The Higher Education System in Venezuela: Overview … · The Higher Education System in Venezuela: Overview and Challenges to Academic Freedom David Gómez Gamboa

The Higher Education System in Venezuela: Overview and Challenges to Academic

Freedom

David Gómez Gamboa

I. Context

II. Higher Education System in Venezuela

• Government – Self-government

• Structure

• The faculties

III. Challenges to academic freedom

The Higher Education System in Venezuela: Overview and Challenges to Academic Freedom

@AulaAbiertaVE | @LiberAcademica| @LuzDDHH

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights(Human Rights Council of the United Nations session, March 7th, 2018 ).

Image: Main 7 National Universities in Venezuela. Map Source: Microsoft Map Point

REPUBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA

Constitution recognizes education as a human right and a fundamental socialduty; it is democratic, free of charge and obligatory (Art. 102, 103)

Academic freedom and institutional autonomy are also constitutionallyrecognized.

• Socioeconomic context negatively impacts education

• Education system has different subsystems.

• The Higher Education Subsystem includes university undergraduate and graduate levels.

http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/ve

Accessibility to education (Provea, 2016) In April 2016, the Minister said that 410,189 university places were allocated: 75% public high schools, 56% women, 3,127 indigenous

groups (0,8%), 1,301 disabilities (0,3%).

But, on 05.07.2016 Minister gave other figures: applications 317,723 and assigned

222,999. Remaining 94,684 granted in September. (Provea, 2016)

Neither Education

Ministry

nor Higher Education

Ministry presented an

accountability

Annual Report in 2016

Higher Education System Population (MPPPEUCT)2015: 2.622.0132016: 2.800.000

• 7 National universities (365,000 students - Report UPR 2016)*

• 27 Private Universities (290.000 students- Report UPR)

• Mission Sucre (Parallel system: Bolivarian University of Venezuela and UNEFA (200,000 students- UPR report)

• Experimental universities, University colleges, University institutes and Institutes of advanced studies

*(Universidad Central de Venezuela; Universidad Centro Occidental Lisandro Alvarado; Universidad de Carabobo; Universidad de Los Andes; Universidad de Oriente; Universidad del Zulia; Universidad Simón Bolívar)

Student Dropouts

UDO LUZ ULA UCV

29,1%40%

40%

+ 40%

www.aulaabiertavenezuela.org | www.derechosuniversitarios.org | www.libertadacademica.org

4.241.000 18-24

years old students

enrolled by August

2017:

• 2.546.000 do

not attend

classes.

• 1.602.000

thousand

students

attend classes.

• Between 2011 and

2016 rates have

ranged from 10% to

30% of the total

student population.

• However, in 2017-

2018 they have

increased considerably

between 45% and

50%.

• The student dropout

rate has increased

since the allocation of

the quotas of public

universities in the

country has been

centralized in the

Office of Planning of

the University Sector

(OPSU) since 2015 in

contravention to

university autonomy.

Groups with Special

Protection Needs

Constitution (1999) “The law shall guarantee equal attention to persons with special needs or disabilities …”.

The Law for Persons with Disabilities (2006) states the protection to educational rights of persons with disabilities, attributing responsibility to the State in order to regulate and execute modalities for education of people with disabilities.

STUDENT POPULATION

AVERAGE 2008-2012 UCV:

44,975

PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WITH

DISABILITIES:

0.26%

Main places of higher education institutions do not have the minimum

conditions of accessibility and walkability for people

with disabilities.

2012

• UCV Faculty of Engineering: 52% of female students

• Participation of women in management positions at

UCV: 14 members of the UCV Council are women (36

members).

• Faculty women deans: 6 (11 faculties at UCV)

• From 44 centers of students more than 50% have

women who were elected as presidents and vice-

presidents for these positions.

• Currently, UCV, LUZ, ULA, UC, UCLA, UDO, UNICA

and UB, as well, are currently conducting gender and

women studies.

Regarding women´s access to education: Women enrollment: between 50%-65%

Regarding LGBTI students, there is not a consistent inclusion policy on the

matter


Women and LGBTI in Higher Education

II. Higher Education System in Venezuela

Government’s Role

• Both, the Ministry of Popular Power for University Education, Science and Technology and the University Sector Planning Office (OPSU) operate at National/Federal government.

• Concerns about the role from OPSU, a body called to serve as a technical assistant to the National Council of Universities has ended up attributing competences of the country´s national universities

• National Council of Universities (CNU)

Higher Education Financing and

Accreditation

• Main source for Universities

institutional income is represented

by governmental support, but

universities may receive private

donations as well.

• Lack of adequate budget

allocation according to university

needs.

• Accreditation is centralized in

Ministry offices.


ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF UNIVERSITIES AND SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES

University Council • Highest decision-making body within national universities. • It is composed of the Rector, the Vice Rectors, the Secretary, the Deans of the

Faculties, five representatives of the professors, three representatives of the students, a representative of the graduates and a delegate of the Ministry of Education.

