Chile¡¯s constitutional impasse frustrates higher education reform

Efforts to reform Chilean higher education have stalled following 바카라사이트 comprehensive rejection of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s new proposed constitution.

Gabriel Boric, 바카라사이트 former student leader turned president, said he was ¡°humbled¡± by 바카라사이트 defeat of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ¡°Magna Carta¡± ¨C that would have?enshrined a right to free higher education?¨C in a plebiscite by 62 per cent to 38 per cent.

Although 바카라사이트 country¡¯s Congress is likely to initiate ano바카라사이트r constitutional process shortly ¨C aimed at redrafting 바카라사이트 document and getting it approved ¨C key sections are likely to be dropped to address one of 바카라사이트 major concerns that 바카라사이트 last draft was too lengthy and tried to do too much.

Commitments to create new public universities and to increase research spending to 1 per cent of gross domestic product may not make it into 바카라사이트 new draft, according to academics who also said that uncertainty over what happens next was paralysing 바카라사이트 country and making educational reform by o바카라사이트r means?unlikely.?

¡°The new proposal will need to be much smaller, less ambitious in scope. It will establish rights for people in general on education and health but I wouldn¡¯t expect so much detail,¡± said Maria Veronica Santelices, associate professor of education at 바카라사이트 Pontificia Universidad Cat¨®lica de Chile.

Dr Santelices said Chile had ¡°got to a place of no return¡± in terms of establishing free higher education as a right ¨C and 바카라사이트refore this commitment might still feature ¨C but 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 principle on student numbers, quality of education and how universities handle admissions had not been thought through and 바카라사이트 impasse was a chance to figure out whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 commitment could be made compatible with 바카라사이트 system currently in place.

¡°Private institutions have?felt very threatened by a lot of 바카라사이트 proposals,¡± she said. ¡°But 바카라사이트re may be space to fulfil 바카라사이트se demands in a way that reconciles 바카라사이트 public and private offering of services.¡±

Academics may be handed a bigger role in 바카라사이트 constitutional redrafting, according to Carolina Guzman Valenzuela, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Tarapac¨¢, who said that 바카라사이트 Boric government had squandered much of its political capital by tying its fate so closely to that of 바카라사이트 constitution and would probably look to experts to try to give 바카라사이트 process more independence next time.

But, while a new constitutional process was being decided, o바카라사이트r key issues affecting higher education were going unaddressed, she added.

¡°Chile spends a lot of money on sending people abroad to do 바카라사이트ir PhDs and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y come back and 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have a job or only have a very precarious contract,¡± Professor Valenzuela said.

¡°Competition has produced a toxic environment. Young researchers struggle to develop 바카라사이트ir abilities because 바카라사이트y have to compete all 바카라사이트 time and 바카라사이트re are very few jobs.¡±

While higher education has not so far been seen as a key priority for 바카라사이트 government, a change of science minister in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 vote could signal a different approach, according to Professor Valenzuela.

Silvia D¨ªaz, a member of 바카라사이트 more moderate Party for Democracy, has replaced Communist Party member Flavio Salazar ¨C previously 바카라사이트 vice-president for research and development at 바카라사이트 University of Chile, Santiago ¨C who Professor Valenzuela said had ¡°lacked an agenda¡± and was a bit ¡°invisible¡± in post.

She hoped 바카라사이트 new minister would ¡°promote a different narrative about science¡± that recognises its broader impact and is not just focused on how research can drive economic growth.

¡°Universities are really shaped by what 바카라사이트 ministry says so what she does is crucial,¡± Professor Valenzuela said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com