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Guadalajara (Mexico), May 31 .- The increasing number of universities in Latin America, the internationalization of higher education and student mobility are some of the challenges discussed today governing a thousand academic institutions gathered in the city of Guadalajara (central Mexico).

Convened by Universia, Santander Group, managers of 1,057 universities try to fix today and tomorrow the key to improving education in, terracotta army, Latin America, the president of the entity, Emilio Botin, consider the "unfinished business" of the region.

To this end, Banco Santander announced an investment of 600 million euros over the next five years aimed at financing projects and collaboration agreements with universities which will create "the university of the future" in the words of Botin.

This amount is in addition to the 375 million that Grupo Santander destination in the last five years to support universities in 15 countries, present in four continents.

In the opening event, the president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, who described the initiative as "exceptional", said that "education as a public good does not mean that private enterprise does not collaborate" and was convinced that the interest of society will address the educational backwardness.

Convinced that education is the best investment for the future, especially in difficult times, Santander, through Universia, has called on Mexico's largest ever meeting of rectors held, attended by 1057 representatives of universities, 34 countries, from the five continents.

To Botin, increase the number of college is "a challenge social, political and university essential for Iberoamerica reach the global role it by its human potential, cultural heritage and development capacity."

"Latin America has to resolve the pending issue of education, the key to the consolidation of economic development," said the banker, who stressed that Latin America is a region of talents who need to provide the right opportunities.

According to the organizers, in most Latin American countries access to college is only possible for one in three young people, which contrasts with the potential entrants in European countries where three out of four cases.

In Mexico, according to Calderon, the university occupation rate moved from 22 percent in 2006, when the president came to power, to 30 percent by the end of this year.

To increase coverage, Mexico has created in the last three years 75 new higher education institutions, has awarded college scholarships and 350 000 40% has increased the budget for education, said the president.

"For an Ibero-American area of knowledge socially responsible" will be the theme today and tomorrow to bring together the leaders of academic institutions, convened by Universia, the largest network of universities and Portuguese-speaking.

Eleven workshops will discuss the challenges and prospects of education in Iberoamerica, its internationalization, academic mobility, higher education as a factor of social cohesion and networks and association of universities.

Also look at the future of teaching, research, innovation and the training of teachers, among others.

Universia has 1169 educational institutions, present in 23 countries, representing 13.5 million college students. PVO / cmm