the university community were awarded President Manuel Bulnes medals for their 10, 20, 30 or 40 years of service at this institution. It is important to mention that Professor Fernando Henríquez Barrientos, at the Department of Mining Engineering, was awarded the gold medal for his 50 years of service.

Besides, the best student of each faculty and school of the university received an award in recognition of his/her high academic achievements, and eight academics were made full professors.

To close he ceremony, the Orchestra of the University performed for the audience, under the direction of master Nicolas Rauss.

Translated by Marcela Contreras

• The highest authority of Universidad de Santiago de Chile will lead for the following term the Montevideo Group Association of Universities, a network formed by 31 public institutions in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Dr Juan Manuel Zolezzi Cid, President of Universidad de Santiago de Chile, is the unanimously elected new president of the Montevideo Group Association of Universities for the May 2016-May 2017 term.

The handover ceremony was held at Universidad de Santiago, with the attendance of diplomatic guests, higher education authorities and representatives of the Council of Rectors of this entity.

Dr Eduardo Rivero, President of Universidad San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca of Bolivia, was unanimously elected vice-president.

This year, this association of state, public, autonomous and self-governing institutions will celebrate 25 years of its foundation. 

New challenges

“We need to strengthen higher education with regard to teaching, scientific research, technological innovation, and outreach and engagement, involving universities, research centers, productive sectors, governments and society all together,” Dr Zolezzi said. He also referred to the need for “establishing a policy for relations with other networks.”

Regarding the national context, Dr Zolezzi said: “As state and public universities, we have made efforts so that the country can declare again education as a social right and not as a consumer good. Higher education cannot be determined by the supply and demand criteria that govern the market’s logic.” 

A new state and public development hub

Having in mind the challenges faced by the state and public universities of the region and reaffirming their commitment, with a special emphasis upon strengthening the Latin American and Caribbean Higher Education Space, the university presidents of AUGM confirmed a new step to favor inclusion, equity, social cohesion and cultural diversity: the new Escuela Internacional de Postgrados (International School for Graduate Studies).

The Escuela Internacional de Postgrados will be located in Valparaíso, Chile, in a heritage building recently acquired by the AUGM. In its first stage, the school will be focused on promoting education and culture.

Strengthening student and teacher exchange

According to Dr Eduardo Rivero, president of Universidad San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca of Bolivia and current AUGM’s Vicepresident, “it is important to strengthen student and teacher exchange, but not only at an undergraduate level. The Escuela Internacional de Postgrados will allow us to include more teachers and in turn, respond to the needs of our countries.”

“Being part of the Montevideo Group is something important. It is one of the most recognized networks worldwide and it could include other universities. It is important that institutions grow, buy it is even more significant the impact they may have on society,” he said.

It will be a center to promote development, research and innovation that will allow increasing student and teacher exchange among the 30 state universities that are part of this network.

In the past 13 years, the AUGM has enabled the exchange of 5,000 students. Besides its 26 research groups distributed in Academic Committees and Think Tanks that involve different areas of scientific knowledge, the AUGM organizes the Jornadas de Jóvenes Investigadores (Young Researchers Conference) that have gathered 500 students in the past 5 years.

Translated by Marcela Contreras

• Richard Yelland, Head of the Policy Advice and Implementation Division in the Directorate for Education and Skills at the OECD, met with different members of Universidad de Santiago’s community, authorities and President Juan Manuel Zolezzi Cid.

​

Richard Yelland, Head of the Policy Advice and Implementation Division in the Directorate for Education and Skills at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), met with different members of Universidad de Santiago’s community, authorities and President Juan Manuel Zolezzi Cid.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss different matters in the context of the study “Reviews of National Policies for Education” that seeks to identify changes in the Chilean education system since 2004. The study was requested by the Chilean Ministry of Education (Mineduc, in Spanish).

“I am glad that he came to Universidad de Santiago de Chile, so that he was able to learn about the reality in the past few years, about what is happening now and what we expect to happen in the future,” President Zolezzi said.

For his part, Richard Yelland said that Universidad de Santiago “is a university with a historical commitment to the country, something that you can see in its students, professors, the President and his team. And it is good to see that. What I have seen here (at the university) has contributed to complement the information gathered at the Ministry of Education, the Congress and other institutions.”

Changes in public policies

After the meeting, President Zolezzi said that, on several occasions, university authorities are ignored and he regretted that every time the government or the ministers change, public policies change too.

“Priorities are defined depending on each government. We have tried to define them, but there are not guidelines at a national level. As this is a State university, the State should be the one to define the problems that we need to solve, but we have never received such information,” President Zolezzi said.

The country requires a vision

Richard Yelland expressed his agreement on these ideas and he said: “Before strengthening the State higher education system, the country needs to have a vision, a strategy for higher education and innovation and determine how this will contribute to the development of the Chilean society and economy.”

He insisted on the need to develop country guidelines first, and then to determine the role of private and State universities. “This means to make long-term decisions, what is difficult for there are ideological divisions; but there are people who are willing to do it. So it is important to try to get out of such a politicized education,” he said.

He finally said that education changes slowly and that it involves different parties, and that legislating is only a part of the process.

Richard Yelland gathered together with professors and students at Universidad de Santiago in order to learn their points of view. He also met with professor Saúl Contreras, Head of the Department of Education of the university.

The study “Reviews of National Policies for Education” seeks to identify the main changes in the Chilean education system between 2004 and 2014 and to describe its current state. 

Translated by Marcela Contreras