Fostering the developmental role of the university in Uruguay

Abstract

In this chapter, an attempt to reform the public University of the Republic in Uruguay during the period 2006-2014 is evaluated. The guiding idea for the reform was the notion of the Developmental University where academic quality and social engagement could be harmoniously combined. Specifi c policies and concrete actions taken included extending higher education to the interior of Uruguay, making teaching modalities more fl exible by teaching the same course in different ways, increasing cooperation with society, and including extension activities in the curricula of every career. A partial and preliminary assessment of achievements reveals important accomplishments in terms of inclusiveness, enlargement of extension services, and improved graduation levels. Observed shortcomings and failures are related mainly with a weak capacity to fi nd and organize stakeholders. From the point of view of the potential contributions of universities to inclusive development and the democratization of knowledge, a major lesson stemming from the reform work is that the possibilities of a Developmental University are highly dependent on the orientations of social movements and especially their attitudes towards advanced knowledge. Such attitudes usually include examples of estrangement, distrust, hostility, more or less informed positive expectations, and even the will to get involved in related policies and actions. This is a more general challenge for strategies oriented to an inclusive development.