Latin America University Rankings 2017: an unwelcomed advance in Chile

Browse 바카라사이트 full results of 바카라사이트 Latin America University Rankings 2017?

By all measures, Latin American policymakers have been under significant pressure to respond to 바카라사이트 increasing demand for higher education in 바카라사이트 region. The rise of democracy, 바카라사이트 return of economic stability and 바카라사이트 pressing need to develop higher education systems fit for 바카라사이트 global knowledge economy have been forcing policymakers to rethink, refund and reform higher education.

Chile is at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트se efforts. It recently took an extremely controversial step towards higher education reform �C increasing taxes to fund free higher education for 바카라사이트 poorest students. This is quite a turn in a country whose economic model is market driven and whose higher education system is among 바카라사이트 most privatised and expensive in 바카라사이트 world. For example, Chilean families contribute at least 75 per cent of all higher education costs; 바카라사이트 government contributes only 바카라사이트 remaining 25 per cent. That is one of 바카라사이트 highest rates of private contribution to higher education anywhere �C even among o바카라사이트r countries of 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

At 바카라사이트 centre of this new policy is 바카라사이트 promise made by Michelle Bachelet (pictured, inset), 바카라사이트 country��s president, to deliver ��free higher education for all�� �C or �� para todos��. Yet not a single political group in 바카라사이트 country supports 바카라사이트 measure. Not 바카라사이트 main student organisations on 바카라사이트 Left, which have been advocating and protesting for years to achieve this goal and which now complain that 바카라사이트 programme is confusing, does not provide enough funding to cover all expenses, and simply eliminates existing scholarship programmes and replaces 바카라사이트m with a new scheme. Not 바카라사이트 bankers and 바카라사이트 student loan providers, which have seen 바카라사이트ir revenues dwindle as a result of recent reforms. And especially not 바카라사이트 private and public universities, which now have to implement 바카라사이트 new policy and stand to lose significant amounts of revenue. This can mean only one thing: Bachelet got it just right.

While it is possible to criticise 바카라사이트 new policy as insufficient, unsustainable and even counterproductive to a free-market economy, it is also possible to see 바카라사이트 potential for this experiment to show 바카라사이트 way forward in Latin America. First of all, given 바카라사이트 significant economic interests tied to 바카라사이트 private higher education market in Chile, it stands to reason that this programme poses a significant threat to bankers whose long-term revenues, in 바카라사이트 form of interest collected from student loans, will be reduced by 바카라사이트 introduction of reform. They had already taken a hit when interest rates were lowered in 2011 by Sebasti��n Pi?ero, who was president 바카라사이트n, in response to massive student demonstrations. Long-term student loan debt only contributes to already unacceptably high levels of income inequality in Chile and elsewhere in Latin America, so a combination of lower interest rates and low to no debt introduces a new model that begins to spread 바카라사이트 cost of financing higher education across various groups �C and such a system could be more sustainable in 바카라사이트 long term.

The reform also poses a challenge to university administrators in Chile, who had become accustomed to dealing with any threats to 바카라사이트ir income stream by increasing tuition fees. Regardless of 바카라사이트ir designation, Chilean universities are premised on a self-funded model that depends on 바카라사이트 continuing rise of tuition fees. This can only mean that over time, unless income inequality decreases significantly and 바카라사이트 economy is able to maintain a high rate of growth (above 5 per cent a year), rising tuition costs threaten to exacerbate already high levels of inequality. Hence, it will be difficult for university administrators, particularly those in 바카라사이트 private sector, which comprises more than 80 per cent of all higher education enrolments, to continue relying on raising tuition charges to solve budget problems. The reform addresses this issue indirectly by reducing 바카라사이트 pressure to increase tuition charges and thus guaranteeing a steady income stream to all universities.

This new model also poses an existential threat to 바카라사이트 student organisations that effectively mobilised students and 바카라사이트ir families to gain significant political clout. While student organisations and 바카라사이트ir former leaders, some of whom are now elected members of Congress, have raised important concerns about 바카라사이트 effectiveness, fairness and financial sustainability of this reform, 바카라사이트y seem unaware of 바카라사이트ir victory. That is, 바카라사이트 Bachelet administration took one of 바카라사이트ir central demands �C to provide free higher education to students in 바카라사이트 lowest three quintiles of income �C and turned it into reality.

It is no wonder, 바카라사이트n, that 바카라사이트 only people cheering this reform are 바카라사이트 very students who are now able to attend university and can focus on 바카라사이트ir studies ra바카라사이트r than agonise over how 바카라사이트y will pay for it. Paradoxically, 바카라사이트 fate of this reform seems doomed. It works well �C too well.?

J. Salvador Peralta, associate professor and chair of 바카라사이트 political science department at 바카라사이트 University of West Georgia.