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During the day, the rectors of the CRUCH universities met at the Central House of the University of Chile to commemorate the seven decades of the organization, an occasion in which the "Recognition for the contribution in Higher Education" was also given for the first time., which this year fell to the former president of the Republic, Michelle Bachelet.
At the Central House of the University of Chile, the Commemorative Session of the 70th anniversary of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) was held, an event in which the "Recognition for the contribution to Higher Education" was awarded for the first time, which fell to former President Michelle Bachelet.
The ceremony, which took place in the Hall of Honor, was also attended by authorities such as the President, alumnus and Patron of the University of Chile, Gabriel Boric; the Minister of Education, Nicolás Cataldo; the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, Aisén Etcheverry; the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Luis Cordero; the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Carolina Arredondo; the Undersecretary of Higher Education, Víctor Orellana; the Rector of the University of Chile, Rosa Devés and the management team of the institution, as well as parliamentarians, municipal authorities, representatives of the diplomatic corps and members of the University Council and Senate, along with university students and students from the PACE Program of the CRUCH universities.
The event served as an opportunity for the President of the Republic to announce the launch of the new Structural Funding for Research, Development, and Innovation for Universities. He explained that this fund "consists of permanent resources for universities, enabling them to develop their institutional research capacities and ensuring their sustainability rather than relying on project-by-project funding. To give you an idea, we are projecting an investment of approximately 700 billion pesos over the next 10 years," which will translate into "providing certainty and fostering an understanding that research is a long-term endeavor.".
“Universities are already doing important work, and we need to support them more. The State needs to support them more, not with the fluctuations of the market, but with a long-term vision. This fund will operate in two modalities: a border modality and a territorial modality, in order to respond to global, national, and regional challenges. Furthermore, this will allow us to allocate resources where they are most needed to accelerate scientific capabilities and reverse the neglect that some regions have so unfairly had to endure,” the president stated.
The President added that “with this we hope to facilitate regional universities contributing more decisively to local development, strengthening their status as development hubs and also contributing to the decentralization process,” and added that this announcement “is aimed at doubling investment in R&D,” a mission for which “Minister Aisén Echeverry is in charge.”.
Role of Higher Education
The ceremony also included remarks from the Rector of the University of Chile, Rosa Devés. «"On this occasion, we celebrate the collaboration between Chilean universities, we recognize their communities, past and present, and we commit to looking forward together," he said, adding that "as universities, we are committed to sustaining hope, to striving to ensure that any inhospitable condition is not insurmountable, and to demonstrating that, in and from our institutions, it is possible to strengthen a coexistence founded on democratic values as a safeguard of common dignity.".
“The trust that people in our country have placed in their universities commits us to educate for the common good, to constantly innovate our ways of doing academia and to collaboratively propose solutions to the complex problems we face, guaranteeing the exercise of academic freedom in all its dimensions,» he added.
Meanwhile, the Executive Vice President of CRUCH and Rector of the University of Tarapacá, Emilio Rodríguez Ponce, highlighted that the Council “has been working systematically for the improvement of education in the country,” and added that “universities are doing truly important work for equity and inclusion for all who live in our country.”.
Regarding the institution's seventieth anniversary, Rector Rodríguez recalled that the CRUCH (Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities) "was founded on August 14, 1954, with a clear mission: to coordinate the country's university work to strengthen and improve the quality of education." In this regard, he mentioned that "in 1957, the CRUCH formed the Scientific and Technological Advisory Committee; then, in 1963, it created the National Center for Information and Documentation; and in 1967, it began administering the centralized university entrance exam, the Academic Aptitude Test (PAA).".
Recognition and the role of public education
The “Recognition for Contribution to Higher Education” was awarded for the first time this year and will be given every two years to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the Chilean Higher Education System. This year, it was awarded to former president and University of Chile medical graduate Michelle Bachelet, who stated she was “honored to be the first person to receive this recognition.”.
During the event, Bachelet highlighted that "the 30 universities that currently make up the Council are the most prestigious and established in our country," institutions that "contribute daily, not only in general, but also to the territorial development of our regions, throughout Chile, from Arica and Parinacota to Magallanes.".
“I am a firm believer in the importance of public education and the fundamental role it plays in our society, allowing people to develop fully so that together we can move forward as a country. That is why I have always had a very deep commitment (...), and why in both of my administrations we sought to strengthen it,” she stated.
He thanked the members of the CRUCH for their commitment to public service and invited them to continue engaging in “thoughtful and thoughtful reflection on the various current issues.” He said that “often the rapid pace of daily discussions does not allow for the calm reflection so necessary to advance the country's development. I think we are all aware of the current climate in the country, and I believe that the CRUCH can foster spaces for dialogue, where consensus can be reached, where different stakeholders can sit down and talk, because they have a convening power that should not be wasted.”.
Finally, he indicated that the university communities belonging to CRUCH “can illuminate relevant discussions, giving themselves the time and space to think, analyze and generate proposals in the different areas that contribute to the development of the country.”.
Carlos Saavedra, Alternate Executive Vice President of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) and Rector of the University of Concepción, provided some background information on this biennial recognition, highlighting the former president's achievements, such as free higher education, the Program for Access and Effective Support to Higher Education (PACE), the creation of the state universities of Aysén and O'Higgins, and a dozen new Technical Training Centers in the regions. He also mentioned, among other things, the creation of the Superintendency of Higher Education and the mandatory accreditation of Medicine, Dentistry, and Education programs under Law 21.091.
“Considering all the merits presented, we believe that this first recognition fully represents the principles that guided the creation of CRUCH over its seven decades. Our congratulations to former President Michelle Bachelet Jeria for this achievement, and our deep gratitude for such a remarkable contribution to the growth of Chilean Higher Education,” said Rector Carlos Saavedra.
In her acceptance speech, Michelle Bachelet emphasized that the PACE program was created not only to help young people access higher education, but also to help them stay in it. “We wanted talented, capable young people to have access to this opportunity, regardless of their financial resources. We wanted them to be able to enter universities, professional institutes, and technical training centers without worrying about the cost of their chosen program,” she stated. In this regard, she recounted that “one of the most rewarding things that happens to a former president is meeting young people who have studied tuition-free and are the first in their families to do so.”.
The Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities was created by law on August 14, 1954, and, throughout its seven decades of existence, has contributed to the development and strengthening of higher education. Currently, the Council comprises the rectors of 30 universities, representing regions from Arica and Parinacota to Magallanes, which make substantial contributions to the territorial development of their respective regions and represent a wide range of intellectual and cultural traditions.
Text: Communications University of Chile and CRUCH Communications.
Photos: Communications University of Chile.
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