Abstract

CHEHAIBAR NADER, Lourdes M.; DIAZ BARRIGA, Ángel  and  MENDOZA ROJAS, Javier. The integral programs for strengthening institutions: Notes from universities towards evaluation. Perfiles educativos [online]. 2007, vol.29, n.117, pp.41-67. ISSN 0185-2698.

Within the scope of the National Plan for Education 2001-06, the impulse for formulating Integral Programs for Strengthening Institutions (PIFI) constituted the principal element of the policy of the Federal Ministry for Public Education towards inducing changes within a vast segment of the public sector in Higher Education. In this article, the opinions and contributions of various university actors are analysed. These actors participated in formulating the above-mentioned programs in thirty State-owned provincial universities. They were encouraged to opine and contribute in five regional meetings convened for the purpose. This article attempts to understand the impact and limits of public policy in institutional development from the perspective of the university actors. After a brief characterization of the PIFIs as a strategy for quality improvement, the article offers a synthesis of the opinions emitted by the actors concerning different aspects of the processes of planning and evaluation associated with these programs, as well as their suggestions for further development.

Keywords : Higher Education Policy ; Strategic Planning ; University Evaluation ; Quality of Education ; Institutional gestation.