Call for gradual changes in Latin America

Andrea Ramirez Sanchez, 28, defended her thesis, earning her a master’s title in Business Administration in the area of International Management on 23 September in the Vrijhof building for 30 colleagues, close friends and professors. She’s made her indelible mark at the University of Twente as the first president and one of the founders of L.A. Voz (Latin American Student Association), and most recently, for her innovative way of thinking.

Her qualitative research involved designing the initial framework for a Rural System of Innovation where universities can play a vital and pivotal role to boost innovative activities, tap into human capital and gear research efforts to solve problems by using ’depth in their actions’ to improve rural situations.

‘The holistic nature of universities’ she says, ‘implies its presence is not only there to provide an education or stimulate further business activities, but to look at ways of how to improve the human condition.’  She proposes innovative activities that can actually move and transform the knowledge economy on a national, regional and institutional level.

During her research, she discovered Latin American Higher Educational systems differ greatly from their Western counterparts. Geographically, the distance between universities, which are concentrated in large cities, and the rural areas can be around 1,000 kilometers, where in Europe, this distance is much smaller. Another vast difference is the traditional teaching methods found in Latin American which have students memorizing rather than putting knowledge to use in practical situations to solve problems in society.

This divergence in character spurred Sanchez to come up with a relevant thesis topic. The empirical phase of her research was conducted through a singular case study on the interdisciplinary Research Programme for Human Development in Chiapas, the most southern state in Mexico. Comprising mostly rural indigenous people, the city was the setting of the Zapatista uprising in 1994 when violence erupted between the Mexican Government and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.

Sanchez remarks, ‘This place has one of the lowest levels of human development in the region,’ adding in detail, ‘People suffer from all types of diseases, including tuberculosis and a high infant mortality rate. Environmental issues are particularly sensitive because the area is one of the most bio-rich regions in the world and long-standing conflicts about land ownership were triggered by the uprising.’ 

Her strategy was for students to provide a social service that would be considered compulsory for all Mexican students. In six months time, they could develop a system project to offer general training to local communities. And at the same time, the program could make use of master and PhD students to develop programs and field practices within their own regions. ‘By working with students and the community, local leaders, higher learning institutes and carrying out interactive research, the indigenous people could develop a sustainable way of living,’ says Sanchez.

Dr. Paul Benneworth, one of the examination committee members, closed her defense with these words, ‘I haven’t been able to look at a Latin American case in detail, so this has been very interesting to have someone like Andrea who can speak Spanish and get the information and bring it back. When we are thinking about the impact universities in Europe have on society, we are also reminded there are more arduous situations than Europe.’ Her insights seem to fall closely in line with Benneworth’s own particular interest on the topic of territorial governance of innovation and the role played by universities in such networks.

Sanchez wants her fellow Latin Americans to reap the benefits of innovation programs, which on many levels, she strongly relates to business innovation where learning in and of itself is an interactive process and a gateway to open doors for many other possibilities.

Fielding questions at her defense, Andrea Sanchez compares the similarities and differences in Latin American Institutes of Higher Education to European universities, noting how rural innovation can possibly offer a positive impact in her homeland. (Photo: Gijs van Ouwerkerk)