International Journal of Education and Social Science (IJESS)

In this article, we analyze the situation of the Higher Education System in Chile. There are a number of obstacles to be overcome so as to undergo a breakthrough towards a master goal, with reference to the training of our students leading for well-recognized professional titles and/or academic degrees. The standards of both excellence and quality should be met at the right speed and in a rather comprehensive process. Difficult decisions will have to be taken so as to organize the Higher Education System as a whole avoiding any influences other than the academic ones. The System in Chile is made up of three categories of Institutions, namely the Professional Institutes (IP), the Centers for Technical Training (CFT) and the Universities (Private and Public Institutions). Several attempts have been made over the last three decades aiming to organize the whole system in a number of Institutions highly recognized and well structured; nevertheless the overall System is still fragile and weak from the academic viewpoint. The situation is becoming rather critical, in particular in the case of Universities since many weakness and inconsistencies have deteriorated the quality of the whole system. As we shall discuss in the text, the time has come to put forward a number of solid and plausible recommendation so as to improve, once and for all the poor quality of the Higher Education System in Chile. We believe that it is urgent to move the whole system forward and to make the necessary changes so as to make available to students good Universities and as a consequence, professional titles and academic degrees valid and fully recognized in global and integrated economies all over the world. Throughout the course of the current article, we suggest a model to be followed so as to have the most homogeneous and coherent higher Education System in Chile. We do emphasize the urgent need of fundamental changes a complete revision of these Institution and the Accreditation Agencies so as to establish a number of basic attributes to be fulfilled by all and each Institutions to be recognized as Universities. These processes should be dynamic and in agreement with the advances in Science, Technology and Social Sciences in developed countries. We must become competitive and to have a fair access to the open economies so as to avoid becoming a weak and fragile economy. Competition in global markets has no flags other that quality, innovation and creativity.