Desde una perspectiva general, la acreditación de programas educativos representa un mecanismo para orientar las tareas educativas de la formación profesional, con prácticas y resultados que se reconocen desde un horizonte nacional e internacional, convirtiéndose en la estrategia que han asumido las universidades e instituciones de educación superior, para impulsar el mejoramiento permanente y el logro de calidad educativa. Algunas preguntas que orientan el debate sobre el tema de la acreditación de programas educativos son, entre otras: ¿qué beneficios estructurales han tenido los procesos de acreditación de programas educativos en el sistema de educación superior en América Latina y España?, ¿cuáles son los cambios de carácter académico que en los últimos 15 años se han generado en el sistema de educación superior, en comparación con los sistemas de países con los que tenemos acuerdos bilaterales?, ¿los indicadores y estándares de calidad reportados por el Consejo para la Acreditación de la Educación Superior, qué significado tienen en el contexto nacional e internacional?, ¿cuál es la visión de la acreditación y certificación de la educación superior en España y América Latina? En esta obra de dos volúmenes se rescatan algunas respuestas a las interrogantes planteadas, mediante la recuperación de experiencias institucionales y productos de investigación sobre el tema. Finalmente, se caracterizan y explican las tensiones, desencuentros, conflictos y resultados de la acreditación de la educación superior y de la gestión de la calidad de los programas educativos en la Región Iberoamericana.

Based on studies of higher education in seven countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru), the volume identifies opportunities for raising Latin America's profile on the global stage"--Jacket.

Higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has expanded dramatically in the new millennium, yet enrollment in short-cycle programs (SCPs) is still relatively low. Shorter and more practical than bachelor’s programs, SCPs can form skilled human capital fast. The economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated underlying trends, such as automation, the use of electronic platforms, and the need for lifelong learning. Addressing these demands requires the urgent upskilling and reskilling of the population—a task for which SCPs are uniquely suited. The Fast Track to New Skills: Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean explores the labor market out¬comes and returns of SCPs, examines their providers, and identifies the practices adopted by the best programs. Relying on unique data that includes a novel survey of SCP directors in five LAC countries, it finds that while SCPs generate, on average, good labor market out¬comes, they vary greatly in quality. SCP providers respond quickly and flexibly to local economy needs; and specific practices related to faculty, job search assistance, and interaction with prospective em¬ployers are distinctive of the best programs. Drawing on these findings, The Fast Track to New Skills discusses how to create an environment where good programs are offered and students have the interest and means to attend them. It draws attention to a higher education sector that has been typically overlooked, both in research and policy. The Fast Track to New Skills will be of interest to policy makers, researchers, and the public at large.

This study is the first effort to document the extent of NAFTA's impact on higher education. Through case studies, the authors analyze higher education policy in Canada, Mexico, and the USA using a common theoretical framework that identifies economic globalization, international trade liberalization, and post-industrialization as common structural factors exerting a significant influence on higher education in the three countries.

Universities are under increasing pressure to help promote socio-economic growth in their local communities. However until now, no systematic, critical attention has been paid to the factors and mechanisms that currently make this process so daunting. In Universities and Regional Development, scholars from Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia critically address this knowledge gap, focusing on policy, organization, and the role of individual actors to uncover the challenges facing higher education institutions as they seek to engage with their regions. In a systematic and comparative manner, this book shows internal and external audiences why, how, and when the institutionalization of universities’ "third missions" should take place, and also: challenges conventional wisdom about the role of universities in society and the economy demonstrates how institutions in different nations and regions cope with local engagement combines the latest national, regional and local research with international perspectives integrates diverse conceptual and disciplinary frameworks Universities and Regional Development is a key resource for researchers and students of higher education and territorial development, educational policy makers, and university managers seeking to engage with the world beyond their university.

Identity and Internationalization in Catholic Universities explores the relationship between Catholic identity, mission, and internationalization in Catholic universities of different types and located in different contexts. Internationalization is a key concern for universities working to achieve their goals in different regions of the world but without neglecting their identity. There are many universities that consider themselves related to the Roman Catholic faith and many other universities with Christian affiliations. It is well known that Catholic universities have unique missions, such as the formation of individuals inspired by a religious conviction to serve society and the church. That is why it is imperative to have empirical knowledge to help develop practical and effective policies on central themes such as internationalization, a fundamental part of many universities’ developmental strategies, while paying special attention to each university’s specific context. This book includes sixteen case studies from Latin America, the United States, the Asia Pacific, and Europe, and also includes chapters on regional perspectives on Catholic higher education as well as more specifically Jesuit higher education, the global network of La Salle universities, and internationalization in the United States, Latin America, the Asia Pacific region, and Europe.