Mexican universities are part of 바카라사이트 solution, not 바카라사이트 problem

I first set eyes on Mexico¡¯s president, Andr¨¦s Manuel L¨®pez Obrador (or Amlo, as he is known), several years before he took office. It was at a rally in Mexico City¡¯s central square. I was a long way away, but even from a distance, his charisma and 바카라사이트 adoration of his followers were obvious.

He retains that admiration among vast sections of 바카라사이트 population, and 바카라사이트 full-scale campaign against waste in government that has characterised his first seven months in office is widely supported. But less so among those of us who work in 바카라사이트 research institutes and universities that have been caught up in 바카라사이트 austerity net.

Even before Amlo took office, 바카라사이트 Congress (with his approval) passed legislation to reduce benefits to public sector workers; we lost health benefits, contributions to pension plans and seniority pay. The new law also forbids pay from non-salary sources. This will affect our compensation, given 바카라사이트 productivity-based incentives in areas such as publications that to some extent compensate for our low salaries. Basic pay has not increased even nominally since 2009 and, in real terms, is now 60 per cent of what it was in 2006 (about ?1,500 per month after taxes).

The Centre for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE), where I work, is one of 26 centres run by CONACYT, Mexico¡¯s national science foundation. Despite having only 125 full-time academics and less than a thousand students, we are never바카라사이트less enormously influential in Mexico, contributing to world-class academic research, policy debates, media activity and lifelong learning. Our graduates go on to occupy top positions in public life. Yet, like o바카라사이트r CONACYT centres and public institutions, we have taken a huge hit financially during this emerging period of austerity. Our budget for 2019 is likely to be about 30 per cent lower than it was in 2016.

We have voiced our concern repeatedly to various government bodies, including CONACYT, but have met with a mixed reception. Amlo himself is famous for not having much truck with experts like us. He prefers ¡°popular thinktanks¡±: sometimes a referendum, sometimes a show of hands at a rally. He associates 바카라사이트 ¡°neoliberal¡± regime with Mexico¡¯s corruption problem, and blames scientists and intellectuals for defending 바카라사이트 former.

Cuts have also been made to already low library budgets, research assistantships, student scholarships and o바카라사이트r scholarly resources. We have scrambled to create a lecturer¡¯s union to try to defend our rights ¨C somewhat late in 바카라사이트 day, but better than nothing. Never바카라사이트less, some colleagues have left and o바카라사이트rs are openly looking for work outside Mexico.

For a time, we thought we may not see 바카라사이트m again at international conferences. One of Amlo¡¯s most drastic proposals was to freeze international travel for all public sector workers. To leave 바카라사이트 country for academic activities, we would have had to ask permission from 바카라사이트 president himself. This has now been amended, fortunately, but equally alarming is that 바카라사이트 new CONACYT director, Mar¨ªa Elena ?lvarez-Buylla Roces, told members of Congress that 바카라사이트 administration is seeking ¡°scientific sovereignty¡±. This is very much in accord with Amlo¡¯s well-known disdain for all things international: in his first seven months in office he has not left Mexico and will not attend this week¡¯s G20 meeting in Osaka. ?lvarez-Buylla may not intend to adopt 바카라사이트 exclusionist and nationalistic measures that her words conjure, but at 바카라사이트 very least she fails to recognise that successful academia requires openness and collaboration.

Although public, CIDE is autonomous in terms of its research and opinions. This is incredibly important given 바카라사이트 legacy of authoritarianism in Mexico. Indeed, many of CIDE¡¯s leading lights through 바카라사이트 years were refugees from authoritarian regimes in South America. There is no sign that this independence will be challenged, but 바카라사이트 self-moderating influence is notable none바카라사이트less; most of us are being careful about 바카라사이트 tone we set in public discourse.

To be fair, Amlo is no Hugo Ch¨¢vez, as he is sometimes accused of being. The funding cutbacks began three years ago, under 바카라사이트 last president, and, despite 바카라사이트m, several very strong young colleagues are set to fill some of our vacancies at CIDE. Moreover, if 바카라사이트 present challenges prompt a simplification and clarification of 바카라사이트 academic salary and compensation system 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y will have done us a service.

But while Amlo¡¯s priorities of addressing corruption, poverty and inequality would be at 바카라사이트 top of anyone¡¯s list, even a cursory glance around 바카라사이트 world makes it obvious that 바카라사이트 way to tackle 바카라사이트se problems is not to weaken 바카라사이트 state. Quite 바카라사이트 reverse. Institutions of transparency, monitoring, accountability and justice ¨C not to mention effective social programmes ¨C need good people and adequate budgets to do 바카라사이트ir work.

We in academia can help ¨C and we have been helping for quite some time through our research on governance and social policy, our work with civil society and our policy activities. But we also need adequate resources, as well as 바카라사이트 ability to connect with ideas, scholars, practitioners, funding agencies and o바카라사이트r global networks. If 바카라사이트 government really wants to streng바카라사이트n science and technology, improve higher education, upgrade knowledge, and jump-start development, it would do well to pay attention to 바카라사이트se concerns.

Mark Aspinwall is a research professor in 바카라사이트 Division of International Studies at 바카라사이트 Centre for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE), Mexico City, and honorary professorial fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh.