Launching a new public policy network for higher education

In the framework of the CRES+5 conference in Brasilia, UNESCO IESALC convened on 14 March 2024 the first meeting of an informal network of higher education policy makers (RedPES) in Latin America and the Caribbean, which brings together high-level representatives of higher education systems in the region to discuss policy developments in the sector, compare experiences, ideas and good practices, establish connections and synergies and thereby build collaborations with international peers.

The objective of this first meeting was to lay the groundwork for the launching of RedPES and discussed in confidence the priorities of the members, the areas of interest to be addressed in this forum and the preferred forms of participation that will contribute to promote regional collaboration with the technical support of UNESCO IESALC.

According to Dameon Black, Chair of the UNESCO IESALC Governing Board and Executive Director of the Tertiary Education Commission of Jamaica, “This is an excellent initiative. It will provide a forum through which valuable information and learning can be shared for the benefit of higher education systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. UNESCO IESALC is to be congratulated”.

In the framework of this first meeting, the Higher Education Policy Hub, a dynamic portal of UNESCO IESALC that offers a set of tools and resources designed for policy makers and stakeholders in higher education with a coverage of 150 countries, as well as access to a series of analytical publications and links to podcasts and meetings related to policy issues, was also presented.

High-level representatives from the governments of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay were present at the meeting. It is expected that more government representatives from the region will join in the following meetings.