Cayetano Heredia University, A research universities
Fabiola León Velarde is one of the country's leading scientific.
Lead Peru21 Journal.
Source: Society
http://peru21.pe/impresa/noticia/problema-que-70-carreras-no-son-cientificas/2010-03-24/270960
Wed. 24 Mar '10
"The problem is that 70% of the races are not scientific"
Education CADE 2010, called 'For a better educated Peru', is chaired by Fabiola León Velarde, a biologist who became the first rector of the Universidad Cayetano Heredia (UPCH). Here, accordingly, we discussed on their academic and education.
Author: Gonzalo Pajares C.
"When I joined the Cayetano, was very curious to know what was being done in laboratories. I was fortunate to meet Dr. Carlos Monge, who discovered the 'disease of the Andes" or "Mal de Monge'. I traveled the Andes and I began to understand why men get sick of the area. I loved research, I left medicine and went to Biology. " Fabiola León Velarde, rector of the U. Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) and president of Educational CADE 2010, tells of the origins of his vocation.
A university worth its name if research. Is it true that Peruvian universities, the Cayetano is what else does?
is true. In our country, for economic reasons, motivation and even history, universities have failed to investigate or were born, especially after the DL 882, given by Fujimori law that allows universities to profit-with a vocation not. I am not against profit education provided is of quality. Unfortunately, by this law have been many colleges without quality, without calling to investigate, because they are corporations that seek to generate money. We should have prepared before making quality education a business. On the other hand, they intended to do research have not had the resources. If we have no funds from the state, where do we take them out? What pensions? We have to go out and compete for external funding. Unfortunately, not all universities have been able to do.
How are you doing?
Our founders were great researchers. The research is part of our mission and vision, in our genes. On the other hand, we own competitive funds. We are very competitive locally and internationally. This is the key. We decided to look outside, why can not compete for funding from the Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates? It is only necessary to prepare a good project. For example, we had a fund of 12 million from the Bill Gates, had to fight in northern Peru. We also worked on early diagnosis of tuberculosis that would prevent infection.
How much of your budget goes to research?
30%, equivalent to $ 10 million per year-a rarity in Peru ", including international funds, national and own. 10% are domestic funds. How
motivate their teachers to engage to investigate?
Well, there are teachers who are born with the vocation. We have also created competitive funds that allow, for example, a teacher leave teaching for 18 months and on only to investigate. We have the 'Fellowship of return', which calls for our scientists to come to work in the country. We have created a 'laboratory twin' with Dr. Carlos Bustamante, University of Berkeley (USA). There, Dr. Bustamante gives lecture to students and teachers and, together, studying individual molecules of DNA.
How do we make our scientists have a horizontal gaze outsiders?
The critical mass is another of our problems. As few people who do science in Peru, there is no critical mass that promotes discussion. That is why we put so much emphasis on the exchange of teachers. We have, on average, about 4 or 5 teachers visitors per month. In addition, we have a training fund that encourages the transfer of our researchers. Thus, our teachers must leave every three years and for about three months at least, to be trained abroad.
2010 ... will discuss the involvement
private enterprise in the development of education in the country. Involving experts of the WB and IDB, France, USA, who bring us good examples of these partnerships, the links between education and labor demand. Discuss what type of professional is needed in the future because, depending on who I am, scientists or lawyers, "I will be more competitive in the future. Remember that education is not just learning to read, is to prepare for the world that is coming. Today there is a gap between the school and the real needs of the country. The problem in Peru is that 70% of our races are not scientific, the opposite is true in Asia. The important thing is that we reverse this trend.
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