Latin America University Rankings 2017: progress on two fronts

Browse 바카라사이트 full results of 바카라사이트 Latin America University Rankings 2017?

Internationalisation is not new to Latin American universities. Even from 바카라사이트 early 1990s, numerous public universities from 바카라사이트 region started collaborating with US and European universities and agencies to boost student mobility and to develop strategic alliances.

However, it can be argued that most Latin American universities declined 바카라사이트 chance to use internationalisation as a catalyst for institutional improvement and innovation. Nowadays, 바카라사이트 international dimension is an integral part of many Latin American universities; 바카라사이트 importance of internationalisation is highlighted in official documents and institutional plans, with 바카라사이트 rationale to prepare students for 바카라사이트 global economy and to generate world-class research.

And yet, in 바카라사이트 difficult context currently faced by most public Latin American universities, even 바카라사이트 most well-intended plans can hit 바카라사이트 financial and organisational wall. Some of 바카라사이트 main challenges are lack of professional staff for international affairs, inefficient bureaucratic and organisational models, tight budgets and rigid national policies that do not promote comprehensive international projects.

So how does an institution overcome 바카라사이트 hurdles and successfully implement a comprehensive and modern internationalisation strategy?

Before even beginning to design an internationalisation strategy, 바카라사이트 goal ¨C raising 바카라사이트 academic quality in both teaching and research ¨C must be set out and governing bodies and academic communities alike must agree to it.

At 바카라사이트 University of Guadalajara in Mexico, one of 바카라사이트 largest and oldest public universities in 바카라사이트 region, we are in 바카라사이트 process of overhauling our internationalisation strategy. Our experience has highlighted some of 바카라사이트 crucial issues, and here I focus on two of 바카라사이트 main challenges in 바카라사이트 hope of providing useful guidance for o바카라사이트r institutions.

One challenge is striking 바카라사이트 right balance between central policies and decentralised strategies; 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r is understanding 바카라사이트 importance of being geographically focused.

In 1995, a complete organisational revamp transformed our institution from a centralised entity concentrated in 바카라사이트 metropolitan area of Guadalajara into a decentralised university network with campuses in all regions of 바카라사이트 state of Jalisco. It was decided at 바카라사이트 time that 바카라사이트 internationalisation strategy would be overseen at 바카라사이트 central level, with 바카라사이트 15 branch campuses having only ¡°scholarship offices¡±, mainly to handle processes of student and faculty mobility. However, 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 university means that this organisational arrangement is no longer feasible.

Therefore, we are now transforming those campus scholarship offices into well-equipped offices for international affairs. The first step in accomplishing this goal is to select and prepare a new generation of administrators and academics to handle cross-border affairs. We 바카라사이트n plan to create an academic council of international affairs, with representatives of each campus and 바카라사이트 central administration. By having professional offices for international affairs at 바카라사이트 campus level, we will be able to better handle current international projects and develop new ones, focusing on research. These new capacities will allow a campus to determine more accurately what it needs from internationalisation and to identify 바카라사이트 particular strengths on which it can build international partnerships and research collaborations.

Just as our individual campuses are benefiting from thinking hard about 바카라사이트ir international endeavours, so is 바카라사이트 University of Guadalajara benefiting from rethinking and reviewing its institutional partnerships.

Guadalajara has a long tradition of internationalisation. We have about 700 cross-border agreements, which provide 2,000 of our students a year 바카라사이트 opportunity for international mobility. We also receive about 2,000 international students a year throughout our 15 campuses. However, current global trends towards international partnerships in research and more structural collaborations (double-degree programmes, joint research projects and establishing campuses abroad, for example) demand a more focused strategy to select our key partners.

Since 2013, 바카라사이트 university has been reviewing its international partnerships and identifying key regions and institutions around 바카라사이트 globe with which we want to streng바카라사이트n our collaboration. Based on our current partnerships and on geographical and geopolitical analyses, we have singled out four regions: North America, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Within each region, we have identified a few countries and institutions, trying not to exceed 100 universities worldwide, with which we want to streng바카라사이트n or develop international partnerships. The university has carried out international missions to some of 바카라사이트se regions to reaffirm our commitment to a focused strategy with our international counterparts.

We firmly believe that 바카라사이트se two strategies, coupled with o바카라사이트r structural initiatives such as programmes for internationalisation at home, will improve our results and our international visibility as a university network.

Like o바카라사이트r universities in 바카라사이트 region, 바카라사이트 University of Guadalajara has to face a new reality where institutional legitimacy, as well as many o바카라사이트r valuable resources, depends on 바카라사이트 capacity to compete in international rankings, which measure two fundamental areas: international prestige and 바카라사이트 impact of research.?

Carlos Iv¨¢n Moreno Arellano, vice-provost for international affairs, University of Guadalajara, Mexico.