News
With the presence of the Undersecretary of Education, Valentina Quiroga, and the presentation of the National Humanities and Social Sciences Award, Agustín Squella, the anniversary ceremony was held, with the launch of the book "60 years of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities".
The Executive Vice President of the Council of Rectors, Rector Juan Manuel Zolezzi, together with the Undersecretary of Education, Valentina Quiroga, led the commemorative ceremony for the 60th anniversary of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities. At the event, a book was presented that compiles the work of the CRUCH and its member universities over the past six decades.
The event included speeches by Rector Juan Manuel Zolezzi, Undersecretary Valentina Quiroga, and the National Humanities and Social Sciences Award winner, as well as former Rector of the University of Valparaíso, Agustín Squella.
Rector Zolezzi stated that “at a time when higher education is in the public debate, and given the expectation of a structural change in the system, we can only reaffirm our commitment to the generation of public goods and to excellence.”.
Undersecretary Quiroga, meanwhile, noted that this historical account is an “invitation –based on this history– to think strategically about the future, which is built day by day. Since 1954, this institution has played a role in the development of higher education, in the consolidation of the university system, and through this, also in the history of our country.”.
The ceremony concluded with remarks by Agustín Squella, who reviewed the history of the Council, a history also reflected in his own, as he had been linked to CRUCH at various points in his professional career. Professor Squella recalled his time as rector of the University of Valparaíso between 1990 and 1998.
Squella highlighted the importance of the networking that CRUCH institutions aspire to, noting that “this book emphasizes that its universities aspire to constitute a network (…) each piece or part of a network contributes to its formation and existence. The ropes of a network must always be well intertwined, but intertwined in the sense of giving greater strength and resistance to the whole, not in the sense of creating difficulties.”.
The academic also asserted that universities and their members “could not, of course, renounce being a relevant part of the critical perspective and examination that is always necessary regarding the country's progress. The cultivation, teaching, and dissemination of knowledge, but also of art and culture, are the age-old university tasks, which institutions of this type must carry out with a pluralistic and critical spirit, where pluralism does not only mean diversity, but also tolerance of diversity and, even more so, positive appreciation and promotion of diversity.”.
Commemorative book
The Council of Rectors published a commemorative book detailing the institution's milestones and those of its member universities over the past 60 years, with contributions from its 25 member institutions. The publication reviews the history of the Council of Rectors from its founding, through its role in the reforms of the 1960s, the interventions experienced by its member institutions in the 1970s, and the changes to the model implemented in the 1980s and 1990s.
It also recounts the history of the Unified Admission System, from high school to the present day, the contributions to innovation of universities in the regions and the scientific milestones that have contributed to the development of the country and that have come from the laboratories of one of the 25 institutions of the Council of Rectors.
The book “60 Years of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities” is available here.
Other activities
To commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the Council of Rectors, the universities held a series of activities on their campuses. In total, 21 activities took place, with 24 of the 25 CRUCH member universities participating.
Among the events, highlights included concerts, congresses in the areas of Medicine and Education, tributes to the CRUCH at cultural events, seminars on the role of universities in regions, among others.
Spanish 
English