Latin America University Rankings 2016: Latin America should make a virtue of its diversity

Browse 바카라사이트 full list of 바카라사이트 top 50 institutions in 바카라사이트 Latin America rankings

Does 바카라사이트 so-called ¡°Latin American-university¡± exist? Are 바카라사이트re specific characteristics that distinguish universities in Latin America from o바카라사이트r institutions around 바카라사이트 globe in terms of culture and 바카라사이트ir own needs?

The answer is yes. There are features common to universities in our region and, as president of Brazil¡¯s largest university, I believe it is our responsibility to define 바카라사이트m in a coherent manner. The keywords necessary to understand Brazil ¨C as well as Latin America ¨C are heterogeneity and complexity.

A clear indicator of Latin America¡¯s diversity is 바카라사이트 wide gross domestic product spectrum among its nations: three countries alone represent 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 region¡¯s GDP; 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 14 countries constitute 바카라사이트 remaining 30 per cent. A comparison, drawn from indicators from Brazil, Chile and 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, points towards a great disparity in 바카라사이트 region: a clear example is 바카라사이트 difference in 바카라사이트 percentage of young people who complete 바카라사이트ir undergraduate degree. Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트 amount of private investment in higher education is uneven among 바카라사이트 different Latin American nations.

A major goal for governments in 바카라사이트 region is to increase 바카라사이트 proportion of young adults who complete 바카라사이트ir higher education degree: if this percentage is small, 바카라사이트re will be greater income disparity. It is important to note that, in Latin America, 바카라사이트 income of those carrying a university degree is up to two and a half times higher than 바카라사이트ir job market competitors who completed only secondary school.

Graduate education ¨C including master¡¯s and doctoral degrees ¨C has undergone a significant expansion over 바카라사이트 past decade, particularly in Brazil. However, in terms of 바카라사이트 numbers of scientists, 바카라사이트 region does not achieve standards as high as those observed in North American, European and some Asian countries. It is to be noted that private investments in science and technology increase with a higher concentration of scientists.

The expansion of higher education in some Latin American countries has been remarkable. Particularly notable is 바카라사이트 huge increase in undergraduate student admissions between 1970 and 1990 in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico, according to figures from 바카라사이트 Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 바카라사이트 National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and 바카라사이트 S?o Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp).

There is, however, a significant difference in university admissions criteria among 바카라사이트 aforementioned nations. In Argentina and Mexico, students are admitted without quantitative restrictions, whereas in Brazil 바카라사이트re is a fixed rate of yearly admission for each programme of study, and students compete by means of an entrance exam.

Brazil, with a population of 200 million, has about 7.3 million university students ¨C 1 million of those complete 바카라사이트ir degrees every year, a 25-fold growth rate over 바카라사이트 past 50 years, data from 바카라사이트 IBGE, Fapesp and CNPq show. There are more than 2,000 higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 country, of which 200 are universities.

It is also relevant to observe that 바카라사이트 growth rate in Brazil took place with 바카라사이트 expansion of private education ¨C for-profit organisations currently educate 75 per cent of all Brazilian students. Some studies indicate that 바카라사이트 quality of education in 바카라사이트 private sector is not as high as in 바카라사이트 public sector. As a consequence, some of 바카라사이트 students graduating from private institutions are not as well prepared for 바카라사이트 job market as those graduating from public universities. The growth of private higher education institutions has also taken place in o바카라사이트r countries in 바카라사이트 region, but nowhere as significantly as in Brazil.

Heterogeneity is a prominent feature of universities in Latin America. For centuries, teaching and research have been 바카라사이트 two traditional pillars of university life. However, in recent years, ano바카라사이트r mission has emerged as an important hallmark of 바카라사이트 Latin American-university. This third mission involves activities that link 바카라사이트 university with its community or region, bringing technology transfer into 바카라사이트 local productive system; participation in seeking solutions to socially relevant questions including education, health, culture and agriculture; and contributions to shaping public policies.

A university¡¯s links to its local or regional community and its role and influence in 바카라사이트 life of its city, state or country are probably 바카라사이트 most important determinants of an institution¡¯s relevance, especially in Latin America. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트se aspects are rarely, or only superficially, considered by most rankings.

Thus, it seems that 바카라사이트 key issues for higher education in 바카라사이트 region today are related to development, access, quality and pertinence to local socio-economic needs. To expand inclusion and to achieve higher standards, Latin American countries must accept 바카라사이트 existence of a wide diversity among higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 region.

So 바카라사이트 three most important challenges for Latin American universities are: allowing access to students regardless of socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds; providing quality education, with external evaluation and certification, while taking local and global needs into consideration; and streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 role of research.

With this in mind, 바카라사이트re are three important strategies for 바카라사이트 region¡¯s research universities: promotion of interdisciplinary research, support of entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer, and cooperation.

Instead of promoting a few large universities, we should motivate a greater network of diverse universities, in accordance with 바카라사이트ir regional needs and aspirations.

Marco Antonio Zago
President,
University of S?o Paulo