CRUCH proposes opening a dialogue with the Executive Branch to review cuts to Higher Education

08/10/2026
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The Council's executive vice president, Osvaldo Corrales, appreciated that the rejection of the item in the Fourth Joint Budget Subcommittee opens an opportunity to review the decrease in resources for universities.

The rector of the University of Valparaíso reaffirmed the need to safeguard the contribution of the university system to the development of the country and to move towards a long-term discussion on its financing.

The executive vice president of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), Osvaldo Corrales, stated that the rejection of Chapter 90, corresponding to the Undersecretariat of Higher Education, represents an opportunity to open a dialogue with the Government and review the reductions contemplated in the 2027 Budget Bill.

In a new statement, the rector of the University of Valparaíso also argued that the proposed cuts could weaken the capabilities of a university system that has stood out for its results and whose contribution is fundamental to the country's development goals.

“Universities make a great contribution not only through the training of professionals but above all through the generation of scientific knowledge, and clearly the budget as it was presented yesterday does not favor the achievement of these objectives,” he stated.

Restoration of base contributions and university funding

The statement follows up on the proposals presented by CRUCH before the Fourth Joint Subcommittee on Budgets, during the analysis of Item 09 of the Ministry of Education. At that meeting, Corrales, representing the Council's 30 universities, requested the restoration of base funding to at least the levels of the adjusted 2026 Budget. He also requested authorization to use the 100% line item from the surplus of the University Credit Solidarity Fund, resources whose use does not entail increased public spending.

In its presentation, the Council warned that, although the Higher Education budget contemplates an overall decrease of 1%, the reductions are concentrated in institutional contributions that total more than $36 billion.

Given this scenario, Corrales called for a broader discussion beyond immediate budget adjustments. “We urge the Executive and Parliament to open a long-term debate on this issue so that the government's proposed savings goals are not achieved at the expense of harming a system that makes a significant contribution to the country,” he stated.