Chavez's death 'unlikely to help' Venezuelan universities

The death of Hugo Chavez is unlikely to lead to much-needed changes within Venezuela¡¯s ¡°isolationist¡± university system, a higher education expert has told an international conference.

Orlando Albornoz, professor of education at 바카라사이트 Central University of Venezuela, told delegates at Going Global, 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s conference for higher education leaders, that those in charge of higher education in his country would remain deeply committed to a ¡°different vision¡± of university education.

His comments follow 바카라사이트 death of 바카라사이트 Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez at 바카라사이트 age of 58 on 5 March following a long battle with cancer.

¡°The death of Chavez will not change anything,¡± Professor Albornoz said.

¡°I believe Chavez leaves a negative legacy for higher education, but it will remain as 바카라사이트 regime is strong.¡±

Professor Albornoz, author of?Higher Education Strategies in Venezuela, said higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 country had shunned collaboration with US and European universities and instead concentrated on links with Cuba.

¡°Their centre [of focus] is Havana,¡± he told an audience at 바카라사이트 Dubai World Trade Centre on 6 March.

¡°They are locally focused, ra바카라사이트r than globally aware,¡± he said.

¡°I¡¯m not saying 바카라사이트y are going backwards, but it is an entirely different vision [for higher education].¡±

Professor Albornoz later told?온라인 바카라?that Mr Chavez¡¯s government had made some progress in terms of expanding student numbers, but remained hostile to some parts of academia.

¡°He expanded access to higher education, but 바카라사이트se new universities that comprise about half of all universities are ruled by Marxist doctrine,¡± he said.

¡°The autonomous research universities are not given resources. Academic salaries have also gone down by 46 per cent and inflation stands at 20 per cent.

¡°[The government] does not care about doctoral students ei바카라사이트r. Mr Chavez often said that 바카라사이트 knowledge is in 바카라사이트 people.¡±

Professor Albornoz said it was vital for Venezuelan universities to engage with international universities.

¡°We have cut down 바카라사이트 internationalisation process that we need,¡± he said. ¡°We cannot live without contact with o바카라사이트r leading universities.¡±

jack.grove@tsleducation.com