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With a broad call for participation, open to the public, and participatory methodologies to cover the area from Arica to Punta Arenas, the project will be developed. It aims to “bring together diverse stakeholders to make proposals in different areas of the country's development, with a long-term perspective,” stated Emilio Rodríguez, Executive Vice President of CRUCH.
Meanwhile, the institution's general secretary, Angélica Bosch, emphasized the Council's public role, its current strategic guidelines, and the main advances in the last year.
The 2023-2024 Public Account of the General Secretariat of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), presented virtually this Thursday, May 30, was framed within the agenda of commemoration of the institution's 70th anniversary, "a milestone that is not only a recounting of years, but the celebration of a trajectory full of events and achievements that have marked Higher Education and the development of the country," stated the organization's general secretary, Angélica Bosch.
Along with highlighting the main contributions of CRUCH in its seven decades of existence, Bosch emphasized the institution's public role, its current strategic guidelines, and the main advances in the last period.
Subsequently, the executive vice president of CRUCH, Rector Emilio Rodríguez, announced that “in the context of our anniversary, this year we have set ourselves an ambitious goal: we propose that the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities, in alliance with the Encuentros del Futuro Foundation, convene and lead a national project that responds to the challenges we have as a society.”.
Rector Rodríguez stated that “the Council of Rectors and Rectors can catalyze and convene various actors to make proposals in different areas of the country's development, with a long-term vision.”.
To this end, “a broad call will be made to other universities in the country, to parliamentarians, to production societies, to unions, to students, to build the fundamental bases for a national project” and that “participatory methodologies would be used, such as those employed by the University of Chile and the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile during the constitutional process, to cover from Arica to Punta Arenas, thus generating a regional territorial stamp,” explained the executive vice president.
“This is undoubtedly an ambitious project, but with the support of the Encuentros del Futuro Foundation and with the capabilities and knowledge built up over the 70 years of CRUCH and its universities, several of which have already surpassed 100 years, we believe we are in a position to take the significant step to contribute in a much larger direction,” stated Emilio Rodríguez, rector of the University of Tarapacá.
The “Country Project: Chile 2075” is in its initial phase and it is estimated that its preliminary results will be released at the beginning of next year.
Advice, proposals and coordination
One of the main functions of CRUCH is to advise the Ministry of Education and formulate proposals for public policies in Higher Education, as well as coordinate and promote collaboration among the universities that comprise it.
In compliance with this mandate, during the 2023-2024 Public Accounts report, the delivery to the Minister of Education of the report “Teaching Changes Lives. CRUCH proposals to strengthen Initial and Continuous Teacher Training in universities and the education system” was highlighted, which offers 24 recommendations to address the attraction, training and retention of teachers.
The Secretary General of CRUCH also highlighted the institution's participation in various legislative discussions, on topics such as the rights of student caregivers; academic evaluations conditioned on the payment of tuition debts; the reform of financing for Higher Education studies; the law on gender parity in STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics); as well as the mental health of students.
Furthermore, during the reporting period, coordinated efforts were undertaken with various public and private organizations to support and promote strategic projects and the development of the higher education system. Emphasis was placed on ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Education in the areas of academic modernization, funding, mental health, initial teacher training, regulated tuition fees, and enrollment quotas.
Also mentioned was the coordination with the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (CTCI), which has actively participated in the plenary sessions, in addition to the CRUCH's collaboration with the Ministry of Justice in the "Truth and Justice Search Plan".
Regarding cooperation with other relevant actors, Angélica Bosch mentioned that CRUCH currently has representation in 21 public bodies and consultative entities, for example, in the National Awards Juries.
Universities in a network
The 30 universities of CRUCH are articulated in a network work through 13 advisory commissions, made up of representatives appointed by the rectors: Academic Vice-Rectors; Research; Postgraduate; Community Engagement; Internationalization; Economic; Quality; Admission and Enrollment; Gender Equality; Libraries and Documentation; Legal; University Coexistence and Mental Health; and Strengthening of Pedagogies.
“CRUCH has been strengthened thanks to the work of the committees, each one contributing significantly to the development and continuous improvement of the Chilean university system,” emphasized the Secretary General.
In the last year, the CRUCH commissions have contributed to the debate and generation of policies on issues such as: institutional accreditation; research development; quality assurance; impact of educational institutions on social development; interculturality and global communication; economic sustainability of institutions; admission and enrollment processes; gender perspective in training processes; coexistence and mental health; and Initial and Continuing Education.
Relive the presentation of the CRUCH Participatory Account 2023-2024
Text and photos: CRUCH Communications.
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