• Their decisions and the general function of government are exercised in the person of the Rector, the Vice Rectors and the Secretary.

Rector (President)The Rector-President is the legal representative of the University

Vice Rectors (Vice Chancellors): Administrative , Academic , Secretary

Appeals Council (disciplinary matters)


Government Structure in each Faculty (University units)

• Faculty Assembly

• Faculty Council

• Dean

• Schools

• Teaching and research staff

• The professors

Comisión de Derechos Humanos

Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas

Universidad del Zulia

@AulaAbiertaVe @LuzDDHH

@LiberAcademica

Faculty Professors and Research Staff:

a) The Instructors. To be an Instructor, a university degree is required.

b) Assistant Teachers.The assistant teachers must have a university degree, pedagogical training, and have been an instructor for at least 2 years. The Assistant Professors will last 4 years in the exercise of their functions.

c) The “Agregado” Professors.Must have a Post-graduated university degree and they will last 4 years in their functions.

d) Associate ProfessorsAssociate Professors must hold the title of Doctor (PhD) and they will last, at least, 5 years in the exercise of their functions.

e) The “Entitled” ProfessorsTo be a Full Professor it is required to have been Associate Professor, for at least 5 years. The Full Professors will last in the exercise of their functions until they are retired.


Emigration of Highly Remarkable

Venezuelan Professors and Students

Faculty Attrition Rate

ULA UCV LUZ UDO

50% 50%

35% 35%


Source: www.aulabiertavenezuela.org (2017)

http://www.aulabiertavenezuela.org/


Comparative Salary Scale between Venezuela and some Other Countries

III. Overview and Challenges to Academic

Freedom in Venezuela

General patterns on violations to academic freedom and university

autonomy in Venezuela.

Professors Mayda Hocevar (ULA) and David Gómez (LUZ) on behalf of Venezuelan Civil Society Ngos and Universities coalition. IACHR 165th period of sessions, Montevideo, 24-25th Oct. 2017.

OrganicLaw of

Education

Second Socialist Plan for Economic

and Social Development of the Nation 2013-2019.

Reform Project of the Organic Law

on Higher Education

(PLEU)

2017 National

Constitutional

Assembly


Concerns about National LegalFramework

Criminalization of Protest and Political

discrimination against university scholars

and students

ARBITRARY DETENTIONS AGAINST STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS

April May June July

Serie 3

Serie 2

Columna16254

144

79

Total: At

least 339

students

Arbitrarily detained students from April 1st to July

30th, 2017

Source: Aula Abierta Venezuela´s Observatory of University Rights, September 2017.


SCHOLARS DETAINED

12

1

4

8

5

Released under a

provisional measure

Deprived of liberty

Released from the

detention centers

Brought before military

courts

Brought before ordinary

courts

Total: At least 17 arbitrarily detained

Source: Aula Abierta Venezuela´s Observatory of University Rights, September 2017.



Attacks to University

Campuses by the

State Security

Forces.

21 attacks or break-ins

in campuses in April-

July 2017.

GNB responsible for

41%. outbreaks

• JEL Scholarship (Zulia-2016): 896 students temporarily expelled.

• Regional elections (2017)

• Discrimination selecting interns at Government owned companies

• José Atacho (Falcón), Isaac Lugo (Falcón), Rafael Avendaño (Mérida), Carlos ´Pancho´ Ramirez (Mérida), among others students.

• Medicine graduate students at University Hospital of Maracaibo City (Zulia 2017).


Discrimination Patterns in the Higher Education System

State Intervention in the Universities

Internal Affairs

Siege of the Venezuelan Judicial Branch against universities?

UNIVERSITY AUTHORITIES APPOINTMENT BY

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF UNIVERSITIES

The University

Simon Bolivar

Academic Vice-

President was

arbitrarily

appointed ( July,

2017).

Commission to

“verify” the validity

of the nomination

of Nelly Velazquez

as the new

President of

Universidad

Centroccidental

Lisando Alvarado

(UCLA)


• Concerns regarding the constant, systematic and accelerated deterioration of Internet and

telephone service throughout all the country during recent years, but especially in 2017-

2018, when reiterative black-outs and even daily electric power shut downs have occurred

across the country.

Academic / Scientific Research

Chart: Payment granted to researchers by the

Government Program for the Stimulus for Innovation

and Research (PEII) in foreign currency

Source: comparative chart made with official information obtained from ONCTI and Aula Abierta, March 2018

• Concerns about

the very limited

funds granted by

the national

government for

research, services

delivery and

infrastructure of

Public Universities

in Venezuela.

@AulaAbiertaVe

@LuzDDHH

@LiberAcademica

#DerechosUniversitarioswww.AulaAbiertaVenezuela.org

www.DerechosUniversitarios.orgwww.LibertadAcademica.org

Thank you very much!

http://www.derechosuniversitarios.org/

Documents

The Higher Education System in Venezuela: Overview … · The Higher Education System in Venezuela: Overview and Challenges to Academic Freedom David Gómez Gamboa