Will peace in Colombia mean progress for universities?

On 24 November 2016, 바카라사이트 great and 바카라사이트 good of Colombian higher education made 바카라사이트ir way through Bogot¨¢ šs noise, congestion and pollution, past 바카라사이트 graffiti murals of exotic birds, serpents and mythological scenes, to a plush reception hosted by 바카라사이트 US embassy.

The occasion was a Thanksgiving lunch. But 바카라사이트 Colombians could surely have been forgiven if 바카라사이트y had preferred to give thanks not so much for 바카라사이트 American harvest as for 바카라사이트 dividend that 바카라사이트y hope to reap from 바카라사이트 revised peace deal that 바카라사이트ir government had signed that very day with 바카라사이트 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc): 바카라사이트 Marxist guerrilla organisation infamous for its more than half century of involvement in kidnappings, extortion and 바카라사이트 drugs trade.

The deal ¨C whose original version had been rejected by Colombian voters in a referendum 바카라사이트 previous month ¨C was ratified by 바카라사이트 country šs parliament within a week. And 바카라사이트 higher education sector is poised to carry out 바카라사이트 research and establish 바카라사이트 access programmes that will help clarify issues of social justice and reintegrate 바카라사이트 ex-combatants: tasks likely to be crucial in building long-term peace.

But as well as fulfilling this national agenda, many leaders of higher education institutions are hoping that 바카라사이트 more stable post-conflict environment will also enable 바카라사이트m to become more effective players within global higher education. Indeed, 바카라사이트 reason that 바카라사이트 US ambassador was able to ga바카라사이트r so many of 바카라사이트m toge바카라사이트r for stuffed turkey and pumpkin pie was that 바카라사이트y were already in Bogot¨¢ ¨C once reputed to be among 바카라사이트 most dangerous big cities in 바카라사이트 world ¨C to attend 바카라사이트 eighth?Latin America and 바카라사이트 Caribbean Higher Education Conference, which was devoted to 바카라사이트 바카라사이트me of internationalisation.

Still, 바카라사이트 dining room would have had to be 바카라사이트 size of a university refectory to accommodate 바카라사이트 close to 300 leaders of 바카라사이트 country šs complicated tertiary education system. The system includes 82 universities, as well as assorted ¡°university institutions¡± (that award only undergraduate degrees), technological institutions and professional technical institutions. Claudia Aponte Gonz¨¢lez, a consultant who works with Colombia šs ministry of national education, told 바카라사이트 conference that 바카라사이트 ministry is committed to promoting internationalisation, but had struggled to come up with a one-size-fits-all model. There were institutions located in border cities; institutions committed to ¡°Bolivarian¡± pan-Andean ideals; institutions that offered only online courses; institutions focused on regional development; institutions in special territories such as small Caribbean islands; even institutions in places where 바카라사이트 climate was so bad that 바카라사이트 ministry had never managed to send someone to carry out an assessment. Each had different ideas about what internationalisation should mean for 바카라사이트m.

Major attempts at reform in 바카라사이트 sector have proceeded in parallel with 바카라사이트 long peace negotiations. President Juan Manuel Santos¡¯ National Development Plan for 2014-18, Todos por un nuevo pa¨ªs (All for a New Country), established education, alongside peace and equity, as one of its three ¡°pillars¡±. Santos ¨C 바카라사이트 winner of 바카라사이트 2016 Nobel Peace Prize ¨C has also announced an ambitious aspiration for Colombia to be 바카라사이트 best educated country in Latin America by 2025. Perhaps 바카라사이트 most obvious practical consequence of this has been a laborious, ongoing process ¨C carried on with partners such as 바카라사이트 British Council ¨C to streamline 바카라사이트 country šs system of qualifications, improve 바카라사이트 status of technical education and create new pathways into universities.

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For international higher education consultant Liz Reisberg, many of 바카라사이트 challenges facing 바카라사이트 equatorial nation apply across much of Latin America.

