Fernando Aldea Godoy, Instituto Tecnologico de la Universidad de Playa Ancha

 

Although significant improvements have been made in the last two decades in education and training, including a rapid increase in participation in post-compulsory education, in graduation rates in upper secondary graduation and improvements in schooling quality, the Chilean education system still needs further development. The Region of Valparaiso, the second largest in higher education in Chile, has engaged in an ambitious programme to tackle the existing challenges. The Universidad de Playa Ancha has led, with other regional HEIs, a cluster-based approach to gaining industry regional competitiveness via joint arrangements in marketing, continuing education, employability and services to students. The university has also initiated a programme to link vocational education and training (VET) provision to labour market needs and to establish gradual but systematic mechanisms for the assessment of learning outcomes in upper secondary VET.