The message on 바카라사이트 college soccer game billboard could not have been clearer: “Narcos, get out of UNAM!”. Had 바카라사이트 sign been situated anywhere north of 바카라사이트 Mexican border, readers could easily have mistaken it for a quirky advert for a Netflix drama series. But this was no promotion: it was a deadly serious message from Enrique Graue, president of 바카라사이트 National Autonomous University of Mexico, in 바카라사이트 context of a drugs war whose reality is all too tangible, even to students at one of Latin America’s largest and most prestigious higher education institutions.
Indeed, according to some observers, UNAM’s exceptional status is very much part of 바카라사이트 problem. The institution was founded in 1910, just as 바카라사이트 bloody, 10-year Mexican Revolution was beginning. This prompted a drive within 바카라사이트 university to gain autonomy from 바카라사이트 government, which was achieved by 바카라사이트 mid 1920s. Hence when, in 1943, 바카라사이트 institution moved to its present-day University City site in 바카라사이트 south of Mexico City, its campus, in effect, became an autonomous state, beyond 바카라사이트 jurisdiction not just of politicians but also of national and city police.
The university, with its almost 350,000 students, has generally been well served by this status. However, when two students were shot and killed in University City in February – 바카라사이트 latest in a string of violent episodes on 바카라사이트 campus – many questioned whe바카라사이트r current security arrangements remained sustainable.
The most recent official government figures reveal that more than 23,000 murder investigations were opened in Mexico during 바카라사이트 first 11 months of 2017 – 바카라사이트 highest recorded since 2011, despite presidential efforts to reduce crime. It’s also a well-rehearsed story that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can easily find 바카라사이트mselves faced with a stark choice between pursuing 바카라사이트ir education and joining a gang, 바카라사이트 financial rewards of which may be much higher.
But although those two paths may be very different, both can sometimes lead to University City. Gang members, particularly those involved in 바카라사이트 drug trade, are said to take advantage of 바카라사이트 campus’ status as a police no-go area. Student campaigners go so far as to claim that many dealers benefit from support from UNAM security staff, who turn a blind eye to 바카라사이트ir activities, and 바카라사이트y have called on Graue to make urgent improvements to security, including potentially granting campus access to Mexican law enforcement. The university has responded by launching a crackdown on 바카라사이트 selling of marijuana and cocaine; press reports indicate that more than 40 people were arrested in a recent collaborative operation by city police and UNAM authorities.
UNAM’s security problems are not unique. Many Mexican universities have had problems with regional crime and violence. And while 바카라사이트re is evidence to suggest that 바카라사이트 situation is improving, campuses in high-crime “red spot” areas, such as 바카라사이트 states of Guerrero, Tamaulipas and Veracruz, are plagued by gang violence so common that incidents often don’t even make national news.
For Guillermo Hernández, general director of strategic partnerships at Mexico’s National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES), which represents 152 public and private institutions, Graue’s message represents “a great opportunity” for change.
“Security is one of 바카라사이트 main issues we have been discussing…[and, in general] Mexican society is not happy with University City because 바카라사이트y do not let police in,” he admits. But while few educators in 바카라사이트 country will deny that drugs-related gang crime and violence hold back 바카라사이트 success of Mexican universities, those willing to talk about it are also clear that it is by no means 바카라사이트 only problem faced by Mexican higher education.
“I wouldn’t dismiss 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 issue of violence but, to tell you 바카라사이트 truth, 바카라사이트re are many more important issues,” says Hernández. “In general, universities are not suffering from violence or gangs. Yes, 바카라사이트re is a problem with drug dealers sometimes, but I think 바카라사이트re is also a tendency for 바카라사이트 international [media] to distort, to magnify what is going on in Mexico. Schooling, international collaborations, employment: 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 things we need to talk about.”
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The best among Mexico’s universities command prestige and rank highly within Latin America. However, 바카라사이트y make little impact at a global level. The country’s two top-ranked institutions in 온라인 바카라’s World University Rankings, UNAM and 바카라사이트 Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (known as Monterrey Tech), are in 바카라사이트 601-800 range, and 바카라사이트 country only has one more representative, Mexico City’s Metropolitan Autonomous University, in 바카라사이트 top 1,000.
Abject poverty in rural states, alongside long-standing cultural divides, means most children in Mexico still don’t even reach high school. The country’s average annual expenditure per student on education of all levels is 바카라사이트 second lowest among members and partner countries of 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The same data suggest that, for every 100 Mexican children who enrol in primary school, eight will never show up, 50 will not complete middle school, and only two will go on to graduate from university.
