Postgraduate Commission
The recent meeting of postgraduate representatives from CRUCH universities included the Minister of CTCI, Aisén Etcheverry; the President of the CNA, Andrés Bernasconi; and the rectors of the UCN, Rodrigo Alda, and of the UAH, Cristián del Campo SJ.
At the meeting, the new board of directors of the commission was elected for the next two years, which will be made up of seven members from the various macro-regions of the country.
The challenges facing the postgraduate system with respect to the new accreditation criteria, as well as the relevance of the training of advanced human capital and its articulation with the science, technology and innovation ecosystem, were the key topics of the plenary session of the Postgraduate Commission of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH).
To analyze and plan the work in these areas, the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (CTCI), Aisén Etcheverry, and the President of the National Accreditation Commission (CNA), Andrés Bernasconi, were present.
During the meeting, held at the Alberto Hurtado University (UAH) on January 21, the minister valued the space and noted that "the different coordination instances that occur under the umbrella of CRUCH are essential to advance in public policies that allow strengthening the CTCI system.".
Regarding specific aspects, Etcheverry commented that the conversation addressed “the future of scholarships, postgraduate programs, and how to better integrate doctoral and master's degree holders into the industrial sector and the government.” He added that “Chile has a wealth of talent; we have many young people eager to improve their skills, push the boundaries of knowledge, and drive the country's development through knowledge. To that end, the collaborative work we do with CRUCH is essential.”.
Regarding collaborative work, one of the relevant topics is “how to advance in the curricular flexibility of postgraduate programs, articulation and other measures (...). So we are going to have a very fruitful year 2025 around this topic and others that are of concern to CRUCH,” stated the president of the CNA.
Meanwhile, Andrés Bernasconi indicated that the CRUCH Postgraduate Commission constitutes “a very relevant space for the National Accreditation Commission because it allows us to learn more about the concerns of the university community grouped in this organization and to coordinate our work.”.
The president of the CRUCH commission and Director of the Graduate School at the Catholic University (UC), Diego Cosmelli, gave a positive assessment of the meeting. “The CNA president’s presentation was very informative and enlightening, and his willingness to work together was also excellent,” he stated. Regarding the minister’s participation, he maintained that “it was very good that she could be there; it’s a positive sign because it highlights the importance of advanced human capital development, doctoral and master’s programs (…). It also allows us to express our interest in working with ANID on pending issues related to funding guidelines, competitions, instruments, and other matters.”.
Directive 2025-2026
Regarding internal management matters, Diego Cosmelli stated that “the plenary meeting was very efficient, as aspects of the operating regulations were defined and the new board of directors was elected for the next two years. This board will be comprised of seven members from the different macro-regions of the country. We congratulate the incoming president and wish him all the best in his term.“.
Osvaldo Salazar, Director of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Chile (UChile), was elected as president; Diego Cosmelli as vice president; and Johanna Vergara, Director of Postgraduate Studies at the Catholic University of the Most Holy Conception (UCSC), as secretary.
Regarding the representatives by zones, for the northern macrozone, Yecid Jiménez, Director of the Graduate School of the University of Antofagasta (UA), assumed the role; for the north-central macrozone, Angélica Mosqueda, General Director of Postgraduate and Post-degree Studies of the University of Valparaíso; for the south-central macrozone, Carolina Luengo, Director of Postgraduate Studies of the University of Bío-Bío; and, for the southern macrozone, Antonio Zumelzu, Director of Postgraduate Studies of the Austral University of Chile.
New acting rector
Another new development for the commission is that in the last plenary session of the rectors of the Council The rector of the University of Alcalá (UAH), Cristián del Campo SJ, was elected as the new head of the Postgraduate Commission. Previously, the rector of the Catholic University of the North, Rodrigo Alda, held this position.
In his new role, the rector of UAH stated that “postgraduate studies have a fundamental contribution to make to the future of university education in Chile. The contexts in which we operate are complex and constantly evolving, requiring ongoing training and development. The coordinated work of the different universities within the CRUCH (Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities) at this level of education is imperative to address urgent and shared challenges within a system facing significant financial constraints.”.
Regarding postgraduate studies, he pointed out that “the clearest challenges are funding programs with increasing demands in productivity, student support, internationalization, mental health, among many others. Furthermore, at the state level, there is an urgent need for a systemic approach to strengthen master's and doctoral scholarships, given the strong growth in these programs.” Consequently, “it is necessary to rethink and design postgraduate educational pathways, advance in curricular innovation and flexibility, improve articulation with undergraduate studies and between postgraduate and continuing education certifications, foster collaboration in joint degree programs between national and international institutions, and advance online education, in order to become a leader in postgraduate offerings in Latin America,” he concluded.
In this context, he emphasized that "the commission is a key body for identifying and prioritizing challenges" and, as the rector in charge of it, he pledged to "make its work visible and position it at the level of rectors of the CRUCH, in order to decisively support the ways of approaching and advancing together around the country's postgraduate training.".
Finally, Cristián del Campo SJ emphasized that “the CRUCH universities have a unique opportunity to offer the country a more organic education that is in line with the times.”.
Text: CRUCH Communications
Photographs and journalistic support: UAH Communications
See also: UAH hosted the first meeting of the year of the CRUCH Postgraduate Commission
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