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- In the session, held at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV), rectors generally approved the fundamental strategic definitions of CRUCH, which were systematized after the Strategic Management Workshop held in the plenary session in January at the University of Tarapacá, highlighting the mission function of advising on public policies in Higher Education.
- The Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, Aisén Etcheverry Escudero, spoke during the plenary session, where she presented her views and guidelines regarding the joint work agenda with CRUCH.
On Thursday, April 27, 2023, the 642nd session of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) was held at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV). The session began with a speech by the new Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, Aisén Etcheverry Escudero, who spoke about the national lithium strategy and the emphasis her work will place on collaboration with universities under three strategic pillars: reducing disparities between regions by fostering scientific and technological development; developing public technological institutes; and increasing public investment in the National Policy on Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (CTCI).
“Universities are institutions where scientific and technological knowledge must be developed, and in that sense, aligning efforts and working collaboratively with the CRUCH universities is fundamental. We need to grow the system, and the system grows through universities,” Minister Etcheverry emphasized.
Another government official who participated in the plenary session was the Undersecretary of Higher Education, Víctor Orellana, who presented three topics of interest to the government: progress in the process of regulating tuition fees for free tuition; modernization of the financing of higher education in Chile; and a collaboration agenda for the modernization of academia.
“We must adapt the academic experience to the emergence of dimensions that strain its “classic” function (mental health, new technologies, non-linear trajectories, among others), and institutionalize advances in gender equality, inclusion and interculturality,” Orellana said.
Furthermore, the Undersecretary added that “the CRUCH universities, as the country's main agents of knowledge development, are the institutions responsible for making significant progress in academic modernization.” In this regard, he emphasized the importance of coordinated work between CRUCH and the Undersecretariat of Higher Education to develop a proposal for modernizing funding and an academic modernization agenda by the end of 2023.
In this regard, Emilio Rodríguez, Executive Vice President of CRUCH and Rector of the University of Tarapacá, stated that “this is an invitation we must accept, because what lies behind it is the improvement of our university system (…) a paradigm shift and a qualitative leap, one that aligns with the needs and requirements of today's society.“ Likewise, Nelson Vásquez, Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, who hosted the session, noted that ”within CRUCH there is a positive opinion of this idea. The important thing now in this long-term investment development policy is that it be a State policy and not just for a specific period of a few years. We need funding sources and a long-term, far-reaching national policy.”.
New CRUCH guidelines 2023-2030
As agreed at the January 2023 session at the University of Tarapacá, the document outlining the CRUCH's 2023-2030 strategic development guidelines, developed during the Strategic Management Workshop, was voted on and approved in general. Rectors José Antonio Guzmán (University of the Andes), Carlos Torres (University of Talca), and Rodrigo Alda (Catholic University of the North) were selected to serve on the document's editorial committee.
On this occasion, the Executive Vice President of CRUCH, Emilio Rodríguez, who presented the document, commented that CRUCH's mission is: “to advise and formulate proposals to the Ministry of Education regarding the design and implementation of public policies in the field of Higher Education. Its primary role is also to coordinate its member institutions, promoting collaboration among universities in a network that extends throughout every region of Chile.”.
“We must lead the transformation and substantial improvement of Chilean Higher Education and be an international benchmark of excellence, so that the universities of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities are drivers of change and respond with the highest levels of excellence to the global challenges of the 21st century and their territorial impact,” Rector Rodríguez emphasized regarding the strategic purpose that will govern the institution.
Appointment of Juries for National Awards and REUNA Agreement
At Thursday's session, the rectors who will serve as jurors for this year's National Prizes were also appointed. The elected representatives were Juan Yuz (Federico Santa María Technical University) for the National Prize for Exact Sciences; Elisa Araya (Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences) and Ignacio Sánchez (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile) for the National Prize for Educational Sciences; Rodrigo Vidal (University of Santiago, Chile) for the National Prize for Humanities and Social Sciences; and Eduardo Silva (Alberto Hurtado University) for the National Prize for Journalism.
Also, during the plenary session, it was decided to renew the agreement with the National Research and Education Network in Chile (REUNA), in order to strengthen ties to enhance the work of both institutions.
Photo: Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso
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