CHALLENGES OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION IN MEXICO AND THE WORLD

The debate about the future of the Higher Education has been present throughout the world since the last decade of XX century, among the debated topics highlights the educational systems orientation and the need to review them and transform them to face a new nature requirements associated to a globalized world in which national societies are immersed (ANUIES 2000). For education, the danger of globalization is that it would be considered as a business object, even more in North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Latin American institutions are in disadvantage compared to the United States of America, together with those of Europe, who have already taken the initiative to get into the continent (Restrepo 2007). The great challenge, as it was recognized by the World Conference on Higher Education organized by UNESCO in 1998 is to reduce the gap between rich and poor countries, reduction that demands a new distribution of global knowledge. This essay refers the trends and challenges of higher education in Mexico and the world, in terms of globalization effects management, the quality phenomenon and pedagogical changes; considering the proposal of the National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education (ANUIES) and the world conferences on Higher Education organized by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Mexico faces the need to promote a deep review of the policies of higher education, science and technology, which allows to make these activities sustainable economic growth levers and tools to build a more inclusive society with higher levels of collective welfare.