Cuban universities are opening their doors this 2016-2017 academic year to some 200,000 students, representing a substantial increase in enrollment.
A considerable rise has also been seen in enrollment figures for part-time and distance learning courses, as compared to previous years.
In regards to the former, some 55,804 places, in the most important specializations for the country including pedagogy (29,190), economics (5,765), agriculture (5,385), physical culture (5,517), and technical sciences courses, have been awarded.
Such a significant increase has led to the revitalization of undergraduate courses at an important number of university municipal branches.
Meanwhile, 28,375 places were awarded in full-time degree programs, and 3,670 in distance learning courses.
These figures represent a substantial increase from those of last year and are the result of rigorous efforts to improve the quality of university education in the country, as was highlighted during a press conference by the Ministry of Higher Education’s Office of Enrollment and Job Placement.
It was also announced that the Engineering in Agro-industrial Processes degree at Havana’s Agricultural University, will begin this year on a provisional basis.
However, despite such promising figures, there continues to be a deficit of students in pedagogical courses, unlike Medicine which is the most popular degree in Cuba.
New year, new measures
The 2016–2017 academic year brings with it important new options for undergraduate students. Twenty-nine four-year full-time courses (including 23 in Pedagogical Sciences, Tourism, Meteorology, Physical Culture, Socio-Cultural Management for Development, Industrial Design, and Visual Communication Design).
As well as reducing the duration of degree courses, from five to four years, these changes are aimed at providing students with a broad range of skills to enable them to find innovative solutions to common problems in their professional fields, while also looking to further decentralize Cuban universities and reduce pressure on current teaching staff.
Although such changes have only been implemented in 29 programs for the moment, others will be prepared to adopt the same framework during this 2016-2017 academic year, while all university undergraduate degree programs should be readjusted to fit the new four year plan by 2021.
Yes, I do
All higher education students are now required to pass an English exam at the established level, in order to graduate.
The English language policy will begin to be implemented this 2016-2017 academic year in all higher education institutions which have created conditions to the effect.
One of the options available to new students set to take English, is to enroll in one of the extra-curricular courses offered by universities, where each student’s level will be assessed.
Integration in the capital
The final stage in the university integration process is commencing this academic year. In this sense Dr. José Ramón Saborido Loidi, Cuban minister of Higher Education, noted that to date all higher education institutions in every one of the country’s provinces have been integrated, except facilities based in the capital which are undergoing the process this year.
As part of this policy the Enrique José Varona Pedagogical University and the Sports Sciences and Physical Culture University will now be affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education. Meanwhile the Superior Institutes of Design, and Technology and Applied Sciences will pass over to the University of Havana but retain their legal status.
“We are going to increase the more effective use of our human, material, and financial resources, with universities able to respond more effectively to undergraduate, postgraduate, science and technology needs, which is our fundamental objective,” stated the sector minister.
Quality a key factor
The Cuban state has invested significant resources to prepare for the new academic year, to allow for both the repair and maintenance of classrooms, student residences, and laboratories, and to import audio and material supplies. Meanwhile, Cuban universities have the support of over 20,000 highly-trained full-time teachers. Given such a reality, the hope as expressed by Saborido Loidi, “to have an academic year in which quality is the common denominator” is surely guaranteed.