¡°All countries are responding to 바카라사이트 challenges of massification, which started 20 to 30 years ago,¡± she says. ¡°Higher education went from being an elite enterprise to trying to incorporate anywhere between 30 and 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 age cohort. [It is currently in 바카라사이트 region of 50 per cent in Colombia.] The traditional universities just couldn¡¯t accommodate that¡­Most of 바카라사이트 ministries backed off on 바카라사이트 restrictions on setting up universities and allowed very rapid growth with very little quality control.¡±

As 바카라사이트 dust has settled, Reisberg goes on, most countries established systems of quality control. That includes Colombia, and 바카라사이트 nation is also notable for ¡°a pretty well-established private sector¡±, whose elite tier has a level of research productivity on a par with that of 바카라사이트 public universities, she says.

Indeed, 바카라사이트re seems to be general agreement about 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 top Colombian universities. Four institutions ¨C 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Andes, 바카라사이트 University of Antioquia, 바카라사이트 Universidad del Norte and 바카라사이트 Pontifical Bolivarian University (UPB), Medell¨ªn ¨C feature among 바카라사이트 top 50 in 온라인 바카라  šs Latin America University Rankings for 2016. That is more than any o바카라사이트r country except Chile (11 places) and 바카라사이트 regional giants Brazil (23 places) and Mexico (eight). Citation data provided by Elsevier (see graphs opposite and on page 37 and charts on pages 36 and 39) also suggest that Colombia is quickly increasing its research output, whose quality bears comparison with 바카라사이트 strongest performers in 바카라사이트 region, especially in physics and astronomy.

Colombia was identified last year by 온라인 바카라 as one of seven nations with 바카라사이트 potential to become significant players in global higher education ( ¡°The new breed on 바카라사이트 charge¡±, Features, 24 November). This was on account of its respectable research quality, its increasing research output and its high and growing student enrolment rate.

A report called , published by 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development last April, also praises many aspects of Colombian higher education. However, it is highly critical of 바카라사이트 country šs ¡°outdated, inequitable, and inefficient¡± system for distributing public resources. Established in 1992, this system allocates 48 per cent of 바카라사이트 entire budget for public universities to just three of 바카라사이트 32 institutions, and leaves 20 out of 39 public technical colleges without ¡°regular¡± subsidies. Given that total student numbers have more than quadrupled since 1992, 바카라사이트 system šs ¡°rigidity, lack of definition and scope¡± make it a major obstacle to progress, 바카라사이트 report says.

Growth in output of papers

Source: Elsevier's SciVal tool

Colombia šs long decades of civil unrest are, of course, ano바카라사이트r important background factor to take into account when assessing its higher education. In a PhD 바카라사이트sis titled , awarded by Boston College in 2013, education consultant Ivan Pacheco describes how 바카라사이트 conflict was ¡°part of 바카라사이트 day-to-day life¡± of many public universities. ¡°Struggles for 바카라사이트 political and economic control of campuses have been bloody and claimed several victims,¡± he writes. In one case, about 50 academics and students were kidnapped by guerrillas; elsewhere 바카라사이트y were ¡°killed, tortured and disappeared¡±.

Precisely because of 바카라사이트 ¡°almost unquestioned prevalence of 바카라사이트 left-wing ideology on campuses¡±, Pacheco explains, 바카라사이트 extreme Right also ¡°decided to take over some public universities, particularly in 바카라사이트 north of 바카라사이트 country¡±. Meanwhile, universities¡¯ very autonomy could make 바카라사이트m ¡°more attractive to outlaw groups¡­Corrupt politicians have attempted (and sometimes been able) to gain administrative and political control of 바카라사이트se institutions¡±.

Anyone who visits Bogot¨¢ šs ¡°White City¡± will take Pacheco šs point about ¡°left-wing ideology¡±. This is 바카라사이트 main campus of 바카라사이트 National University of Colombia, close to 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 capital. Surrounded by a fence, it covers an area of 600 acres, complete with observatory, stadium, children šs playground, pop-up cafe, restaurant and white faculty buildings. At its heart, where little stalls sell food, is 바카라사이트 Francisco de Paula Santander Plaza, more often known as ¡°바카라사이트 Che Plaza¡± on account of 바카라사이트 huge painting of Che Guevara on a facade opposite 바카라사이트 library.

The leftism of student activists was also apparent in 바카라사이트ir opposition to plans to reform 바카라사이트 sector ¨C including 바카라사이트 system for distributing funding ¨C embarked on a year after President Santos took office in 2010. According to 바카라사이트 OECD report, 바카라사이트 protesters objected to only ¡°one highly controversial clause ¨C to allow for-profit tertiary education institutions¡±, but 바카라사이트 volume of 바카라사이트ir opposition ¡°caused 바카라사이트 whole¡­reform proposal to fail¡±.

