Academic Vice-Rectors of CRUCH meet to analyze quality assurance and the admission system

14/04/2015
Share
The executive vice president of CRUCH, Rector Aldo Valle, opened the analysis workshop “Debates on quality and admission in higher education”.

 Representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Inter-American Center for Development (CINDA), the CRUCH Admission System, and the National Accreditation Commission presented at the meeting.

The academic vice-rectors of the universities of the Council of Rectors met in the Council Room of the Law School of the University of Valparaíso with the objective of analyzing the current proposals to improve the quality assurance systems of higher education and the situation of the CRUCH admission system, in the context of the reform to Higher Education.

The executive vice president of the Council and rector of the University of Valparaíso, Aldo Valle, welcomed the attendees of the workshop entitled “Debates on quality and admission in higher education”, which was convened by the executive director of CRUCH, María Teresa Marshall.

Following the initial greetings, the morning session featured a “Dialogue on a New Quality Assurance System,” with presentations by Roxana Pey and Francisco Durán from the Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education; María José Lemaitre from the Inter-American Development Center (CINDA); and José Miguel Salazar, Director of the Academic Division at the University of Valparaíso (UV). Alfonso Muga, President of the National Accreditation Commission, also participated. In the afternoon session, Angélica Bosch, Executive Director of the CRUCH's Unified Admission System, gave a presentation on “Challenges in the Admission System.”.

Discussion about the changes that are coming

On this occasion, the director of the UV's Academic Division, José Miguel Salazar, highlighted the importance of the meeting, stating that “we are beginning to truly discuss the reform that the government is designing regarding quality and also those aspects that are changing with respect to admission processes. This is the first time that all the vice-rectors of the CRUCH have met to discuss these issues (…) and it is the basis for initiating a discussion that I believe the country needs.”.

The president of the National Accreditation Commission, Alfonso Muga, valued the meeting and the opportunity for dialogue, especially considering “the upcoming changes in institutional frameworks and definitions regarding quality standards.” Regarding university admissions, Muga noted that “they may be conditioned by quality standards, but only insofar as they are linked to an institutional development project. If an institution has a clear vision of its future, then undoubtedly the steps it takes regarding its vacancies and new programs must be part of its planning and its forward-looking perspective.”.