Construcción de capacidades para el desarrollo de Centros de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje para las Universidades de Latinoamérica en el Siglo XXI

Latin American Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are currently facing major challenges: (1) the number of students enrolled is growing exponentially, while the number of teachers is growing at a much slower rate; (2) teaching is no longer confined to the traditional classroom, and must live together with virtual programmes and blended models; (3) teachers need constant training to be up-to-date; and (4) there is a significant gap between the needs of the industry, and the training students receive in HEIs, which contrasts with rising unemployment rates in the Region. Therefore, it is time to rethink the way forward for HEIs in the Region, based on innovation in teaching-learning processes. The PROF-XXI project aims to build capacities for the development of Teaching and Learning Centres (TLCs) in the HEIs of the Region, taking into account the current educational context. To this end, (1) guidelines and models of TLCs will be developed around three axes: pedagogical, technological and strategic management; (2) 4 pilot TLCs will be installed in the 4 partner HEIs in Latin America, following these guidelines and models; (3) training will be provided to the professionals of the TLCs installed, being these TLCs the basis for the creation and development of Teaching Training Plans in the 4 Latin American HEIs.; (4) the Cooperation Network created in the project will serve to extend the creation of TLCs to other HEIs in the Region. In the short term, this project will improve the quality of education in Latin America, both in partner HEIs and in those which join the Network. This effect will be transferred to the whole of Latin American society through the quality training received by the professionals who graduate from these HEIs, and also through the possibility of replicating the capabilities created from the open materials generated in the project.