We have also worked more closely with the UNESCO chairs, as a result of international events organized by the chairs of Latin America and Spain on themes that are of immediate interest to the work of IESALC, as well as those on graduate programs in Latin America and the Caribbean, working with various accreditation agencies at the graduate level, and with a survey that has been carried out jointly with RIACES, CONEAU of Argentina, CAPES in Brazil, and by IESALC. This has been done in two phases, with the second having been recently concluded, resulting in a meeting of nearly 15 graduate accreditation and assessment agencies on the day prior to the Regional Conference in Cartagena de Indias.

I believe that with the support and collaboration of all, IESALC has fulfilled its mission, and restored its meaning of a strategic, collective instrument of higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean.


Q: In this new phase, what are the strengths and challenges for IESALC's future?

ALG: I believe that its strength lies in its history. IESALC has consolidated its position as a strategic instrument being recognized by all of the major actors of higher education in the region, including ministries, universities, president councils, university networks, similar associations and NGOs that work in the field of higher education, political actors and other United Nations agencies. We have created trust. The region trusts that IESALC can be its legitimate representative in forums with competence, efficiency, in a serious manner, discussing issues as strategic as knowledge in higher education, scientific-technological development, and the sustainable development of our countries.

One great challenge that IESALC faces is to consolidate the construction of a Latin American and Caribbean network in higher education. Another important challenge is the ability to obtain resources within and outside the region in order to organize activities related to the progress of higher education, and to function as a mediator between these organizations and other international forums. Another very important challenge that IESALC faces is to continue working to organize the region through its participation in the World Conference on Higher Education, and to do everything necessary for the voice of Latin America and the Caribbean to be heard, expressed in the Declaration of CRES 2008 and the Plan of Action. We must continue to make efforts toward the Latin American and Caribbean integration that is our most important mission, and so that within UNESCO and the United Nations we can represent the voice of our region.


Q: This year witnessed the Regional Conference on Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Within the next few months another three international conferences will be held in Asia, Africa, and Europe. How can IESALC assure that the Declaration of Cartagena and its Plan of Action be taken into account at the World Conference on Higher Education to be held in Paris in 2009?

ALG: First of all, we have three members in the commission that organizes the World Conference on Higher Education. IESALC's Interim Director, José Renato Carvalho, who will assume his duties at IESALC in September, Paulo Speller, President of the Federal University of Mato Grosso in Brazil, is the commission's Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean and me.

Secondly, we have already introduced the Declaration of

Cartagena to the commission, and will ensure that our Plan of Action will be on the round table discussions during the World Conference, where major questions on higher education will arise out of the debates and discussions at the respective regional meetings.

We also plan to participate in the other regional conferences to take place in the coming months. IESALC already received invitations for the European Regional Conference and plans to participate in the Asian and African conferences as well.

CRES 2008 was the first regional conference attended by 3,500 participants including relevant actors in higher education from our region and some participants from Africa and Europe. We launched important publications in English and Spanish that helped strengthen our position.

Our active participation in the coming events and our work together with political actors will help to consolidate IESALC's position as a regional force representing 37 countries – 33 member countries and four associated countries in the region.


Q: What is the mark that you leave with your leadership?

ALG: Instead of speaking of leadership, I would prefer to speak of a collective effort. I believe that what has characterized my entire professional life has been a very great concern for institutional aspects, with the construction and consolidation of institutions. I believe that institutions truly must transcend the individuals of which they are composed of and direct them. The strength that can emanate from an institution, from its roots is what remains. I believe that the mark has been a great passion for higher education; a very clear understanding of the strategic character of IESALC and of UNESCO for the conception of this strategic role for a sustainable development, and a very clear sense that this mission has to be developed jointly through institutional consolidation that generates a growing legitimacy of IESALC. I believe that this process of capacity building, of re-legitimation and the teamwork of IESALC's staff have shown very clearly what the roles of IESALC and UNESCO are. And by earning back the trust of UNESCO's Director General who said that IESALC is today one of the most important instruments of UNESCO, and hear that he would like our team to remain working at IESALC is a very gratifying feeling. His comments and the large number of invitations to participate in important conferences is the result of the legitimacy, trust that were created in the past two years. This is what I hope to be the mark of my passage through IESALC.





Acknowledgements
of Ana Lúcia Gazzola (.pdf)