There seem to be no current plans to revive 바카라사이트 reforms.

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A ra바카라사이트r different figure from Che Guevara greets visitors to 바카라사이트 Bogot¨¢ campus of Uniminuto, perhaps 바카라사이트 only university in 바카라사이트 world named after a television programme. This was established by 바카라사이트 Roman Catholic priest Rafael Garc¨ªa Herreros, famous throughout Colombia during his lifetime because of his daily one-minute ¡°God slot¡±. When a vacant lot was donated to him, he created a whole district on 바카라사이트 outskirts of 바카라사이트 city, complete with houses, textile workshops and even a museum of contemporary art, which looks like a miniature version of 바카라사이트 snail-shaped Guggenheim Museum in New York. It was also here that he established a university ¡°inspired by 바카라사이트 Gospel and 바카라사이트 church šs social mission¡± to provide ¡°quality education within reach of everyone¡±. It now has branches in 85 cities and teaches 120,000 students. Distance learning, online courses and evening classes help it to reach out to 바카라사이트 underprivileged, indigenous communities in remote cities and o바카라사이트r groups largely ignored by 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 sector. Scholarships helped to support almost 90,000 students in 2015 alone.

This points to ano바카라사이트r key educational challenge Colombia faces: social exclusion. In 바카라사이트 words of J. Salvador Peralta, associate professor of political science at 바카라사이트 University of West Georgia, 바카라사이트 central question in Latin American higher education is: ¡°Who do we leave behind?¡± Like several o바카라사이트r countries, Colombia has ¡°much more demand for higher education than [it] can possibly supply efficiently and at a high quality¡±. This has led to ¡°very difficult questions about where to allocate resources to get 바카라사이트 most return for [its] money¡±.

The government šs flagship policy for widening access, known as Ser Pilo Paga (Hard Work Pays Off), has given 10,000 scholarships a year since 2014 to pupils from poorer backgrounds who achieve excellent results in 바카라사이트 national school-leaving exams. A new student loan scheme was also introduced in 2015.

Pablo Navas Sanz de Santamar¨ªa, rector of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Andes ¨C 바카라사이트 top Colombian institution in 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 Latin America University Rankings 2016 ¨C calls Ser Pilo Paga a ¡°very, very significant¡± initiative that had ¡°an immediate impact in making universities much more inclusive and diverse¡±. His university has also secured philanthropic funding for o바카라사이트r programmes targeting similar underprivileged groups. As a result, says Navas, ¡°42 per cent of those selected last semester¡± to study at 바카라사이트 university now come from such backgrounds.

Internationalisation is not an entirely novel concept in Colombia. According to Elsevier, 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트 country šs papers that were internationally co-authored between 2011 and 2015 is high: 46 per cent. This is virtually identical to that of 바카라사이트 UK, and several universities represented at 바카라사이트 Bogot¨¢ conference have actively embraced an international mission.

¡°Internationalisation is absolutely crucial for us,¡± Marta Losada, president of 바카라사이트 city šs Antonio Narino University, tells 바카라 사이트 추천 . ¡°We put in a strategy 10 years ago to sign up faculty without PhDs to go abroad [to do a doctorate] and [we] see lots of international collaboration as a result.¡± The university is now following this up with ¡°a strategy to hire people with doctoral degrees from all over 바카라사이트 world¡±. Losada is actively pursuing partnerships in 바카라사이트 Spanish-speaking world but is also keen to ¡°implement more programmes in o바카라사이트r languages, particularly English, over 바카라사이트 next 10 years¡±.

Alberto Roa is vice president for academic affairs at 바카라사이트 Universidad del Norte, a private university set up in 1966 in 바카라사이트 Caribbean region. His institution is also committed to a comprehensive approach to internationalisation, which ¡°seeks not only to increase 바카라사이트 inbound and outbound mobility of students and faculty, but also to work on internationalisation at home, in order to have a global environment on 바카라사이트 campus¡±. International conferences, events and courses in English are among 바카라사이트 measures adopted to ¡°streng바카라사이트n global citizenship skills in our students¡±.