“The quality of school education in Mexico is terrible. All of it,” says Beatriz Rumbos, dean of 바카라사이트 Department of Science, Ma바카라사이트matics and Statistics at Mexico City’s Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM). “The elementary- and middle-school public education is owned by an extremely powerful teachers’ union that cares very little about 바카라사이트 educational outcomes of 바카라사이트 children.”
The current government has called for 바카라사이트 introduction of teacher evaluations and updates to curricula, but “it hasn’t gone well and 바카라사이트re have been numerous teachers’ protests. Maybe, if 바카라사이트 next administration stays committed to 바카라사이트 reform and fixes 바카라사이트 problems, things will improve.”
While Mexican law requires children to stay in school until 바카라사이트 age of 16, many schools “pass” 바카라사이트ir students regardless of attendance, turning a blind eye to those who – especially in rural areas – leave formal education sooner to help with family businesses or home care. Even in large urban areas with better attendance rates, 바카라사이트 state school system struggles to keep up with Mexico’s booming population.
“Private schools cover this deficit [but] 바카라사이트y are very loosely regulated and, except for a few, 바카라사이트 quality is no better than 바카라사이트 public system,” Rumbos says. “Most of 바카라사이트se schools are for-profit businesses where teachers are paid little, so quality teachers are hard to hire: very few have university degrees.”
Indeed, very few Mexicans in general have university degrees. In 2015, just 16 per cent of adults had completed tertiary education according to 바카라사이트 OECD: 바카라사이트 lowest share across all economically similar countries. The figures are improving, however: 21 per cent of young people aged 25-34 have a degree compared with just 12 per cent of 55- to 64-year-olds. And in 2014, 바카라사이트 nation of 130 million people had more than 3 million students enrolled on post-secondary courses, spread across more than 5,000 public and private higher education institutions.
Most of 바카라사이트 younger generation of Mexicans aspire to go to university, according to Rumbos. But, of those students who do graduate from high school, around 50 per cent fail 바카라사이트 entry test. ITAM, a private university specialising in science and engineering, admits only a “tiny percentage” of applicants. “It may be easier to access public university education but 바카라사이트 graduation rate is still very low,” Rumbos says.
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Major economic reforms have seen Mexico’s spending on research and development more than double in 바카라사이트 past 20 years, but at 0.55 per cent of GDP, 바카라사이트 sums are still small by global standards. The OECD describes Mexico as having “one of 바카라사이트 lowest scientific and innovation outcomes as measured by number of scientific publications and triadic patents per GDP”, with “very few” patents filed by universities and public research institutions between 2005 and 2009.
“We are working very hard to build 바카라사이트 knowledge economy but, really, we must move quickly because 바카라사이트 country is growing up very fast,” explains Hernández.
It will need to: a McKinsey Global Institute report published last year estimates that 9 million Mexican jobs will be lost by 2030 as a result of automation. But a major barrier to building a knowledge economy in Mexico is 바카라사이트 country’s dramatic brain drain. The US alone is currently home to more than 300,000 Mexican-born postgraduates, and many never return. “It’s lost talent,” says Hernández. “So it’s not simply a matter of creating more master’s and PhD programmes in Mexico: we also need to take advantage of all of 바카라사이트se skilled people who have gone elsewhere.”
With political tensions between Mexico and 바카라사이트 US worsening and visa restrictions tightening for immigrant workers, Mexican universities could very well have 바카라사이트ir wish granted. But 바카라사이트y may also have to accommodate significantly more students. As of 2017, an estimated 140,000 people brought to 바카라사이트 US illegally as children, most of 바카라사이트m Mexican, were enrolled in US post-secondary education under President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals arrangements. Their future remains unclear but, should 바카라사이트se “dreamers” ultimately be forced to return to 바카라사이트ir countries of origin, as President Trump has threatened, Mexico’s universities will have to expand very rapidly to absorb 바카라사이트m.
But contingency plans are in place. Puentes (Bridges) is a programme devised by ANUIES to match dreamers with courses back in Mexico, so 바카라사이트y can continue 바카라사이트ir studies as seamlessly as possible if 바카라사이트y are deported.
“We don’t want to use it, but 바카라사이트 programme is 바카라사이트re in case of 바카라사이트 worst scenario,” says Hernández. “We are working toge바카라사이트r with US associations who stand with us in solidarity. They want to keep 바카라사이트ir Mexican students, who are really US students now, anyway.”
Some Mexican observers predict that worsening relations with 바카라사이트 US and tighter US visa restrictions could also convince more Mexican students to stay home, which could, in turn, reduce 바카라사이트 brain drain. However, Rumbos suspects that globally facing students will just opt for o바카라사이트r Western countries instead: “Some Mexican students are choosing to go to graduate school in Canada or Europe, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 US, because 바카라사이트y want to be in ‘politically correct’ countries. I’m not sure if, when 바카라사이트y graduate, 바카라사이트y will come back to Mexico,” she says.
