Despite progress in the last decade, Latin America and the Caribbean still faces significant gaps in higher education. According to a recent UNESCO report, Unicef and ECLAC, the region will not achieve the education goals set by the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. These inequalities affect various groups of the population, limiting access to higher education and perpetuating social inequality.
The gross enrollment rate in higher education in Latin America is 40% below the world average, which is 57%. In addition, students from low-income families are less likely to access universities. Another important gap is gender, and although women have greater participation than men in higher education, there is still very low participation of them in STEM careers, related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
In 2023, youth unemployment in the region reached 14.4% according to the International Labor Organization (IOT). Figures from the World Bank show that increasing a person's academic achievements in Latin America can increase earning potential by 17.7%. This would in turn boost innovation, productivity and competitiveness in the region, reducing social and economic inequalities.
Although the pandemic affected the population economically and delayed university entry levels, it also helped to understand the importance of digitalization in studies and mainly in universities. The HolonIQ platform ensures that 76% of higher education institutions in Latin America consider that online learning now has a fundamental role in the way they study.
Alejandro Caballero is an education specialist at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. “Digitalization not only forces us to rethink traditional models of teaching, learning and skill development, but also the management of institutions and all services related to the academic and extracurricular life of students,” he explains.
The IFC created the Digital Program for Tertiary Education D4TEP, which helps universities use technology through administrative process automation tools to facilitate the educational experience of students. This program has been used in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Mexico. Furthermore, they created Vitae, a program that helps employ graduates of higher education institutions around the world, guiding institutions in the labor market in order to raise standards. This program is already applied in 20 universities in Latin America.
Additionally, the IFC is organizing its ninth world conference on education on March 6 and 7 in Mexico City, an event that aims to promote affordable and quality higher education, with specialists who will delve into digital innovation, new operating models and learning solutions to ensure that students higher education institutions from low- and middle-income countries can succeed in today's labor market.
Higher education is a fundamental pillar for the development of Latin America. Addressing existing gaps is crucial to building a more just and equal society. The governments of the region and institutions such as UNESCO and the International Finance Corporation play an important role in promoting public policies that favor quality higher education for all.
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