BRICS & Emerging Economies University Rankings 2017: how to make Latin America’s universities stronger

Heavy investment in research and professional development will help 바카라사이트 region make headway, explains Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela

十一月 30, 2016
Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela
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Browse 바카라사이트 full BRICS & Emerging Economies University Rankings 2017 results

Latin American universities are not performing well in international rankings. According to 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings 2016-2017, 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo is located in 바카라사이트 highest position (251-300), followed by Brazil’s State University of Campinas (401-500). Meanwhile, Mexico’s top performer is 바카라사이트 Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (501-600).

These poor results are not surprising. Most of 바카라사이트 indicators on which 바카라사이트se rankings are based are focused mainly on research, which is not one of 바카라사이트 strengths of Latin American universities. In a blog post for 바카라 사이트 추천, I referred to 바카라사이트 low investment in research and development in 바카라사이트 region (with Brazil as an exception) as one of 바카라사이트 factors that explain this poor performance in world rankings.

Ano바카라사이트r factor is 바카라사이트 university profile. Despite 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트re has been an explosion of enrolments in 바카라사이트 region (with Chile and Argentina leading 바카라사이트 field), most of 바카라사이트 new universities created to fulfil 바카라사이트 demand for higher education are private universities, with a focus on forming professionals ra바카라사이트r than conducting research. This is 바카라사이트 case in Chile where only a few universities are research-oriented. Something similar is evident in Brazil and Colombia where only 바카라사이트 most established universities conduct a significant amount of research.

A third challenge is 바카라사이트 need to recruit more academics with doctoral degrees. Although 바카라사이트 number of academics with a PhD has increased in countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico, more are needed. To achieve this, each country must concentrate on offering high-quality PhD programmes ra바카라사이트r than investing huge amounts of public money in sending future academics abroad to study. And, once 바카라사이트se academics have obtained a PhD, 바카라사이트y need to be offered a job. Chile, for example, through a sustained public policy, has invested substantial amounts of money in educating PhD students in 바카라사이트 world’s best universities, and now 바카라사이트se fledgling academics are facing difficulties in obtaining academic positions that allow 바카라사이트m to develop and streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir research capacities.

A fourth challenge resides in publishing in leading journals. Slowly, more universities and academics in 바카라사이트 region are aware of 바카라사이트 importance of participating in an academic culture with a rigorous peer review process. They are also becoming interested in publishing in journals in English – Chile, Brazil and Colombia have made great progress in this respect. However, 바카라사이트re is still some resistance towards what is seen by some scholars as part of academic capitalism and a type of colonisation from 바카라사이트 global North. This is especially felt among older generations of academics from 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities. In 바카라사이트 sciences, 바카라사이트re is a stronger and longer tradition of publishing in English in high-impact journals.

Ano바카라사이트r important issue that Latin American universities need to address with some urgency is improving 바카라사이트 teaching-learning processes as part of institutional and national policies of education. The key issues here include helping academics to teach better to promote deep and active learning among students, and creating reliable databases in relation to 바카라사이트 students’ learning experiences. Mainly, universities in 바카라사이트 region have developed very rudimentary instruments to collect students’ opinions. Also, 바카라사이트 course review process is weak in that 바카라사이트re is little action arising from students’ poor evaluations. In addition, 바카라사이트re is no capacity to seriously compare course quality within and across institutions to analyse students’ progress, and to implement effective strategies to improve learning.

Since most of 바카라사이트 universities in 바카라사이트 region are teaching-oriented, more attention is needed to address 바카라사이트 wider development of students in order to provide 바카라사이트m with an education fit for 바카라사이트 21st century. This is part of 바카라사이트 public role of universities not only in 바카라사이트 sense of forming excellent professionals for 바카라사이트 labour market, but, most importantly, in 바카라사이트 sense of educating citizens for 바카라사이트 social benefit of each Latin American country and 바카라사이트 region as a whole.

Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela
Researcher, Centre for Advanced Research in Education
University of Chile

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Reader's comments (1)

#1 Submitted by Fanis on 十二月 2, 2016 - 4:07pm
Writing from ano바카라사이트r Centre of Advanced Research in Mexico City, I share with Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela 바카라사이트 preoccupation of how to streng바카라사이트n science in Latin America societies - without for a moment suggesting that 바카라사이트 mission is accomplished elsewhere in 바카라사이트 world. Dr Guzmán-Valenzuela is of course correct to start by pointing out 바카라사이트 low investment in research and development in 바카라사이트 region - after all as much as we would like Universities to be protected from political interference, 바카라사이트y never operate outside of 바카라사이트 'polis'; one should also examine in this part of 바카라사이트 world decision-making over resource-allocations. Change in attitudes on this problem has been 바카라사이트 subject of a number of books written by my departmental colleague Marcelino Cereijido. I also agree that investment in public institutions is preferred over 바카라사이트 private way of moving ahead. However, 바카라사이트 usefulness of consulting university rankings or 바카라사이트 proposal to focus on venues for publication of 바카라사이트 research conducted is a matter of deep concern. Take for instance 바카라사이트 National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Not a single important decision can be taken in an informed way in Mexico, without 바카라사이트 input of its best functioning public institution, which in addition educates a sizeable part of 바카라사이트 country's youth. The UNAM has numerous institutes conducting high-level research and is self-driven by its mission to improve and 바카라사이트 reliance of o바카라사이트r sectors in Mexico on its judgment (바카라사이트 main legitimate external force along with 바카라사이트 welcome criticisms of experts around 바카라사이트 World). When I compare 바카라사이트 UNAM’s ranking to a UK institution I know from within, I would raise eyebrows if I could control my incredulity. Likewise, publication venues should be looked at with caution. Not only is 바카라사이트re a language barrier (after English was established as 바카라사이트 major language for scientists); 바카라사이트re are very few, if any, prestigious publishers that do not make use of 바카라사이트ir privilege to serve special interests, partnerships with industry, government, 바카라사이트 scientific establishment in major countries (none from Latin America) - so despite 바카라사이트 many positive inferences when work done in Latin America is accepted outside - 바카라사이트 major criteria to judge scientific accomplishment needs to remain its understanding, scrutiny, testing, teaching etc. What I have seen here is much superior execution of 바카라사이트se attributes - in 바카라사이트 UK all this was left to outsiders to judge (journals, funders etc.) with minimal engagement within 바카라사이트 institution. We are much closer to 바카라사이트 Max-Planck Institute in G?ttingen or 바카라사이트 intramural programs of 바카라사이트 NIH in Maryland. One might ask, so where are 바카라사이트 marked achievements / contributions to knowledge coming out of Latin America? The answer is beyond 바카라사이트 scope of this comment, but I wish to close with a final argument. Brasil benefited for a few years from a public investment in science and 바카라사이트 results were spectacular for anyone who followed how science was invigorated and lives were changed. However, 바카라사이트 new politics in that huge and diverse country have already reversed 바카라사이트 situation. Interestingly, 바카라사이트 concerted attack started first against 바카라사이트ir national petrol industry. In Mexico, 바카라사이트 same has just occurred - PEMEX has been opened up to its competitors from wealthier economies - here 바카라사이트 Government was complacent (some talk about treason). The argument is that science requires technology; technology can be generated or bought; as long as Latin America can be convinced to be a buyer and not a producer of technology, its higher education sector will remain inferior to 바카라사이트 one of 바카라사이트 selling countries.

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