The vice-chancellor began by asking what flexibility means in practical terms. In response, he cited the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) guide, which defines it as "allowing students to make choices and addressing their diverse needs."
There is a tension between flexibility and the graduate profile. Students say that flexibility allows them to change their goals or major, or choose a career path, but that it always culminates in a graduate profile, which is recognized by society through the degrees awarded by universities, he explained.
Mr. Fernández pointed out that there is also a tension regarding interchangeability, in the sense that a student may move between different programs, majors, or even different schools within a university. Each university has its own mission, which means that curricula can never be identical across two different universities, and this creates a problem for flexibility.
"At ORT, we introduced flexibility through electives, which involves elective courses shared across different degree programs or schools," he said. "At the undergraduate level, 13% of courses are electives, while at the graduate level, 25% are electives."
He also noted that there are forces driving changes to the curriculum, such as:
- Changes in the field of knowledge and in the professions
- Changes in the labor market (local and international)
- Regulations and Accreditation
- International connections of the programs
- Initiatives by other educational institutions
He also pointed to certain internal forces:
- Institutional Development Strategies
- Development of common course sequences across degree programs
- Improvements based on experience with the curriculum
- The Quest for Flexibility
- the student's individual interests
- verify sequences and orientations
- accept external academic records
- Logistical needs
- Individual initiatives
The vice-chancellor outlined challenges and proposals regarding academic accreditation. First, he called for greater flexibility in national academic pathways to ensure transferability between institutions and across levels, with the aim of establishing shared guidelines and criteria.
In addition, he considered it important to standardize the credit and grading system for both domestic use and international recognition, as well as to establish standardized information on degrees and accredited courses or activities.
He emphasized the need to promote internationalization, international mobility, joint programs (especially at the graduate level), and dual degrees.