ALFA PUENTES project: Advances in qualification frameworks and mobility strategies in Latin America

Two “sub-regional” Latin American workshops were held in Mendoza, Argentina and in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in the first two weeks of March, examining mobility strategies and qualifications frameworks respectively.Part of the ALFA PUENTES project, these two events contributed to the sub-regional projects of the university associations of Central America and Mercosur, and also welcomed a selected number of European experts to share experiences.
In Mendoza, Argentina, on 5-6 March, the University of Cuyo and the Argentinian University Council (CIN) welcomed vice-rectors, heads of international offices and several representatives of national education ministries of Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay to discuss three themes of research interest to the region: the relationship of mobility to employability of graduates, quality of programmes and regional integration. The workshop was also an occasion to present current research on mobility that has been done in the region and compare it to current European mobility debates. Representatives of the national rectors’ conferences of Portugal (CRUP), Spain (CRUE) and Poland (CRASP), all EUA members and project partners, each contributed institutional case studies to the debate. The outcomes of this event will feed into the development of a “white paper” for the Mercosur countries and stimulating and improving mobility within the region.
Following this event, on 11-12 March, vice-rectors from Central American universities were welcomed by the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras (UNAH) in Tegucigalpa to debate and shape a proposed regional qualification framework (QF) for higher education. The draft framework is the result of research and consultation of academics in five Central American countries, led by the CSUCA (Central American University Council). EUA and various European experts have been supporting this endeavour by sharing current European developments with regards to QFs and their implementation. To prepare this meeting, EUA met with the Costa Rican Rectors’ Conference (CONARE), the project researchers and a Mexican and German institutional expert in San José two weeks prior to the Honduras workshop to synthesise research results and brainstorm descriptors for three education cycles in Central America (first, second and third cycle). The QF will be further consulted in the institutions of the region in the upcoming year and will also be tabled to accreditation agencies and relevant national ministries in Central America.
ALFA PUENTES is a European Commission co-funded project coordinated by EUA in conjunction with 23 national and regional university associations in Latin America and Europe. For more information, please see: http://alfapuentes.org/portal.