Postgraduate Commission
The virtual meeting, organized by the Council's Postgraduate Commission, addressed the institutional challenges posed by the new accreditation model and the strategic role of postgraduate studies. Watch the discussion. HERE
The Conversation “University Experiences and new criteria for institutional accreditation with a focus on Postgraduate Studies”, organized virtually by the Postgraduate Commission of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) last Friday, July 11, attracted the interest of a wide audience from the university communities.
Through two panels with experts in the area of quality assurance from CRUCH universities, and the participation of the President of the National Accreditation Commission (CNA), Andrés Bernasconi, key questions for universities were addressed.
“The outcome is quite positive. We reached over 100 participants during the discussion, reflecting the interest shown by various universities in learning firsthand about aspects related to institutional accreditation and the new criteria the CNA is applying,” stated Osvaldo Salazar, President of the CRUCH Postgraduate Commission and Director of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at the University of Chile. “It was an opportunity for universities to directly consult the President of the CNA on more technical aspects of the process, so that by the end of the discussion everyone had a much clearer understanding of the challenges of this new process, the opportunities for continuous improvement in our quality assurance processes, and how to strengthen postgraduate studies at our institutions,” he added.
“There was quite a bit of interest”
The dialogue forum allowed universities that had already undergone the accreditation process under the new criteria to share their recommendations with others. “In that sense, there was considerable interest, especially from regional universities, in expressing their questions about the process,” commented the president of the CRUCH Postgraduate Commission.
The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Alberto Hurtado University, the University of Bío-Bío, the Catholic University of Temuco, and the University of Chile shared their experiences regarding the accreditation process, particularly concerning postgraduate studies. “They focused on doctoral programs, given that these programs contribute to different dimensions within the accreditation process, including teaching, research, and even the university's internationalization, as students also participate in activities related to these areas,” Salazar stated.
The first panel discussion included Pedro Campos, Director of the Quality Assurance Unit at the University of Bío Bío (UBB); Barbara Prieto, Director of Institutional Analysis and Strategic Studies at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (PUC); and Gonzalo Díaz, Director of Postgraduate Studies at the Catholic University of Temuco (UCT).
Meanwhile, the second panel consisted of the Director of Institutional Learning at Alberto Hurtado University (UAH), Alex Gutiérrez; the Coordinator of the Internal Quality System at PUC, Diego Durán; and the Director of Postgraduate Teaching at UCT, Oscar Calzadilla.
The recording of the discussion is available HERE
Text and photography: CRUCH Communications
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