The Fast Track to New Skills : Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean
Higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has expanded dramatically in the new millennium, yet enrollment in short-cycle programs (SCPs) is still relatively low. Shorter and more practical than bachelor’s programs, SCPs can form skilled human capital fast. The economic crisis cre...
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| Format: | Book |
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Washington, DC: World Bank
2021
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| Online Access: | https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/749981632980751805/main-report http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35598 |
| Summary: | Higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has
expanded dramatically in the new millennium, yet enrollment in
short-cycle programs (SCPs) is still relatively low. Shorter and more
practical than bachelor’s programs, SCPs can form skilled human
capital fast. The economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic
has accentuated underlying trends, such as automation, the use of
electronic platforms, and the need for lifelong learning. Addressing
these demands requires the urgent upskilling and reskilling of the
population—a task for which SCPs are uniquely suited.
The Fast Track to New Skills: Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs
in Latin America and the Caribbean explores the labor market outcomes
and returns of SCPs, examines their providers, and identifies
the practices adopted by the best programs. Relying on unique data
that includes a novel survey of SCP directors in five LAC countries, it
finds that while SCPs generate, on average, good labor market outcomes,
they vary greatly in quality. SCP providers respond quickly
and flexibly to local economy needs; and specific practices related to
faculty, job search assistance, and interaction with prospective employers
are distinctive of the best programs.
Drawing on these findings, The Fast Track to New Skills discusses
how to create an environment where good programs are offered and
students have the interest and means to attend them. It draws attention
to a higher education sector that has been typically overlooked,
both in research and policy.
The Fast Track to New Skills will be of interest to policy makers,
researchers, and the public at large. |
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