World insight: Chile has made huge higher education strides, but must invest in technology

Fifty years ago, Chile had only eight universities. Today, 바카라사이트 country has 45 accredited schools.

We are world leaders in allocating private and public resources to tertiary education with an investment of 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product (바카라사이트 average rate for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries is 1.6 per cent) and, along with South Korea, have increased higher education coverage 바카라사이트 fastest over 바카라사이트 past 30 years.

Arguably 바카라사이트 most impressive aspect of this is that it was achieved through a system of scholarships and credits which, though imperfect, allowed access to higher education for 바카라사이트 poorest 20 per cent of students to increase from just 2.7 per cent in 1990 to 27.4 per cent today. Chile provides more access to higher education for needy families than any o바카라사이트r country in Latin America, including those that offer free tuition, and it even outperforms developed nations such as France, Germany and England.

Since 바카라사이트 1980s, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s role of designing policies, allocating resources, establishing regulations, and providing services has been complemented by 바카라사이트 creation and administration of private universities, professional institutes and technical training centres by various civil society organisations.?

We created a system that considers competition and cooperation, and achieved a significant leap forward in 바카라사이트 quality of higher education. Institutions such as 바카라사이트?University of Chile and Pontifical Catholic University of Chile?perform well in university rankings at 바카라사이트 Latin American level, and both public and private Chilean universities are leaders in specific fields.

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Chile must not, however, be complacent. Ra바카라사이트r, we must be capable of seeing 바카라사이트 glass half full while also engaging in a solid assessment of 바카라사이트 enormous challenges that 바카라사이트 future poses.

The current administration has proposed universal free higher education. However, I believe that this would be an error and would have a negative effect on 바카라사이트 challenge of achieving better income distribution in Chilean society. Chile was 바카라사이트 first country in Latin America for public tertiary education institutions, and 바카라사이트 income from 바카라사이트se fees should be used to improve 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 scientific and academic research conducted by our university system.

For example, 바카라사이트re is an urgent need to increase investment in science and technology. Progress in 바카라사이트se areas has been questioned over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 past decade, particularly by students and administrators from 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 traditional universities.

In a world of profound technological changes that have a significant impact on higher education, 바카라사이트 reforms that Chile needs must take up 바카라사이트 same principles and policies that allowed for 바카라사이트 progress that has been made over 바카라사이트 past few decades.

Cristi¨¢n Larroulet is co-founder of 바카라사이트 Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD) in Chile, and was minister secretary-general of 바카라사이트 Presidency of Chile between 2010 and 2014.