1. Education Developments in Colombia
January 25th, 2016

2. General Facts General Facts Capital: Bogotá
Population: 48 million (55% < 30 years old)
Total area: 799,389 square miles (land area – 440,831 square miles)
3 times the size of California and twice the size of Texas.
Biodiversity: With more than 54,000 species, Colombia is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world (70% of planet’s biodiversity)
Location: Only country in South America with access to both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans
km2 de área es el área continental de acuerdo al Instituto Nacional Agustin Codazzi

3. Strategically located in Latin America

4. Dynamic Economy

5. 2nd largest Spanish speaking country in the world and among the 30 most populated
Source: DANE, 2015; EIU – FMI

6. Colombia has continuously decreased its poverty levels
Percentage of people in poverty
2002 – 2014
La línea de pobreza o costo per cápita a nivel nacional es de $ pesos, por eso para el total nacional un hogar de cuatro personas será clasificado como pobre si su ingreso total es inferior a $
Por otra parte, la línea de pobreza extrema a nivel nacional es $92.312, por eso para el total nacional un hogar de cuatro personas será clasificado como pobres extremos si su ingreso total es inferior a $
Nota: los datos de 2006 y 2007 no se calculan por problemas de comparabillidad en las series de empleo y pobreza como resultado del cambio metodológico que implicó la transición de la Encuesta Continua de Hogares a la Gran Encuesta Integrada de Hogares.
Source: Poverty: National Administrative Department of Statistics – DANE
Middle class: The gained decade: the evolution of the middle class in Colombia between 2002 and Documento CEDE # 50. Universidad de los Andes.
And RADDAR for 2013 data.

7. A rapidly expanding middle class
Average real growth of consumer expenditure, 2014 – 2018
* Calculus based on a 4.6% GDP growth/ Middle class: Monthly household income between 3.2MW and 13MW
(MW) Minimum wage in Colombia 2014: USD 320.
Source: Fedesarrollo (2013) and Euromonitor

8. Education in Colombia

9. Government Goal: Illiteracy below 2% by 2018
Education Facts
In 1985, just 65.5% of eligible students were enrolled in primary school.
Today, that figure is over 90%.
Illiteracy: 5.7%
Government Goal: Illiteracy below 2% by 2018

10. Education Facts $13 Billion U.S. Dollars in 2016
Significant resources will be invested in order to achieve the country’s goals;
2015 Education Budget will be the largest national budget for any Ministry (Even larger than Defense and Security)
With these resources, important initiatives and plans like free education until secondary level will be financed.
$13 Billion U.S. Dollars
in 2016

11. University Secondary School Primary School
Education Facts
University
Secondary School
Primary School
Children between 6 and 12 years go to primary school.
Secondary school takes 4 years, just as in the Netherlands.
Primary and Secondary School are Free
An undergraduate degree in Colombia takes 5 years.
Big Challenge  Only 45% of students are reaching College Education.

12. Higher Education in Colombia
Institution
QS University
World Rankings 2015
Latin American Rankings 2015
Colombia
Rankings 2015
Universidad de los Andes
283 7 1
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
290 13 2
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana 27 3
Universidad Externado de Colombia 66 4
Universidad de Antioquia 5
Universidad de La Sabana
701+ 54 6
Universidad del Norte 80
Universidad del Rosario 46 8
Universidad del Valle 51 9
Universidad Industrial de Santander 84 10
QS Stars is a rating system which allows students to get a wider picture of an institution’s qualities, looking at everything from the employability of graduates, to sports facilities and community engagement. It is designed to reflect the nuanced mission of universities, and the needs of students who may be interested in things other than those to which traditional rankings are necessarily limited.
The QS Stars audit evaluates an institution against over 50 different indicators, and awards universities between one and five + stars over eight wider fields, as well as an overall rating.

13. Community Colleges are also Vital
(Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje), or the National Training Service  Colombian public institution that provides free vocational and technical training to around 9 million Colombians annually
SENA aims to develop and expand a technically skilled workforce to respond to the needs of Colombian national development and an increasingly international economy.
It is the country’s largest public institution, with full national coverage through 117 industry-specific training centers and an extensive online platform.

