SECOND GLOBAL FORUM Widening Access to Quality Higher Education Juan Ramón de la Fuente Rector National Autonomous University of Mexico Paris, June 28, 2004

INTERNATIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE, ACCREDITATION AND THE RECOGNITION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION UNESCO´s response to emerging ethical challenges and dilemmas as a result of globalization First Global Forum (2002) → New providers, national and transnational Second Global Forum (2004) → Capacity building for access and quality

HIGHER EDUCATION IN A MORE GLOBALIZED SOCIETY (UNESCO, 2003) Basic Principles Assuring quality Preserving national culture and identity Ensuring national policy objectives Promoting equity of access

FIRST CHALLENGE: MEETING THE DEMAND China > 18 million Quantitative India > 10 million Latin America > 12 million Before 2020: 125 million students U.S.A. 72% Russia 64% Enrollment Rates Latin America 19% China 14% India 10% ↑ Absolute figures Wide gap

EQUITY OF ACCESS Europe Women > men Latin America Arab States Korea 38% Asia lags behind Bangladesh 38% India 36% Fees: a serious problem The role of higher education as a public good The right to higher education on the basis of merit UNESCO, 2003

FEMALE ENROLLMENTS IN LATIN AMERICA IESALC, 2004

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ACCREDITATION Lack tradition and experience New institutions (private) Transborder providers Governmental agency Buffer organization Professional / academic International Setting: Models: Mutual agreements Recognition of degrees Increases quality promotes mobility

WORKING TOGETHER : 1.8 million students in 29 public macrouniversities (1.4 million students in 242 religious universities) Share knowledge, mechanisms and instruments Foster regional cooperation and capacity building Provide advanced quality training in the region Promote intra-regional student and faculty mobility Alleviate the brain drain Increase access to indigenous population (enrolment rate 1-3%) THE NET OF MACROUNIVERSITIES OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

THE IMPLICATIONS OF GATS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION Heated debate The economy of cross-border supply: 365 U.S. billions in 2003 Policy and legal framework to be adopted by Member States in close cooperation with academic communities A Global Public Good

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND RECOGNITION OF QUALIFICATIONS The aim: “A legal framework, which is transparent, commonly acceptable and beneficial to all” Report on trends and developments in higher education, UNESCO, 2003.