2023-12-29 21:43:34
Las university reforms that President Javier Milei wants to apply They have already generated criticism and the president of Colombia also joined the questions. Gustavo Petro pointed out that due to the new system of fee-paying universities, 20,000 Colombian students might be expelled.
“We will receive 20,000 Colombian students who will be educated for free in Argentina. They are literally expelled from that country, for them there was no so-called freedom. We are going to manage so that they can continue their studies in Colombia without major obstacles and also for free,” Petro said on his social network account X, and reported by the Sputnik news agency.
The draft “omnibus law” that Milei sent to Congress on Thursday includes the possibility that public universities and “state-managed higher education institutions” (tertiaries) begin to charge a fee to foreigners who, without having residence in the country, want to study a career.
However, the initiative contemplates the possibility that foreign students can access scholarships.
The measure would not only affect Colombian students, but also many other foreigners who study their university degrees in Argentina. The most recent statistics, published in 2021, indicate that There are around 117,00 students of other nationalities in Argentine universities, out of a total student body of 2,730,754. Foreigners correspond to only a little more than 4% of those enrolled in educational institutions.
However, the proposed law has not been adopted as a final decision in Argentina and must go through the legislative process for approval. If it passes in Congress, it would be the responsibility of the administration of the Argentine nation. define the annual cost of higher education for foreigners.
The possible modification in the free university education for foreigners generates debate in Latin America, with conflicting opinions regarding the impacts and equity in access to higher education, reports the Colombian newspaper “El Tiempo”.
Some 99,693 foreigners were studying undergraduate or graduate studies and 18,127 postgraduate offers. Regarding their origin, the Synthesis of University Statistical Information – prepared by the Argentine Ministry of Education in 2021 – highlights that 95.9% came from American countries; 2.90%, from European countries, and the remaining 1.17%, from Asia, Africa and Oceania.
The chapter of the emergency bill modifies the article of the Higher Education Law and enables the collection of a fee from foreigners. At the same time, it guarantees free public universities. for all Argentines and for foreigners who have a permanent Argentine DNI, which is obtained by having a permanent residence in the country.
The requirements are to have lived two years in the country in the case of migrants from Mercosur countries and three years for non-Mercosur countries, as well as having completed the corresponding procedure.
For foreigners with temporary residence, the text does not automatically charge them, but rather allows each public university to determine whether to charge or not.
“They will be able to establish fees for undergraduate education services or educational pathways for those students who meet the requirements,” the text says.
It also adds that universities will be able to “sign agreements with other States, national and international institutions or organizations, public or private, aimed at sharing resources of all kinds and implementing best practices in education and management.”
In addition, they will be able to promote exchange mechanisms and thus generate scholarship systems for foreigners who come to study in the country.
With information from Télam
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