14. Top 10 Most Popular University Majors
Business Administration
Engineering
Political Science
Law
Medicine
Foreign Affairs
Culinary School
Accounting
Advertising
Psychology

15. Government Milestones in Education

16. Education Milestones
Eradicating illiteracy. the National Literacy Program succeeded in reducing the illiteracy rate from 6.2% in 2010 to 5.8% in 2014, benefiting a total of 419,082 illiterate adults.
National Education Infrastructure Plan to construct 30 thousand new classrooms in 1,500 educational institutes, which will cover 60% of today’s deficit, reducing inequality.
Free public education for 8.9 million children and youth from primary to secondary school.
More than 2 million high school students enrolled in college (50% of total students finishing high school).

17. Government Goals 2025

18. Goals by 2025

19. Evaluation to improve the service
Key Education Goals
Pre-service training
Selection
Evaluation to improve the service
Formation in service
Payment
Bilingualism must be part of the country’s educational leap.
Urgency of educating "scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs that are bilingual , and thus able to compete with the best in the world."
‘Tras la excelencia docente’, Chosen by President Santos as the tool to select, train, and evaluate teachers and thus ensure the progress of Colombia’s education.

20. Bilingualism
“The Knowledge of a second language it’s a national policy in Colombia Signed in the law of 2013”
Colombia has two big programs of bilingualism:
“National Program of Bilingualism “
“Colombia Very Well”
Big Effort to increase English proficiency in the public education system
Foreign teachers become teacher trainers and high school teachers. During its first year it has benefited more than 98,000 students.

21. Goals in Bilingualism 2014-2018
Colombian government has developed the “Colombia Bilingüe ” program.
Government seeks to raise the level of pre intermediate B1 English from 2% to 8% by 2018.
It also aims to raise the level of basic level B2 from 7% to 35% by 2018.
These targets will allow students to have better communication skills and to have access to better job and professional opportunities.
The National Program of Bilingualism and Colombia Very Well expect that teachers can raise the level C1 and C2 for reaching the level required for the Common European Framework.

22. Current Exchange English Programs
CURRENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMS ENGLISH
Colombia has several cooperation agreements with institutions such as:
En 2011 el MEN tuvo una iniciativa de entrenamiento a docentes de Básica Primaria con carga académica en inglés; docentes de inglés de secundaria; estudiantes de 9, 10 y 11, y estudiantes de IES a través de Plataformas fáciles de usar, interactivas y atractivas de diferentes aliados: Fulbright, Oxford, Cambridge, EF, Pearson, British Council. El objetivo era el fortalecimiento de las competencias comunicativas (recepción). Cada curso tenía una intensidad horaria diferente dependiendo del oferente:
EF: 16 niveles (48h/3 meses por nivel)
Pearson: 4 niveles (40h/6,3 meses por nivel)
Oxford: 10 niveles (50h/3.1 meses por nivel)
Dichos cursos mostraron deserción del 40%.
En 2015 se realizó el Proyecto Teaching English, cuyo objetivo fue fortalecer las competencias pedagógicas y metodológicas de los docentes de inglés focalizados. La población objetivo: 275 docentes de 11 Secretarías de Educación, cuyos niveles de inglés oscilan entre el A1, A2 y B1de inglés. Tuvo una duración de 7 meses y se realizó a través de convenio con la Institución Universitaria Colombo Americana (UNICA), CENGAGE, Educational Testing System (ETS).
Descripción: La estrategia consta de dos cursos virtuales cada uno aproximadamente 60 horas, Inglés para la enseñanza (English for Teaching) y Conocimiento Profesional (Professional Knowledge). Cada curso cuenta con una certificación la cual es impartida por la organización Educational Testing System (ETS).
Monitoreo: La Institución Universitaria Colombo Americana (UNICA) realizó tres talleres de reflexión pedagógica durante el proceso de desarrollo profesional, así como visitas a los docentes participantes a través de observaciones de clase para recolectar información sobre la apropiación y la puesta en práctica de los conceptos y teorías trabajados en los cursos.
Thanks to these agreements, 35 universities around the country had the opportunity of enrolling 103 foreign language assistants in their language degree programs

23. Important English Training Initiatives
CURRENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMS ENGLISH
English language training for Public School Teachers: Intensive language training for 70 Colombian Public School Teachers was held at the University of California (Nov)
Eje Cafetero English Immersion Program:
130 Colombian Public School teachers participated in an English Immersion Program (Nov 16 – Dec 4) taught by Volunteer Native Speakers
Support for Colombia Bilingue Program: Number of Peace Corps volunteers increased to 100, thus reaching double the number of “departamentos” that they were reaching in 2014.

