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The executive vice president of CRUCH, Juan Manuel Zolezzi, highlighted that the Commission of Academic Vice-Rectors will work on “a definition of what will be understood by in-person attendance, which must take into consideration the diversity and particular contexts of each institution.”.
The plenary session of university presidents also analyzed the recent announcement by the Ministry of Education regarding the new Winter Test and other aspects of the university admission process, just days before the PTU exam was administered.
The adaptation of strategies to address university work after almost twenty months of pandemic and the implementation of conditions for a safe return to classrooms in 2022 were the main topics of analysis in the plenary session No. 629 of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), held in person at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile this Thursday, November 25.
The executive vice president of the Council of Rectors, Juan Manuel Zolezzi, stated that “the return to in-person activities must safeguard the health of all members of the university communities and ensure the quality of education provided, while also taking into account the institutional circumstances of students and their families.” Zolezzi added that institutions are required to consider these factors when designing their respective return plans, in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Education and the Superintendency of Higher Education.
In this regard, the vice president stated that "the CRUCH Academic Vice-Rectors Commission was asked to develop a definition of what will be understood by in-person attendance, which must take into consideration the diversity and particular contexts of each institution.".
In any case, it is worth mentioning that several universities that are part of the CRUCH have already announced that they will return to in-person classes during 2022.
In-person attendance and a safe return
The plenary session of rectors reviewed the background information gathered by the Commission of Academic Vice-Rectors (COVRA) regarding the experiences and action plans of the educational institutions, which was presented by the president of that body, the academic vice-rector of the Catholic University of Temuco, David Figueroa.
As Figueroa explained, between 2020 and 2021 the commission established agreed-upon guidelines for addressing emergency distance learning and implementing conditions for a safe return. “These guidelines, along with the independent work of the universities, allowed us to address the 2020 and 2021 academic years efficiently, safeguarding the quality of education through a significant transformation in teaching methods and the implementation of educational innovations to ensure the learning outcomes outlined in the plans and programs of each degree program,” she stated.
With the aim of understanding how universities have addressed distance learning and the challenge of in-person instruction, the commission developed two surveys during 2021. The first was administered in July (details of some results are available here) and was answered by 25 institutions, and the second was conducted in October with the participation of 17 institutions. This latter survey revealed that institutions primarily developed online teaching, with fewer hybrid and in-person activities.
Regarding in-person attendance, the educational institutions indicated that they have prioritized the return of first and second year students (41%) and students from other levels (29%), while also developing activities in clinical fields, practical activities or classes, graduation processes and professional practices (inside and outside the campus).
Regarding the planning for the 2022 academic year, 47% has proposed returning to in-person classes for the second semester; 35% will begin in-person classes from the first trimester; 18% has not yet decided, and the remaining percentage are considering online or hybrid modalities.
In this scenario, the president of COVRA stressed that "it is essential to resume in-person activities, considering that there are areas of knowledge that have been greatly affected in terms of achieving learning objectives.".
Support for returning to the classroom
The academic vice-rectors also suggested that universities should implement remedial and compensatory actions, especially those of a practical nature or that require face-to-face interaction.
On the other hand, and because universities have faced conditions that require them to make significant investments in innovation and technological development to support distance learning in the context of the pandemic, the Ministry of Education needs to implement ad-hoc financing instruments to support universities in addressing the above points.
On this same topic, Dr. María Concepción Amat Miralles, Vice-Rector of Teaching Policy at the University of Barcelona, spoke via teleconference about the challenges of the post-COVID-19 scenario in university education that her institution has had to face.
Admission Challenges 2022 and 2023
Just days before the University Transition Test (PTU) is administered, marking the start of one of the key stages in the university admissions process, the board of the Admissions and Enrollment Commission of the Council of Rectors analyzed the provisions presented by the Ministry of Education's Access System. Specifically, they reviewed the regulations and best practices required to finalize the enrollment processes for new students entering in 2022.
In this regard, Ruth Candia, President of the CRUCH Admissions and Enrollment Committee and Director of Student Academic Records at the University of La Frontera, stated that “it is important that all institutions affiliated with the system respect the basic principles of the regulations, especially those related to the student reapplication process. In this sense, we hope that applicants will have all the necessary information to successfully complete their enrollment in the system.”.
One of the commission's concerns is that the information reaches all applicants and is clear, so that there is equal opportunity and fairness in access.
On the other hand, in light of the recent announcement by the Ministry of Education of the new Winter Test, the commission points out that it is necessary to review various aspects so that the measurement effectively meets the objectives set by the authority, that is, that it allows for more flexibility, opportunities, fairness and equity.
The commission believes that key aspects of the new test's logistics need to be reviewed. For example, it should only be for high school graduates; it should have limited spaces (50,000); and the test should have a cost not covered by a scholarship for students who need it.
According to Candia, taking the Winter Exam does not guarantee university admission for the second semester, as not all universities offer this type of admission. She added that, “furthermore, admission would not be through the usual centralized system; the only option would be direct admission, which is regulated by each individual university.”.
Finally, Candia maintained that “with the information we have to date, administering the Winter Exam does not guarantee a reduction in the existing inequality in the results of the admissions process and the well-known gaps between the performance of students from private and public schools. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the impact of the modifications being promoted by the Ministry of Education, both at the institutional level and for the system as a whole.“.
Photographs: Pontifical Catholic University.
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