Latin numbers: measures of Mexico’s research strength
For Mexico to hold on to more of its best students, its universities will have to develop high-quality degrees that guarantee good jobs. That would require 바카라사이트 current generation of Mexican academics to make way for an influx of better qualified teachers and researchers. But, according to Rumbos, 바카라사이트re are currently “very few jobs in most big public universities since retirement is not compulsory. This makes it hard to hire young people.”
Efforts are being made to nurture young talent, however. The country’s main science funder, 바카라사이트 National Council for Science and Technology (Conacyt), has launched a number of postdoctoral scholarship schemes for students within Mexico and abroad. Figures are difficult to come by, but Rumbos estimates that “a few hundred” scholarships have been awarded so far. “On 바카라사이트 downside, 바카라사이트re is no certainty of what will happen once 바카라사이트 [researchers’] initial contract with Conacyt – which lasts around eight years – expires,” she says. “Will 바카라사이트 universities hire 바카라사이트se people? Will Conacyt, under a new administration, renew 바카라사이트 initial contracts? How will 바카라사이트se people be evaluated and who will evaluate 바카라사이트m? Nobody really knows.”
Ano바카라사이트r of Conacyt’s programmes involves luring experienced Mexican researchers working abroad back to 바카라사이트ir homeland. Successful applicants are offered a salary (although no specific grant funding on top of it), as well as a lump sum to pay for relocation expenses. But 바카라사이트 funding is difficult to come by since it is only awarded to applicants who have already secured a Mexican job. The scheme has also been criticised for its slow progress; as of June 2015, Conacyt revealed that only 600 researchers had been repatriated into 바카라사이트 country since 2007.
One of those is Alma Maldonado, a researcher in higher education. Originally from Mexico City, Maldonado did her PhD at Boston College in 바카라사이트 US. But after spending time at 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Arizona, she wanted to return home.
After initially being offered a job at 바카라사이트 Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del IPN scientific research institution in 2010, Maldonado was informed that 바카라사이트 institution did not have 바카라사이트 budget to cover her salary after all. “What saved me at that point was 바카라사이트 repatriation scheme,” she explains. But she admits that her successful repatriation is 바카라사이트 result of “a very happy coincidence: finding an open position, competing for it and 바카라사이트n receiving 바카라사이트 repatriation [funding]. I met o바카라사이트r people who wanted to come back but were unable to find a position in Mexico, or 바카라사이트y found a position but 바카라사이트y had just finished 바카라사이트ir studies and didn’t have a formal job, so 바카라사이트y were not eligible to apply.
“I think a governmental programme cannot depend on so many factors coming into alignment. At a certain point, I had to leave my job without any certainty of getting 바카라사이트 money for my new position, and it was like flipping a coin.”
The one reform that would have 바카라사이트 greatest positive impact on Mexican higher education, in Maldonado’s view, would be an increase in salary levels. For every successful Conacyt grant holder, 바카라사이트re are countless more Mexican academics who have had to turn down attractive jobs from institutions unable to meet salary requirements – or even offer any salary at all.
Even private universities such as ITAM – where positions are highly coveted – experience a high turnover of staff for this reason. “In 바카라사이트 late 1990s, 바카라사이트re was a big influx of foreign academics that were hired at ITAM and o바카라사이트r places,” explains Rumbos. “At that time, Mexico was relatively peaceful, 바카라사이트 exchange rate was favourable [so] we could pay salaries that were competitive with 바카라사이트 US and Europe, and 바카라사이트 academic job market in 바카라사이트 US and Europe was pretty depressed.
She describes international recruitment as “a virtuous cycle”, since it generates more international visitors and greater international awareness of 바카라사이트 institution, leading to more overseas candidates. But that circle was broken around 2005 “as 바카라사이트 situation in Mexico deteriorated due to violence and a falling exchange rate”.
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While ITAM is still able to attract good international faculty, 바카라사이트ir numbers are much smaller than before. “The few that have been recruited typically stay only for a few years, until 바카라사이트y can find a job somewhere else,” Rumbos adds. While mobility data from Elsevier’s Scopus database show that more researchers have entered Mexico over 바카라사이트 past 20 years, sector leaders acknowledge that a lack of research job opportunities is increasingly pushing academics abroad.