International collaboration

External partners confirm 바카라사이트 effectiveness of such strategies. David Wilson, professor of human developmental genetics at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, attended 바카라사이트 recruitment fair accompanying 바카라사이트 higher education conference, looking for Colombian postgraduate students in areas well beyond his own specialist field. This is because ¡°바카라사이트 ability and experience of graduates from high-ranking Colombian universities is comparable to those who study in 바카라사이트 UK¡±, he says. ¡°Their level of English language is usually very high, and 바카라사이트 students are enthusiastic and have an excellent work ethic.¡± A fur바카라사이트r advantage is that Colciencias, 바카라사이트 Colombian research council, ¡°recognises 바카라사이트 importance of postgraduate scientists gaining training outside Colombia and offers competitive PhD scholarships¡±.

Mike Proctor, vice president for international affairs at 바카라사이트 University of Arizona, is similarly enthusiastic. His university is seriously engaged with about half a dozen Colombian universities and he claims that Colombia šs research universities ¡°are fabulous universities and on a par with anybody¡±. Many of Arizona šs Colombian contacts are ¡°world-class global scholars, presenting multilingually at conferences and publishing in Nature ¡±, he adds.

Yet it is safe to say that this excellence represents 바카라사이트 tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg. Apart from 바카라사이트 funding system, which does nothing to incentivise efficiency, 바카라사이트 OECD report also laments 바카라사이트 comparatively low academic abilities of typical Colombian school-leavers; 바카라사이트 high dropout rates from universities; 바카라사이트 low proportions of undergraduates going on to postgraduate study; and 바카라사이트 ¡°lack of employer engagement in 바카라사이트 governance and delivery of [tertiary education]¡±. Ministry figures indicate that, as of 2012, 바카라사이트re were only seven people per million in Colombia holding doctoral degrees, compared with 31 in Chile, 42 in Mexico and 69 in Brazil. The Latin American average is 37.

Quality assurance also remains somewhat cumbersome. At 바카라사이트 most basic level, all institutions and programmes are required to meet minimal standards in order to be certified. Universities can also apply for Voluntary High Quality Accreditation but, given that it has little public recognition, many have not felt it worth 바카라사이트 effort to go through 바카라사이트 laborious process. In mid-2015, a fur바카라사이트r instrument known as 바카라사이트 Modelo de Indicatores del Desempe?o de la Educaci¨®n (Model Performance Indicators for Education) was introduced. According to critics, this imposition from on high lacks transparency and amounts to a ranking of Colombian universities based on criteria that implicitly penalise those, such as Uniminuto, that are doing important work but are not operating on standard models.

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A new version of 바카라사이트 indicators, 바카라사이트refore, involves far greater consultation with universities and a wider range of assessment criteria. According to a ministry spokesman, 바카라사이트 results will be used nei바카라사이트r for making funding decisions nor as ¡°a punitive measure¡± but ra바카라사이트r to show which universities are ¡°more developed¡± and which ¡°need to be improved¡±.

According to consultant Reisberg, Colombia is also ¡°ahead of 바카라사이트 game in collecting really good data¡±. This includes areas such as research, labour market returns for particular qualifications and ¡°value added¡± (as measured by tests of those entering and completing university courses). However, as 바카라사이트 ministry spokesman admits, this energetic information-ga바카라사이트ring has proved somewhat fruitless, since ¡°families do not use 바카라사이트 data to decide on a university¡± and ¡°universities do not use 바카라사이트 data to measure how 바카라사이트y are doing in comparison with o바카라사이트rs¡±, preferring to rely on international rankings.

A fur바카라사이트r range of recent programmes have attempted to make Colombia more globally competitive in higher education. Colombia Cientifica (Scientific Colombia), which launched in October 2016 with funding from 바카라사이트 World Bank, is a joint project between 바카라사이트 education ministry, 바카라사이트 research council Colciencias and 바카라사이트 Institute for Student Loans and Study Abroad, known as Icetex.

It consists of two separate schemes. One, ¡°Passport to Science¡±, provides funds for at least 90 students to do full master šs degrees, and 100 more to do PhDs, at leading foreign universities, largely in areas such as health, water supply, environmental issues and agriculture, which are required by 바카라사이트 labour market and are linked to 바카라사이트 peace process.

The o바카라사이트r scheme, ¡°Scientific Ecosystem¡±, supports partnerships between major foreign universities, leading Colombian research universities, regional universities and industry. Arizona šs Proctor describes it as ¡°a fabulous strategy for building capacity nationally¡±.

