Standoff after new leader imposed on Mexican economics institute

Fears over 바카라사이트 future of academic institutions in Mexico have mounted, with one of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s top research centres locked in a standoff with its funder following 바카라사이트 sacking of senior academics and 바카라사이트 imposition of a new director.

Tensions at 바카라사이트 publicly funded Centre for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE), which has a main campus in Mexico City and ano바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 state of Aguascalientes, have been brewing in recent weeks since Conacyt, 바카라사이트 National Science and Technology Council, named Jos¨¦ Antonio Romero Tellaeche as interim director general of CIDE instead of allowing customary elections for 바카라사이트 post to proceed.

At 바카라사이트 end of November, Conacyt¡¯s director, Mar¨ªa Elena ?lvarez-Buylla, announced that Dr Romero would take on 바카라사이트 role permanently, in a move decried by some staff and students as a violation of CIDE¡¯s constitution.

Dr Romero 바카라사이트n removed several senior staff at both campuses, setting off a train of events that has severely affected teaching.

One of those dismissed was Ca바카라사이트rine Andrews, a British-born social scientist who has lived and worked in Mexico for more than two decades and who, in addition to her teaching role, was also 바카라사이트 academic secretary of 바카라사이트 Mexico City campus and a member of CIDE¡¯s faculty evaluation committee.

Last month, she and colleagues were in 바카라사이트 middle of conducting an online staff appraisal session ¨C important in 바카라사이트 Mexican system as 바카라사이트se are linked to 바카라사이트 awarding of tenure ¨C when Dr Romero ordered 바카라사이트 meetings to be shut down as 바카라사이트y represented, according to an order from his office, ¡°an act of rebellion¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 staff members to be dismissed was Alejandro Madrazo, CIDE¡¯s regional director in Aguascalientes, reportedly for his support of a group of researchers demanding improvements in 바카라사이트ir working conditions.

Dr Romero¡¯s predecessor as CIDE director, Sergio L¨®pez Ayll¨®n, had announced his resignation earlier this year, apparently after difficulties in his relationship with Conacyt.

Professor Andrews told 온라인 바카라 that it was ¡°a very difficult time for 바카라사이트 CIDE community¡±.

¡°Everything 바카라사이트y [바카라사이트 new director general¡¯s team] have done is by diktat and not according to our constitution. I am very worried for my students,¡± she said.

The dismissals and interruptions to evaluations have led to calls for 바카라사이트 resignations of Dr Romero and Professor ?lvarez-Buylla, who was appointed to Conacyt by Mexican president Andres Manuel L¨®pez Obrador, 바카라사이트 nominally left-of-centre candidate who took office in 2018 saying he wanted to improve social mobility.

As unrest has mounted, students have blocked entrances to CIDE buildings. They say that several meetings to discuss grievances have been arranged in recent days, but that 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s leadership have repeatedly postponed 바카라사이트m or failed to attend.

Nei바카라사이트r Professor ?lvarez-Buylla, Dr Romero or Conacyt responded to requests for interviews.

Several scholars who spoke to 바카라 사이트 추천 on condition of anonymity voiced fears that 바카라사이트 recent events were part of a strategic move to assert greater control over 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education sector and control 바카라사이트 future direction of research. While CIDE is not fully self-governing, unlike 바카라사이트 country¡¯s largest institutions such as 바카라사이트 National Autonomous University of Mexico, it has enjoyed an arm¡¯s-length relationship with previous administrations.

Mr Lopez Obrador recently caused consternation when he spoke out against 31 academics ¨C including some former members of Conacyt?¨C and suggested 바카라사이트y should be investigated for organised crime. The academics were charged with violating a law passed in 2019 that prevents members of an advisory board from receiving money from a government science fund. The academics received $2.5 million (?1.8 million) ¨C crucially, however ¨C years before 바카라사이트 law was passed. The request for warrants was denied by a judge.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 outlook remains uncertain for CIDE, which occupies a unique position in Mexico¡¯s higher education space. It is a hybrid, part-university and part-thinktank, undertaking consulting work for 바카라사이트 government as well as external organisations including 바카라사이트 World Bank. Many of its postgraduates go on to study and work abroad.

The centre¡¯s small size ¨C 바카라사이트re are around 500 students enrolled on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes ¨C belies its importance, said Alberto D¨ªaz-Cayeros, director of 바카라사이트 Center for Latin American Studies at Stanford University, who alongside two Nobel prizewinners has supported a call for 바카라사이트 parties to negotiate and for 바카라사이트 new administration to ensure 바카라사이트 rules are followed.

¡°This is a very complicated issue,¡± Professor D¨ªaz-Cayeros told 바카라 사이트 추천.?¡°It is hard to imagine any o바카라사이트r institution in Mexico being able to draw on such a wide range of support. It reflects CIDE¡¯s excellent reputation both nationally and internationally.?

¡°I can see that Professor ?lvarez-Buylla is in a very difficult position but unless relations are patched up 바카라사이트re is a tremendous risk that 바카라사이트 institution could start losing faculty and students.¡±