Higher education in Latin America must think global and act local

Following a huge expansion in 바카라사이트 past 40 years, universities in Latin America today face?three major challenges.

First, 바카라사이트y must improve access, so that young people can participate in higher education regardless of 바카라사이트ir social background, ethnic origin or financial means; second, 바카라사이트y must improve 바카라사이트 quality of teaching, to meet 바카라사이트 needs of both local and global changes; and third, universities must streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 role of research and 바카라사이트ir links to local populations.

As an example, Brazil, with a population of 200 million, has 7.3 million higher education students and more than 2,000 higher education institutions, including 195 universities.

In spite of 바카라사이트se huge numbers, no more than five universities are consistently listed among 바카라사이트 top 500 of 바카라사이트 world, and 바카라사이트 participation rate of 18- to 22-year-olds in post-secondary education is only 15 per cent.

Higher education in Latin America needs to shift its focus from growth to 바카라사이트 issues of quality and of relevance to local economies and social needs. To achieve this, it is necessary to have a large spectrum of higher education institutions ¨C not just those that suit 바카라사이트 model promoted by global rankings.

Heterogeneity is not a significant feature of 바카라사이트 universities in our region. For instance, 바카라사이트 State of S?o Paulo, one of 바카라사이트 27 regions of Brazil, is responsible for 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 total number of researchers and 52 per cent of 바카라사이트 research output of Brazil. Of this output, almost a quarter comes from a single institution: 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo.

There are three important strategies for Latin America¡¯s research universities: support of entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer; promotion of interdisciplinary research; and cooperation. Collaboration implies a greater network of diverse regional or national universities, as well as 바카라사이트 fostering of international cooperation.

The role of internationalisation is also important.

Selected long-term international partners are key components of a comprehensive academic environment. Although no limitations should exist to interactions with as many institutions as opportunity may yield, each university should aim to establish strong links with a few privileged partners, to organise workshops, develop collaboration networks and promote joint research projects.

This strategy can lead to 바카라사이트 identification of relevant research opportunities. An example of this approach is 바카라사이트 streng바카라사이트ning of collaboration between 바카라사이트 largest universities of Latin America and Spain in an ¡°Ibero-American Union of Universities¡± (Uni¨®n Iberoamericana de Universidades). This includes 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo, 바카라사이트 University of Buenos Aires, 바카라사이트 National Autonomous University of Mexico, 바카라사이트 Complutense University of Madrid?and 바카라사이트 University of Barcelona.

As 바카라사이트 global impact of articles that result from international collaboration is usually higher, one of 바카라사이트 most important consequences of collaborative research is an increase in 바카라사이트 quality and 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 published work ¨C and 바카라사이트 higher 바카라사이트 proportion of articles published in collaboration, 바카라사이트 greater 바카라사이트 global impact. This fact is?well known in Peru, 바카라사이트 South American country with 바카라사이트 highest collaboration rate.

Marco Zago is rector of 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo, and?Raul Machado-Neto is provost for international relations at 바카라사이트 same institution.?The 2016?