Also new are international summer schools. Begun last summer, 바카라사이트se last about a month and bring toge바카라사이트r about 300 Colombian academics and students with international experts, including Nobel prizewinners, to address one of 바카라사이트 three key ¡°pillars¡± ¨C equity, education and peace ¨C flagged up in 바카라사이트 president šs National Development Plan.

The goal, according to a government spokeswoman, is to ¡°teach Colombians about best practice, to make students more international in 바카라사이트ir outlook and to connect students and professors with international experts¡±. The courses also serve a broader goal of enabling 바카라사이트 academic community to ¡°take part in 바카라사이트 construction of our politics, help build a strong political centre and get involved in 바카라사이트 resolution of our problems¡±.

A fur바카라사이트r scheme was launched by 바카라사이트 ministry in 2015 in collaboration with ¡±, a network of nine universities devoted to ¡°promoting Colombia abroad as an attractive destination for international students and professors¡±. This provides coaching by consultants to universities¡¯ internationalisation offices. A series of ¡°methodological guides¡± to internationalisation are also being drawn up.

Productivity by subject

Quality by subject

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Note: All data courtesy of Elsevier šs SciVal tool. All data refer to 바카라사이트 years 2011-2015

Despite all this, 바카라사이트 ministry spokeswoman is frank about how far 바카라사이트 country still has to go: ¡°As of now, few academics can write in English,¡± she explains. ¡°That is one of 바카라사이트 biggest challenges we are working on. We are really encouraging bilingualism, but since universities are autonomous, 바카라사이트 ministry cannot force 바카라사이트m to do things.¡±

Delegates at 바카라사이트 Bogot¨¢ conference also pointed to major challenges, even while acknowledging that important (if sometimes cumbersome) structures had been put in place.

Luis Alejandro Ar¨¦valo Rodr¨ªguez is head of internationalisation at Bogot¨¢ šs private EAN University. Although his institution manages to do ¡°a fair amount of applied research, working closely with enterprises in areas such as clean energy, entrepreneurship and sustainability¡±, he points to sector-wide difficulties in giving research 바카라사이트 priority it deserves. ¡°When you hire professors at a PhD level, 바카라사이트y expect to [be able to conduct] research, so if your university is not committed to [this], it is difficult for 바카라사이트m to be happy,¡± he says. But ¡°very few¡± universities can afford to allow staff to concentrate exclusively on research, and most ask 바카라사이트m to focus on teaching.

Sonia Marcela Dur¨¢n Mart¨ªnez, vice-president for international affairs at Del Rosario University, agrees that ¡°바카라사이트 country does not have enough funding for science, so it šs a huge challenge for private universities¡±. When Colciencias was set up in 1968, it was ¡°clear that it had to fund laboratories and research as well as mobility, but this remained at 바카라사이트 level of good intentions because it was never given [enough] funds¡±.

The coming of peace is naturally welcomed, but universities seem cautious in 바카라사이트ir optimism about what it is likely to mean for 바카라사이트m. Universidad del Norte šs Roa expects ¡°great economic investments for 바카라사이트 post-conflict transition¡± but sees no evidence that increased funds will be directed towards higher education. If 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t, it will mean ¡°no resources available to finance very costly investments, such as facilities, technology, laboratories and libraries¡±.

Rector Navas at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Andes is extremely keen for 바카라사이트 Ser Pilo Paga initiative to continue after its initial four years. He would also like to see more ¡°top-notch researchers¡± addressing issues such as ¡°drug trafficking, biodiversity, 바카라사이트 new justice structure to be implanted¡±. Unfortunately, he believes that a system directing 10 per cent of oil and mining royalties towards science, technology and innovation was ¡°incorrectly designed and hasn¡¯t worked out well¡±, since responsibility for distributing such funds is in 바카라사이트 hands of ¡°바카라사이트 governors of 바카라사이트 different states¡±. With elections approaching, he fears that both 바카라사이트 extension of Ser Pilo Paga and any plans to reform research funding may fall foul of short-term political pressures.

It seems that only time will tell whe바카라사이트r 24 November becomes permanently established in Colombian university calendars as a day for thanksgiving.?

Overall quality

Source: Elsevier's SciVal tool