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The Ministry of National Education initiated a conversation with representatives of private universities to identify challenges and proposals from the sector and move towards a common agenda that, according to Vice Minister Camilo Noguera Pardo, should also be built with public universities.
The meeting, held at the Andean Area University Foundation at the invitation of its rector, Leonardo Valencia Molano, allowed for discussion about the financing of institutions and the conditions of access and retention of students, quality, academic flexibility, the relevance of training and the relationship between education, technology and the world of work.
One of the Vice Minister’s central proposals was to broaden the perspective on higher education, so that its purpose is not limited to academic training or preparation for the workforce. In this regard, he proposed reflecting on “human flourishing” as a holistic education that also strengthens students’ humanistic, ethical, and civic dimensions, and reaffirms the responsibility of higher education institutions to society.
The dialogue addressed the role of universities in shaping citizens and their relationship with the communities and territories where they are present. Based on the institutions’ experiences, the need to strengthen this connection and acknowledge the challenges facing higher education was raised.
The conversation also included an analysis of the quality assurance system and the need for its mechanisms to respond to the transformations in education and the new needs of institutions and students. In this discussion, flexibility and relevance emerged as issues closely linked to the capacity of higher education to respond to technological changes and the conditions of the world of work.
The Ministry will continue this conversation with various actors in higher education, with the perspective of building a vision that recognizes the diversity of public and private institutions and the challenges the country faces in terms of training, knowledge and development.
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