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ENCUENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE UNIVERSIDADES ESTATALES
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There is one important point to derive from these propositions that I would like to emphasise: It is the
totality of the university enterprise that is important. One cannot simply separate one element and
decide that that is what we want and that is what we pay for. Human society is not separable in the way
that governments would necessarily wish to decompose it for the purpose of policy. It is not advisable
just to single out one issue that seems to cater to society’s present need, while neglecting all the others
and hoping that these will miraculously order themselves, while the element that has been singled out
will continue to function in an isolated and changed environment.
After these remarks about the importance of research, I would like to point to an initiative by the German
Federal government, which is meant to support and enhance the research of German state universities.
3. Promoting Excellent Research in Germany: The Excellence Initiative
In 2005, the German Federal government and the state governments agreed on an initiative to promote
top-level research in Germany. They decided to invest a total budget of the equivalent of 1500 billion
Pesos, to be spent during the six years between 2006 and 2012. In times before the global nancial crisis
and the unheard-of attempts to meliorate the e ects of that crisis on the economy, this was a lot of
money. It shows an awareness of the necessity to foster education and research, and of taking a stand in
an increasingly global and competitive world. On the one hand, this money was to be spent only for
research (though, within the Humboldtian understanding of the connection between research and
teaching, it is quite clear that teaching will pro t from this as well). On the other hand, one has to be aware
of the fact that the German states provide a more or less adequate funding of the teaching in universities
anyway. The funds that each university receives are granted on a scheme that takes the number of
students in each university into account. Of course one could enhance the quality of the education if one
got more money (the student-sta ratio is rather low in Germany; amounting to roughly 60 students for
each fully- edged professor); but it is not necessary to acquire third-party money in order to support the
teaching. Moreover, the introduction of student fees of 750.000 Pesos a year has made it possible to
employ new sta . Though more or less every student has to pay those fees, there is a scheme that enables
students from the working classes to lend that money at rather low rates, with the university vouching for
the student. Therefore, in Germany and in most European countries, universities are funded mainly by the
state, which pays for the education of students. Speci c research projects are supported by third-party
money, but the funds for the education of students come from public authorities. Though universities are
in many ways still guided by state regulations, there is a large (and increasing) degree of autonomy of
universities, which was one of the Humboldtian ideals.
The idea of the ‘excellence initiative’ was therefore not to improve the education of students or to close
gaps in funding as far as teaching was concerned, but rather to give special funding to the best
large-scale research projects in Germany, each to be nanced for a period of ve years. There were two
‘rounds’ in which German universities could apply for that funding, in 2006 and in 2007. The objectives of
this initiative, which was unique in Germany, were manifold. One aim was to heighten the international
visibility of German universities. This, I think, was rather successful. During the time of the application and
selection, I was quite often asked abroad about what was going on in Germany, and there was a
substantial international interest in who the winners were in this enterprise. The second, and I think for
many people most important objective was to heighten the competitiveness among German
universities. This aim was achieved to a large degree – one might even say it was a kind of
over-achievement, because the spirit of competition has also had detrimental e ects. After all, in many
elds it is necessary to pool resources and to work together. Especially in regions with several good
universities, the interest of the individual university tends now to be prioritised to a rather unhealthy
degree, to the detriment of the well-being of the universities at large.
DIA 2: DESAFÍOS DE LAS UNIVERSIDADES PÚBLICAS PARA EL SIGLO XXI
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CONFERENCIA: “Estado actual y proyecciones de las Universidades Públicas de los Estados Unidos”
142
Jaime Chahín
142
CONFERENCIA: “Responsabilidad
l Estado respecto a la Sustentabilidad de la
Universidad Pública Nacional”
154
Juan Manu l Zolezzi, Consejo de Rectores.
155
PANEL: “Fina ciamient de las univ rsidades statale : anteced nt s y perspectiva p a el sigl XXI” 161
Juan Manuel Zol zz
162
Luis Ayala
162
María Olivia Mö ckeberg
172
Felipe Morandé
180
Hugo Fazio
185
CONFERENCIA: “La Mercantilización de la Educación, el ejemplo de la Universidad”
185
Roger Dehaybe
185
CONFERENCIA: “Enseñanza Superior, Universidades Públicas y Universidades de Clase Mundial.
Relación entre estos términos y las Políticas de Investigación y Desarrollo en Brasil”.
186
Hernán Chaimovich
186
PANEL: “Futuro de las Universidades Públicas en Chile”
193
Sergio Pulido
193
Jorge Las Heras
197
José Antonio Viera-Gallo
202
José Joaquín Brunner
205
Ennio Vivaldi
212
Ricardo Núñez
220
CONFERENCIA: Alcanc s y conclusiones del Encue tro
226
Francisco Brugn li
226
CONFERENCIA DE CIERRE
232
Mónica Jimén z, Ministra de Educación
232