The Council of Rectors urges a resumption of dialogue and the reaching of agreements on Higher Education.

25/08/2011
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Three months after the start of the student mobilizations that have challenged public conscience on such a relevant issue as higher education, the Council of Rectors has agreed to the following:

  • To call upon all social and institutional actors to preserve the intellectual and cultural heritage that constitutes the most traditional university institutions in the country, represented in the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities, with the understanding that they are a public asset belonging to the entire Nation.
  • We urge both the government and student organizations to urgently resume a constructive dialogue leading to the necessary agreements to address these differences institutionally, given the serious academic, financial, and patrimonial consequences that the prolongation of this conflict is producing and which jeopardize the viability of our institutions. In this regard, the Council of Rectors pledges its full effort and commitment to contribute to the development of the corresponding legislative agenda and to participate in the search for solutions.
  • To strongly condemn any act that violates the freedom of individuals and the peaceful coexistence of university communities, such as "occupations" or other violent and counterproductive demonstrations, since these contradict all civic and democratic principles, and because they are inherently contrary to the demand for broad and plural participation of our communities.
  • We also reject all acts of unnecessary violence that have occurred in cases where peaceful demonstrations have been repressed, since this violates the legitimate right to freedom of expression.
  • Furthermore, it is urgent to complete the first semester as a necessary condition for beginning the second semester no later than the first days of October. In this regard, the Council of Rectors will establish a contingency committee with the Ministry of Education to work towards this goal. Likewise, we recognize and support the efforts being made by our communities, through various means, to fulfill their academic obligations.
  • Finally, we reiterate our call to CONFECH to reconcile the legitimate mobilization of students for improvements to higher education with the prompt resumption of academic activities, allowing us to achieve the stated objectives and meet the aforementioned deadlines, for which purpose we pledge our willingness to provide all the necessary facilities.