Vice-president of the Andean Country Region for the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (OUI-IOHE) and rector of the Universidad de Los Lagos, Óscar Garrido talks with The PIE about the Chilean student protests and his optimism for the upcoming presidential elections.
The PIE: Chile’s education system is being fiercely criticized by its citizens, how did this situation come about?
OG: If one looks at it from the point of view from its location in South America, Chile is an important country in terms of generation of knowledge and scientific development. It’s the only country in South America that is part of the OECD, along with Mexico. It is a competitive country compared with the other Andean countries. But there is a deep tension because of certain demand from civil society that feels that the issue of education hasn’t been resolved. There are serious iniquity problems- 86% of the wealth in Chile is the property of 10 families. I think in the global rankings, we’re 10th on the list of countries with the highest level of income extortion.
The PIE: Tell me about the conflicts.
OG: In 2011, there was a large social movement in Chile like never before seen since the end of the 60’s. Students from around the country went to the streets to show that they were unhappy and wanted a larger state and a smaller market. They wanted the state to guarantee quality education at a reasonable and accessible price and that the poorest students have access to free education, that nobody was making a profit and that public universities don’t co-exist with universities that make education a business.
What we’re going to do as a country in Chile is focus strongly on talented students whatever their origins
The PIE: What have been the effects of the mass student protests?
OG: They have pushed forward discussions on a national level. Up to 85% of the population, in which I include myself, completely identify with these changes and transformations. We have a presidential election on November 17th. The campaign proposals of all the presidential candidates will mark a before and after in the educational reforms that Chile needs. They have been arguing about what’s needed to create more state support, and more resources for poor families that want access to universities. Currently the environment is also more competitive because of universities and higher education institutions’ need to diversify their course offering not just in degree courses but also in technical education.
The PIE: In such an environment, is Chile ready to internationalise?
OG: It’s important to be prudent. Sometimes we tend to focus on overcoming one specific challenge and everyone gets on board, going in the same direction and all of a sudden they fall off the side of the cliff. I think it’s important to internationalise without a doubt, but first you have to match the two things. That means create baseline conditions that aren’t established in all developed Latin American countries. Currently we only hear opinions from developed countries and not from underdeveloped or developing countries.
We’re a small country of 17 million people with a GDP that I would say is modest, but we have a wealth of natural products enviable of any other country in the world
The PIE: How can efforts to gain access for poor students and internationalisation goals co-exist?
OG: It’s a question of unity. But there’s a problem with timing. Time is short and every day I’m aware that it’s getting shorter. What we’re going to do as a country in Chile is focus strongly on talented students whatever their origins. If they didn’t have the opportunity to be born into different families the state needs to give those families the guarantee of education as well. I’d say that the discourse in the current government is going in that direction. We have agreements with other countries that open the doors to strengthen the higher education system in Chile where the curriculum needs to internationalise. But we need to be careful to take care of our identity as a region and a country and a culture.
The PIE: What other challenges does Chile face to internationalise its education system?
OG: Public governance needs to be more transparent. This is the first fundamental condition for internationalisation. The second is to cultivate leadership skills in the directors. In Chile the universities have very different ideas of how to relate to the rest of the world and collaborate with foreign institutions. The director has to want it [internationalisation] but second they have to have the capacity to direct it and third have the tools and knowledge to make it happen.
And the third condition is observation. We need to observe what we’re doing. Look at the impact we’re making in Latin America and make sure it’s favourable. How much of these initiatives strengthen the identity of Latin America? In a logic of symmetry, how much do we win? How much do we lose? Or do we always win nothing?
The PIE: Does the future of Chile lie in creating an industry around taking advantage of those natural resources?
OG: What Chile needs is a critical mass, better brains, higher intelligence to be able to add value to the product that we believe is Latin America. We’re a small country of 17 million people with a GDP that I would say is modest. but we have a wealth of natural products enviable of any other country in the world. We’re rich in water, in agricultural development, We’re the second exporter of salmon. We’re rich in the production of meat and milk. But fundamentally we’re exporting many products to more developed countries like raw materials. And the developed countries decide on the value and price. The majority of the power is in their hands so Chile has to make the most of the situation to be more competitive.
The PIE: And one could assume that the more that industry grows, the more demand there will be for skilled workers?
OG: Exploiting our natural resources through sustainable and fair economic growth and protecting the environment should be a policy that Chile upholds. These measures will also generate wealth that will improve the quality of life of our population. In doing so, we will generate higher expectations among the people. The greatest challenge that Chile has is making sure that wealth is invested in its human capital. A strong base in human capital is the greatest wealth and motivation to continue advancing as a country.
What Chile needs is a critical mass, better brains, higher intelligence to be able to add value to the product that we believe is Latin America
The PIE: Is there any sort of investment in human capital happening now?
OG: I think yes. Currently we are focused on creating stronger training policies, four year degrees, higher levels of certified doctorates, larger flow of students toward our competitive universities. But it’s a new development from 20 years ago and we need to give it time. We’re a young nation.
The PIE: Are you optimistic about the elections?
OG: As vice-president of the Andean Country Region for OUI and rector of a university, I’m anxiously awaiting a president who will serve the country. Michelle Bachelet will most likely win. She was president of the country for four years [2006-2010] but I think needed more time. I see her in a better light and her proposals include more resources for the state universities, an agenda for state universities, and plans to use the university as an instrument to develop the country.
The PIE: Where are current mobility efforts focused?
OG: This is a special subject because Chile is the most internationalised country in South America but is always looking not at Latin America but toward the most developed countries. Its largest ties are with America and Canada and to a small degree Mexico. Currently we’re sending students to Asia, England, France, Germany and countries like Finland and Australia. But you also have to understand that inside Chile itself there are a variety of universities that are strong in teaching, research and post graduate work and then there are others that are smaller, regional and aren’t as developed. That’s where a national plan from the state needs to be designed that will create a cooperative system that allows on one side a strengthening of the strongest pieces but on the other side generates policies that also strengthen the weakest areas in Chilean universities.
There has been silence in the HE community for many years about the “no expression” culture that was created during the dictatorship we had for almost 30 years
The PIE: What lines of communication exist between the government and education institutions?
OG: There has been silence in the HE community for many years about the “no expression” culture that was created during the dictatorship we had for almost 30 years. With a blocked economic model that blocks the education system this creates a model that is too neo-liberal so today the system is damaged. The push for social movement and big change is now coming from the civil society. The political parties and the presidential candidates need to listen.
The PIE: How is the Learn Chile campaign going in your opinion?
OG: I think it’ll make Chile more competitive but the most important issue is those students who are doing a doctorate or post-graduate degree abroad have good universities or scientific centres to come home to. I think that’s still a fragile matter. But the efforts to send our students abroad and to somehow attract students to chile, I think is perfect.
The PIE: Do you think the private sector can have any part in meeting Chile’s training demands like it is doing in other developing countries?
OG: Care should be taken with the impact and reach of participation from the private sector because traditionally the private sector is looking for profit. And that doesn’t always converge with a public sector that is looking to stabilise. I respect the benefits that that can bring to other countries but I think we need to evaluate what these alternatives contribute to the new directions the system will take.