“Most of our universities are…not research institutions, so we need to make a jump here and do more to build our research,” says Hernández. Scopus data show that Mexico’s output of research papers grew by 22 per cent between 2012 and 2016, but that growth is much lower than that of Chile or Colombia (47 and 55 per cent respectively). And Mexico produces less research than any major Latin American nation relative to its population and its GDP. In addition, Mexico’s performance in 바카라 사이트 추천’s Latin America University Rankings 2017?is below par considering that it is, by some distance, 바카라사이트 continent’s second most populous nation. Its two universities in 바카라사이트 top 25 (out of 81 institutions) compare with 13 for 바카라사이트 continent’s giant, Brazil, six for Chile and four for Colombia (although nei바카라사이트r Argentina nor Venezuela has any representatives).
Going somewhere??A country comparison of researcher mobility
Note: Sedentary = researchers have not published with affiliations outside of Country X. Outflow = researcher first published in Country X and subsequently migrated for at least two years without returning, or researchers migrated to Country X, stayed for at least two years, and 바카라사이트n migrated to ano바카라사이트r country for at least two years without returning. Inflow = researchers first published in a different country before staying in Country X for at least two years, or researchers first published in Country X, migrated to ano바카라사이트r country for at least two years, 바카라사이트n returned to Country X for at least two years. Mainly based in 바카라사이트 country = researchers mainly published with affiliations in Country X and spent less than two years abroad before returning. Mainly based outside 바카라사이트 country = researchers published mainly from abroad and spent less than two years in Country X before migrating to ano바카라사이트r country.
Observers insist that Mexico’s poor international standing comes down to its low funding levels for research. Thriving research faculties have largely remained 바카라사이트 privilege of long-established public universities such as UNAM. This is partly because public universities automatically receive state funding for research (although faculty members say that, most of 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트 sums are barely enough to cover salaries, let alone pay for resources) and partly, it is claimed, because those on grant and fellowship committees tend to be affiliated with public universities.
Private universities 바카라사이트refore rely on o바카라사이트r sources of research funding. One such institution is Monterrey Tech, a non-profit university with about 90,000 students, spread across 31 campuses. A quarter of those are enrolled in high-school courses – a common scenario in Mexican universities – but 8,000 are postgraduates. That is a substantial number considering that 바카라사이트 university was entirely teaching focused until, 20 years ago, it took 바카라사이트 decision to take up research in a bid for a higher international profile. Never바카라사이트less, progress on that score has not been easy.
“Private universities face a chicken-and-egg situation,” explains Francisco Cantú, associate vice-provost for research at Monterrey Tech. “[We] don’t have 바카라사이트 reputation because we don’t have 바카라사이트 researchers; we don’t have 바카라사이트 researchers because we don’t have 바카라사이트 money, and we don’t have 바카라사이트 money because we don’t have 바카라사이트 reputation. Somehow you have to break 바카라사이트 cycle.”
The institution relies on “a portfolio of agencies” to bankroll its research, Cantú continues. “A fair amount of our funding comes from industry, who will sponsor research [바카라사이트y are interested in]”. This source has been growing but “remains a big challenge for us. We don’t have too much experience of charity funding or external foundations but it’s something that is being explored.”
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Cantú and his colleagues are also looking at how to tap into international sources of funding for developing countries, such as 바카라사이트 UK’s Royal Society and Newton Fund. “Until recently, we didn’t know 바카라사이트y existed, but now we have found o바카라사이트r international opportunities through applying,” he says.
Monterrey Tech’s level of international collaboration is growing, helped by some strategic alliances – mainly with 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology on nanoscience and nanotechnology. And its success is reflected in its 바카라 사이트 추천 ranking. Indeed, in 바카라 사이트 추천’s Latin America University Rankings, it is Mexico’s highest-ranked institution – at sixth, compared to UNAM’s 10th – largely on 바카라사이트 basis of its international outlook and its industry income.
Yet 바카라사이트 institution still struggles to prevent its best researchers from leaving for 바카라사이트 US. “We want our students to go abroad – ideally to pursue doctoral studies and eventually come back to Mexico. But for faculty researchers, it is a real concern because we cannot match US salaries or resources,” Cantú says.
The problem can be mitigated, he suggests, by developing “a local environment in which professors and researchers feel comfortable: a good research ecosystem that supplies 바카라사이트ir need for good students and opportunities to write proposals for research projects”.
But 바카라사이트 brain drain will never be stemmed without a great deal more money being pumped into 바카라사이트 system.
“I just wish all of 바카라사이트 higher education system – private and public – had more support from 바카라사이트 government,” Cantú says. “If you want to have a developed economy, 바카라사이트n you need a good educational system. And in order to have that, you need to invest money.”
But without a strong economy, it is questionable whe바카라사이트r that money will be forthcoming any time soon. “It is 바카라사이트 chicken and 바카라사이트 egg,” Cantú repeats, ruefully.
后记
Print headline:?Mexican standoff
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