Strengthening of State Universities in Chile

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The objectives of the Strengthening of State Universities Project for Chile are to improve quality and equity within State Universities and to strengthen their institutional capacity to address regional and national development challenges. There are three components to the project, the first component being technical assistance for strengthening the borrower's state universities sector. This component will provide technical assistance to improve the state university system at the central government and university levels. This component will support: (a) advisory services, (b) data collection, (c) training, and (d) software development. The second component is the support to the establishment of networks in state universities. Financing of payments under Eligible Expenditure Programs (EEPs) in support of State Universities for: (a) the establishment of pilot structural networks in new identified priority areas and the improvement of coordination and monitoring activities in existing structural networks; and (b) the establishment of thematic networks. Finally, the third component is the support to the Implementation of institutional strengthening development plan. This component includes three subcomponents: the first subcomponent is the support to improve school-university-job transition in state universities. This subcomponent will support efforts made by State Universities to improve academic readiness through, among others, remedial programs, information provision, and vocational counseling for late secondary and early higher education students. The second subcomponent is the support to improve institutional capacity for research and innovation in state universities. Finally, the third subcomponent is the support to institutional management and operations of state universities. This subcomponent will support efforts made by State Universities to prepare and implement improvement plans based on the ISDP and the regional diagnostics supported under component one including: the collection, use, and dissemination of university data; strengthening the planning, financial and procurement management capacity; the planning, financial, and procurement management, and reviewing of academic management and programs and permanent quality assurance mechanisms.