Executive Vice President of CRUCH: “Spending on higher education in Chile is relatively high, but this is a partial view if investment in R&D&I is not taken into account.”

09/01/2025
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  • Executive Vice President of CRUCH: “Spending on higher education in Chile is relatively high, but this is a partial view if investment in R&D&I is not taken into account.”
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In the Special Investigative Commission of Congress, Rector Emilio Rodríguez stated that "it is necessary to strengthen and prioritize research and innovation as pillars of the country's development.".

This Wednesday, January 8, the executive vice president of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), Emilio Rodríguez, participated in the Special Investigative Commission (CEI N°60) of Congress, where he analyzed the main problems of the higher education system and raised the aspects that must be addressed urgently to avoid its deterioration.

During her presentation, Rodríguez analyzed the financing, regulation, and quality of the system, pointing out that significant asymmetries exist in at least five areas: the mission of higher education institutions, the generation of public goods, transparency, accountability, and the use of assets. Furthermore, for those institutions offering free tuition, there are fixed fees and enrollment limits, which restrict their growth.

Regarding funding, the rector of the University of Tarapacá also compared Chile's investment with that of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. “Spending on higher education in Chile is relatively high, but this is a partial view if it doesn't consider investment in research, development, and innovation. The Chilean university system, and especially the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), generates the greatest impact on R&D&I.”.

In this regard, Rodríguez maintained that “it is essential to consider the sum of both components as a key indicator of a country's efforts in these strategic areas. In Chile, spending on higher education is equivalent to 2.31% of GDP, while spending on R&D&I reaches 0.391%, representing a combined total of 2.691% of GDP. In contrast, OECD countries allocate 1.521% of GDP to higher education and 2.721% to R&D&I, totaling 4.241% of GDP.”.

CRUCH proposals

According to the conceptualization of university shared by CRUCH, there are aspects that are not separable, such as undergraduate teaching, research, community engagement, among other university functions.

Therefore, CRUCH considers it necessary to increase the base funding for universities in order to ensure quality levels in research and teaching. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen and prioritize research and innovation as pillars of the country's development.

On the other hand, greater integration and coordination of the regulatory bodies (the Superintendency of Higher Education, the National Accreditation Commission and the Comptroller General of the Republic) is also proposed, in order to guarantee more effective control for all higher education institutions in the system, avoid duplication in evaluations and situations that are detrimental.

Finally, CRUCH raises the importance of maintaining co-payments for the highest deciles, as long as there are no adequate financial conditions, since a non-gradual elimination could compromise the sustainability and proper functioning of universities.

CEI No. 60

The creation of the Special Investigative Commission (CEI No. 60) was unanimously approved in the Chamber of Deputies on October 7, 2024, with the purpose of gathering background information on certain actions of the Government, especially the Ministry of Education and the Superintendency of Higher Education, in relation to the accreditation process, delivery of public resources and financing of universities, as well as compliance with current educational regulations and their general operation.

This body, which arose in response to questions about the high salaries of teachers at the San Sebastián University, will be in effect until January 30, 2025.

To date, the CEI No. 60 has met four times: at the first session, on November 20, 2024, the commission was established; at the second, on November 27, 2024, the Undersecretary of Higher Education and the Superintendent of Higher Education presented their reports; at the third, on December 11, 2024, the commission heard from the spokesperson for the Student Assembly of the Universidad San Sebastián; and at the session on January 8, 2025, the Executive Vice President of CRUCH presented, along with representatives from the General Secretariat of the Student Federation of the Universidad de Valparaíso, Catalina Correa Pérez; and the President of the Student Federation of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valentín de la Rosa. The final session will likely be held on Monday, January 20.

Text and image: CRUCH Communications