Committee of Academic Vice-Rectors
The rector of the University of O'Higgins and head of the CoVRA commission, Fernanda Kri, emphasized that the functioning of the academic vice-rectors' committee is fundamental for the CRUCH (Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities), "because all issues related to the educational process are discussed here, specifically today artificial intelligence, which is something that has us all very busy. Being able to discuss these issues together, which are complex and relevant for the country, allows us to move forward in a much more accurate and timely manner.".
In order to address the challenges of academic modernization in a context of digital evolution and growing demands for equity and excellence, the Commission of Academic Vice-Rectors of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CoVRA) held its fourth plenary session at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Santiago campus.
The meeting focused on “curricular transformation: AI and educational models,” a topic addressed through presentations and workshops led by experts from CRUCH universities. The work of the three 2025-2026 subcommittees was also discussed: “Inclusion and best practices”; “Quality assurance of educational programs”; and “Curricular transformation: AI and educational models.”.
On this occasion, Rector Nelson Vásquez highlighted the role of the academic vice-rectors, noting that the most critical issues in higher education pass through their hands, as they work directly with those undergoing training. “Their role is to provide information, demonstrate innovative experience, stay abreast of trends in student development, and conduct research on the best university teaching strategies. Over time, these vice-rectors have had to face rapid challenges, adapting not only to the changes experienced by the world of work and university education with increased technology, but above all, to the changes experienced by students themselves,” he explained.
Regarding the central theme of the CoVRA plenary session, Rector Vásquez highlighted the importance of thinking about, reviewing, and reflecting on national and international experiences in artificial intelligence, because although technology has always been present in higher education, what has changed is that it is now capable of searching, processing, and synthesizing knowledge at an unprecedented speed.
The Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Claudia Mejías, also emphasized the importance of vice-rectors sharing experiences on topics relevant to higher education, because “within our various roles, we must also lead and reflect on the University, not only from an administrative perspective, but also in terms of addressing the major concerns within university contexts.” In this context, she added, “artificial intelligence, its transformation, and how it impacts the curriculum are topics that concern us, not only in terms of student learning processes and institutional management, but also in terms of skills and competencies development.”.
For her part, Fernanda Kri, rector of the University of O'Higgins and head of the CoVRA commission, emphasized that the functioning of the academic vice-rectors' committee is fundamental for CRUCH, "because all issues related to the educational process are discussed here, specifically today artificial intelligence, which is something that has us all very busy. Being able to discuss these issues together, which are complex and relevant for the country, allows us to move forward in a much more accurate and timely manner.".
Artificial intelligence and digital transformation
One of the talks on artificial intelligence and educational models was given by José Miguel Garrido, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Education at our university. He pointed out that education has always engaged with technology, but the difference now is that artificial intelligence is engaging with us. In this regard, he explained that AI presents challenges that are only just beginning, with far more questions than answers. This makes it essential to have forums where the topic can be discussed, from its conceptual foundations to potential solutions.
“I think this forum where the academic vice-rectors are gathered is important, as they are the ones who ultimately guide all the educational processes within the universities. They are the ones who have to ensure that these projects are of high quality and provide a social benefit. So, I believe there is an important opportunity for them to discuss these kinds of issues,” he pointed out.
Joint view
The vice-rectors participating in the meeting highlighted the importance of jointly addressing the advancement of artificial intelligence for the development of universities and the country, since it is a phenomenon about which there is no deep understanding and which not only implies a challenge regarding its regulation, but also regarding how it is used with a critical and ethical vision to improve learning.
In this regard, Mario Ponce, Academic Vice-Rector of the PUC, stated that “we are facing the emergence of artificial intelligence, especially in education, and we are called upon to address it not only because it benefits us, but because we must explain to the country, through our reflections, how we will incorporate the technology, how we will consider it from an ethical, moral, and utilitarian perspective, and this must originate from forums like these. Universities are the places where societies come together to think about the future, and we must do so from here. It is perfectly natural that those of us responsible for the education of students should think about this, and I am delighted that it is happening in such a collaborative environment as this meeting.”.
Finally, Felisa Solar, Academic Vice-Rector of the Catholic University of Temuco, highlighted the workspace provided by CoVRA, because it allows them to share similar concerns among institutions, as well as “the best practices we have, the progress we've made, the questions we're asking, to think together, and to make collective decisions that allow us to push or influence public policy. The industry is advancing by leaps and bounds not only in areas like artificial intelligence, but also in digitalization and other skills that will ultimately also determine employment opportunities for professionals from our institutions.”.
See original note at: https://pucv.cl/pucv/noticias/destacadas/universidad-acogio-sesion-plenaria-de-comision-de-vicerrectoras-y
Text: Jenny Díaz, Strategic Communications Department PUCV
Photographs: PUCV Communications
Spanish 
English