Vice President CRUCH after rejection of Education and Science budgets: “A new opportunity to open a dialogue”

06/11/2026
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  • Vice President CRUCH after rejection of Education and Science budgets: “A new opportunity to open a dialogue”
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Osvaldo Corrales called on the Government and Parliament to find ways to restore resources to both areas, at least until reaching the amounts originally approved for 2026.

Following the submission of the 2027 Budget project to the Chamber, the rector warned about the risk of eroding knowledge generation capacities built over decades.

“I want to acknowledge the rejection of the education and science, technology, knowledge and innovation budget items as a new opportunity to open a dialogue with both Parliament and the Government regarding the need to reverse the cuts,” said Osvaldo Corrales, executive vice president of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), after both budget items were rejected at the conclusion of the review of the 2027 Budget bill in the Joint Special Budget Committee.

The parliamentary body sent the bill to the Chamber of Deputies in a session that began on Thursday, November 5, and concluded in the early hours of Friday, November 6. The Education budget item was rejected by 11 votes against, two in favor, and 11 abstentions, while the Science budget item was passed to the Chamber without a new vote, because the Executive Branch did not submit an amendment to reinstate it after its rejection in October by the Fourth Joint Subcommittee on Budgets.

In this context, Rector Corrales reiterated the call to restore funding for higher education and science, at least to the levels originally approved for 2026, taking into account current fiscal constraints. “We are not asking for an increase; we are asking that, given the current fiscal situation, the originally approved amounts be maintained,” he explained.

The executive vice president warned that the proposed cuts threaten capabilities whose development has required sustained effort over decades. “The country cannot afford to regress in science, nor can it afford to erode the knowledge production capabilities that have taken decades to build and that the proposed cuts clearly put at risk,” he stated.

Based on this, Corrales proposed establishing a work agenda with the Government to address the financing of higher education and science, technology, knowledge and innovation.

Text: CRUCH Communications