During the National Council of Rectors of the State University System (SUE), held in Santa Marta, 34 directors of public universities in Colombia analyzed and expressed their opinion on relevant topics such as the reform of Law 30 of 1992 and the draft statutory law. of Education.
According to the statement issued by ASCUN, “non-profit Higher Education Institutions have demonstrated their dedication to public service. “They have played a significant role in increasing the accessibility, equity and quality of higher education in recent decades.” For this reason, they call on the National Government and the legislative sector to value their contribution and ensure the necessary conditions for its continuity and sustainability.
The Vice Minister of Higher Education, Wilfer Valero Quintero, was present at the event and listened to the opinions of the different rectors, who analyzed the reform projects stipulated by the national government and defined a work plan to develop a comprehensive proposal that improves education. public higher education throughout the country.
The concern of managers
At the same time, the rectors expressed their concern about the high expectations that have been created focused on the transformation of Colombian higher education that was raised in the National Development Plan.
According to what was reported by ASCUN, “the Draft Statutory Law, the reform of Law 30 of 1992 and an eventual modification to the General Education Law have not been accompanied by an analysis of feasibility or the national capacity to assume the consequences of the decisions that may be made. in this line”.
During the meeting, it was learned that the issues that most concern the rectors refer to the increase in enrollment in the private sector, which has generated strong financial pressure on Higher Education Institutions, HEIs; in addition to the lack of clarity about the scope and impact of free education in public higher education; the importance and need to strengthen the National Accreditation System; and the definition of the role and functions of the Ministry of National Education as the governing body of the system.
New work methodologies to face new challenges and transformations
For Dr. Giovanni Tarazona Bermúdez, rector of the Francisco José de Caldas District University of Bogotá, the discussion of the reforms motivates many analyses. “The important thing is the possibility of defining a route that allows the participation of all universities and we feel that we are influencing the construction of these reforms,” he mentioned.
In the opinion of Dr. David Mosquera Valencia, rector of the Technological University of Chocó, these meetings guarantee that stronger work can be done online. “If we are going to create a new law, it is to not throw away what we currently have, we have to create conditions prospectively for what is going to happen in the coming years,” he said.
In addition, important topics were discussed such as the national program ‘University in your Territory’, coverage plans, mental health guidelines for the higher education system and the particular situation with the SIIF Integrated Financial Information System of the Nation.
