UC: G9 rectors value dialogue and commitment after meetings with government authorities

The president of the G9 Network and rector of the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Cristhian Mellado, positively evaluated the meetings with the representatives of the Ministry of Science and Undersecretary of Higher Education.

Within the framework of the monthly meeting of the Council of Rectors and Rectors (CRUCh), which was held on this occasion at the Universidad de Los Andes (UAndes) , the rectors of the Public Universities grouped in the G9 Network received the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (CTCI), Aisén Etcheverry ; and the Undersecretary of Higher Education (ES), Víctor Orellana , together with the head of the University Education Division, María Elisa Zenteno , as part of the constant relationship with the Government authorities.

Together with the CTCI minister, the rectors discussed the plan to strengthen research that the Ministry has proposed and the criteria to be considered for the delivery of resources to regional universities. In this regard, the president of the G9 and rector of UCSC, Cristhian Mellado , appreciated the effort that Minister Etcheverry is making “in moving forward and in giving more clarity regarding these new resources for the development of research in universities. It is observed that the appropriate steps are being taken to be able to create this fund, generate sufficient resources and, above all, highlight the openness that it has had in being able to consult the different groups, especially the G9, about the criteria that allow the best distribution of these new resources”.

“It can be seen that the appropriate steps are being taken to be able to create this fund, generate sufficient resources and, above all, highlight the openness that it has had in being able to consult the different groups, especially the G9, about the criteria that allow the better distribution of these new resources” -president of the G9 and Rector of the UCSC, Dr. Cristhian Mellado

For her part, Minister Aisén Etcheverry pointed out that these instances are of great importance to the Ministry. “We greatly value the coordination that occurs today among rectors, together as CRUCh, and also understanding the diversity of the different groups of universities, because it allows us to design better public policies and be better connected with those who are the main partners of our Ministry. The collaboration and generosity with which the rectors are working are something very valuable and useful, therefore, we are very hopeful with future work. We believe that the issues are advancing and we are reaching points of consensus”.

In addition, the undersecretary Víctor Orellana and the head of the University Education Division, María Elisa Zenteno , participated in the meeting to discuss the regulated tariffs and reiterated the commitment of non-detriment assumed by the Ministry of Education in this matter. At the end of the meeting, the Undersecretary of Higher Education evaluated as positive the instance of work that he held with the network and added that they are discussing the changes, the modernization of higher education, both in the academic, management and financing spheres.

“The collaboration and generosity with which the rectors are working are something very valuable and useful, therefore, we are very hopeful with future work. We believe that the issues are advancing and we are reaching points of consensus”- Minister Aisén Etcheverry.

“We share the will to place higher education at the service of the country’s development, to start a new development cycle for Chile and for higher education to put itself in tension to go towards this objective. We have shared criteria and I think we are carrying out a good job together,” added Undersecretary Orellana.

In May of this year, the G9 Network delivered to the Higher Education Undersecretary the document “Public financing in universities. Analysis and Proposals from the G9 Network” , a contribution that was highlighted by the authority in a board meeting. “Several of the G9 proposals are considered within this system modernization process. We believe that we have objectives that are completely in line. I tremendously value the contribution of the G9 institutions to the country and I believe that we can have an important advance in this sense, let’s say, recognizing that historical value that they contribute,” said Undersecretary Víctor Orellana.

“We share the will to place higher education at the service of the country’s development, to start a new development cycle for Chile and for higher education to put itself in tension to go towards this objective. We have shared criteria and I believe that we are carrying out good joint work”- Undersecretary Víctor Orellana.

At the end of the meeting, the president of the G9, rector Mellado commented that “it is important that the Mineduc maintains the commitment of non-detriment and that the undersecretary manifest to the plenary that a strategy has been established for this by 2026, to be able to enter 100% of the races with new regulated tariffs, which allows us to have some certainty of the impacts that the implementation of the regulated tariffs may have, since according to the estimates and simulations that have been made by the Ministry, it would not be complied with at the date the non-detriment commitment, therefore, also value the consistency of the undersecretary in his approach and obviously support everything that this means to also raise resources with the Dipres and the Ministry of Finance ”.