THE DREAM OF QUALITY HIGHER EDUCATION IN POOR COUNTRIES AND HOW TO MAKE IT A REALITY

BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS AFFORDABLE UNIVERSITY FOR LATIN AMERICA, with a strong component of research initiatives.is as been proven over and over again, that not only there is a direct relationship between the quality of education and the economic and social growth of countries, but also quality research that produces innovation and patents for example also have a direct impact in economic development. Latin American Universities practically don’t do research.

On the other hand, quality education, when available, is too expensive and only the upper class can pay for it, feeding the cycle of poverty. It IS possible to have quality education at a cost that most people can afford.There is no justification for the prices people are paying for the best universities they can find in their countries. The plan is simple but powerful:

Establish an "umbrella" Institute, which would later become a university, following all regulations in each country.The idea is to start in Nicaragua, being the poorest country in Latin America, after Haiti. It is desperately needed. The economic crisis as a result of the political, social and humanitarian crisis, is making it even more difficult for people to invest in education as they must first buy the basic necessities to survive: food, shelter, health, etc.

The next step would be to establish specific institutes, each specializing in a different area of specialization:

1. Marketing and Sales

2.Managerial Finance

3. Management

4. International Business

and most importantly an institute designed to help people get out of the "poverty mindset".We want to call it the International Institute for Personal Development (IIPD).

Eventually, all the institutes would be constituted as a University with different departments, but we have to go slowly and carefully because every little step has costs associated with it.