BIESTRA 2015: An integrated view beyond employability skills

The 3th Biennial Encounter of Higher Education and the World of Work (BIESTRA 2015) held between 7^th and 9^th October in Santiago, Chile, gathered more than 150 representatives from 49 university and non-university institutions from Chile, México, Ecuador and Colombia.

The event organized by Centro de Desarrollo Profesional of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and OCIDES, explored the relevance of higher education management, internationalization and career guidance in relation to the integral development of students and graduates. Highlighting the need to strength career guidance from a holistic view not limited to employability skills and economic indicators.

The keynote speakers of BIESTRA 2015 were leaded by the renowned expert on higher education research, Barbara M. Kehm from Glasgow University; Luisa Rodríguez, expert on vocational and career guidance at University of Barcelona; María José Lemaitre, director of the Interuniversity Development Center (CINDA); and Jeannette Vélez, expert on internationalization strategies on higher education at Glocal Actions and Solutions SAS Glocaals.

BIESTRA 2015 held between 7^th and 9^th October in Santiago, Chile, gathered more than 150 representatives from 49 university and non-university institutions, representing approximately more than the 67% of the total student enrollment in the Chilean higher education system.

During the tree days programme offered plenary sessions, institutional experiences and a workshop on career guidance. Speakers and participants highlighted perspectives and challenges regarding the understanding of the relationship between higher education and work. As a result, the activity was consolidated as the largest of its kind in Chile, reinforcing a strong sign of inter-inter-institutional collaboration within the market-oriented national system.

Some of the main discussion were oriented to assess the following themes:

• the need for more and better opportunities for students to graduate from high quality programs and better guidance;
• the relevance of self-awareness regarding professionalization among the middle management of higher education institutions, and its contribution to increase the social commitment of higher education with sustainable development;
• exchange of experiences among higher education institutions in order to go beyond the concern on employability though an integrated view of career development, life projects and happiness for students and graduates.

The other international and local presenters were: Rodrigo Rolando, chief of the Information System of Higher Education of the Chilean Ministry of Education; Alicia Salomone, director of postgraduate studies at Universidad de Chile; and Claudio Perez, president of the National Association of Graduate Researchers (ANIP). Additionally, more than twenty higher education professionals from different parts of Chile and Latin America shared institutional experiences though oral presentations and a poster session.

The BIESTRA Project was designed as a nonprofit and collaborative initiative to foster innovative higher education strategies, in the framework of the DIES Programme of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the UNILEAD programme from Oldenburg University. The first version this encounter was launched in Valparaíso, Chile in 2011 by the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María and Universidad de Talca with the collaboration of GUNi, DAAD, the International Center for Higher Education Research INCHER-Kassel, and the MECESUP Programme of the Chilean Ministry of Education.

BIESTRA is a OCIDES  project designed to allow different HEIs to host the collaborative and non-profit encounter in order to promote inter-institutional collaboration in the context of a highly competitive and market oriented HE system.

List of Participants

Duoc UC

EAM – Escuela de Administración y Mercadotecnia del Quindío

FAP ALC-UE

Fundación Amigos y Egresados USACH

Fundación Postgrados para Chile

INACAP

Institución Universitaria Tecnológico de Antioquía

Instituto Profesional Esucomex

Instituto Profesional Virginio Gómez

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso

Universidad Autónoma de chile

Universidad de Santiago de Chile

UCINF

UNIACC

Universidad Alberto Hurtado

Universidad Arturo Prat

Universidad Austral de Chile

Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas

Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción

Universidad Católica del Maule

Universidad Central

Universidad de Aconcagua

Universidad de Antofagasta

Universidad de Barcelona

Universidad de Chile

Universidad de Glasgow

Universidad de la Frontera

Universidad de la Serena

Universidad de Las Américas

Universidad de Los Lagos

Universidad de Playa Ancha

Universidad de Tarapacá

Universidad del Bío-Bío

Universidad del Desarrollo

Universidad del Pacífico

Universidad Diego Portales

Universidad Finis Terrae

Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación

Universidad Pedro de Valdivia

Universidad San Sebastián

Universidad Santo Tomás

Universidad Católica Silva Henríquez

Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María

Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Institución Universitaria Politécnico Gran Colombiano

Centro Interuniversitario de Desarrollo CINDA

Asociación Nacional de Investigadores de Postgrado (ANIP)

Comisión Nacional de Acreditación (CNA-Chile)

Consejo de Rectores de Universidades Chilenas CRUCH

División de Educación Superior Ministerio de Educación (DIVESUP)

 

More information: www.biestra2015.bienal.cl