24. Academic Mobility Programs Colombia Scientific
The SENA Colombia – U.S Community Colleges (100,00 Strong in the Americas)
Colfuturo Scholarships
Nexo Global
Icetex Scholarships
Colombia Challenge your Knowledge
Land-Grant University

25. Nexo Global
Program of International mobility with emphasis on research and innovation in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Math) aimed at undergrad, grad students and researchers.
Type of Program: Internship and scholarship (6 months)
Program Location: Germany, Canada, United States, France, United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile, Spain, Mexico.
Current Agreements: Cornell, Purdue, and Georgia Tech

26. 100K Strong (SENA – Community Colleges)
The SENA COLOMBIA – U.S. COMMUNITY COLLEGES COMPETITION large-scale effort to construct long-term partnerships between the most innovative professional and technical training institutions in these two countries. Innovation Fund aims to promote and achieve the internationalization of training programs, curricula, and the institutions themselves via joint partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
- Innovation
- Research
- Differentiation
- Languages (Bilingualism)
Program Location: United States
Type of Program: Teaching, Scholarship

27. 100K Strong (SENA – Community Colleges)
2 key Milestones:
5 Projects from SENA won a financing of $40,000 USD each in the 8th round of the Innovation Fund Competition
2 Projects, one from EAFIT and one from Universidad del Norte (both in association with Purdue University) won in the 9th round of the Innovation Fund Competition.
Centro Tecnológico del Mobiliario (Regional Antioquia) - Snow College (Utah).
Centro Internacional Náutico, Fluvial y Portuario (Regional Bolívar) - Fox Valley Technical College (Wisconsin).
Centro de Automatización Industrial (Regional Caldas) - Flathead Valley Community College (Montana).
Centro de Servicios y Gestión Empresarial (Antioquia) - Central New Mexico Community College (Nuevo México).
Centro de Comercio y Turismo (Quindío) - Miami Dade College (Florida).

28. Colfuturo Scholarships
Colombian professionals interested in pursuing a Master's, Doctoral or Post Doctoral degree in areas such as:
Business
Architecture and Design
Political Sciences
Basic Sciences
Engineering
Arts
Type of Program: Scholarships per year
Program Location: Germany, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Spain, United States, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden.

29. Colombia Scientific Colombia Scientific
Program Managed by Ministry of Education aimed at developing the national scientific ecosystem through partnerships with foreign universities.
Colombia Scientific
Objective of Program: Train more 10,000 new PhD’s abroad.
Program Location: Germany, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Spain, United States, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden.

30. ICETEX Scholarships
ICETEX is the Colombian Government Entity in charge of channeling all international cooperation scholarships offered by Governments, International Organizations, and Universities
Agriculture
Education
Sciences
Administration
Type of Program: Currently 20 Scholarships Programs
Program Locations:
United States
Africa
Europe
Asia

31. Colombian Challenge your Knowledge
Network of 20 Colombian Accredited Universities to promote and disseminate Colombian research, academic and outreach programs abroad, strengthen the internationalization of the Accredited Universities of Colombia, study current trends in internationalization, and promote quality processes in all Colombian higher education institutions.
Type of Program: Service Learning
Program Location: Colombia

32. Land Grant University Purpose of the LGU program in Colombia:
Build human capacity in agricultural disciplines through exchanges/training (i.e. accelerating Masters and PhDs and exchange in both directions)
Build research capacity and increase joint research in priority research areas.
Develop technology transfer and rural advisory services using ICT and 21st century education delivery mechanisms (extension models)
Create a nimble, bilateral LGU-Colombia network of problem solvers for agricultural and educational innovation, aimed at regional and sustainable livelihood creation, to boost post conflict.

33. Contacts in Colombia Colciencias: Ministry of Education:
Paula Henao
Coordinator of Nexo Global Program
Adriana Colmenares
Head of the International Office
Ministry of Education:
Rosa María Cely,
Manager of Colombia Bilingual Program
Paola Muñoz,  

34. Thank You!