3 universities in Latin America on forging hope (opinion)

The rectors of the top three private universities in Latin America, which form La Triada, have issued a joint statement two years into the existence of this partnership.

This statement was signed by David Garza, Rector and Executive President of Tecnológico de Monterrey; Ignacio Sánchez, Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile; and Alejandro Gaviria, Rector of the University of Los Andes.

You can read the entire statement below*:

Three Universities in Latin America: On Forging Hope.

Universities have a dual responsibility: responding to the challenges of the present and helping to build a better future. This is no easy task at the best of times, but our current circumstances in the midst of one of the worst crises in recent history have made it harder. More than ever, this situation calls for us to increase our capacity for transformation and innovation, our solidarity, and our commitment to knowledge.

At the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the University of Los Andes, and Tecnológico de Monterrey, we are making efforts to find ways to tackle the pandemic, transform our educational models, and contribute ideas, actions, and knowledge. The medical treatment crisis means that we are contributing, among other things, designs and production of ventilators and personal protection equipment, research on detection testing and preparation of reagents for analysis of samples, laboratories for detecting contagion, and traceability studies, as well as philanthropic platforms. Being aware of the importance of spiritual, ethical, and welfare elements, we have strengthened our connections with the humanities and social science areas so that dealing with the crisis can in turn become a pathway to a better society. 

La Triada is an initiative for collaboration between our universities -- ranked the top three nongovernmental universities in Latin America --, an initiative that allows us to act together to take advantage of the opportunities and confront the challenges of our region. Over the past two years of this partnership, we have been able to set up 55 joint projects in areas such as educational innovation, creative industries, health, sustainable cities, combating corruption, nanotechnology, biotechnology, water, diet, and environmental impact. Over the months of the pandemic, we have increased the number of projects by 30%. For instance, we have more than 75 online courses with free certification on the Coursera platform, which have been especially useful at this time.

With enthusiasm and confidence in the future, we three universities agree that Latin America has extraordinary potential. We also recognize that our region’s great challenge stems from a combination of the historical issues of insecurity, impunity, poverty, inequality, and exclusion. Close to 190 million Latin Americans live in poverty, 30% of the population. More than a third of these live in conditions of extreme poverty. What’s more, Latin America is the region with the biggest inequality of income in the world. These setbacks have been exacerbated by the crisis caused by the pandemic. We are tasked with urgent responsibility of building a new consensus that allows these challenges to be confronted and the social fabric to be repaired.

The pandemic has amplified social differences, affecting to a greater extent the lives and opportunities of those who have the least. Education and knowledge are the only way to overcome social divisions, political polarization, and general distrust. Our nature is that of a generous and amiable people. That is what makes us who we are in the world.  We should harness the potential of that spirit. It’s up to us to form leaders who are a force for change, who tackle our most pressing problems without sacrificing our identity.  This is a time for compassion, for forming better connections with communities, for sustainability, generating opportunities for all, and critical yet constructive thinking. 

In this time of crisis, faced with a panorama of uncertainty and anxiety, it’s worth remembering that a blessing and a hope can be found in the midst of every tragedy. We shall encounter them together.

Ignacio Sánchez Díaz

Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile

David Garza Salazar

Rector and Executive President of Tecnológico de Monterrey

Alejandro Gaviria Uribe

Rector of the University of Los Andes

* Words in bold have been selected by the editors of CONECTA.

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