Education and Social Change: A View From Europe and Latin America

Abstract

This article is based on the economic, political, cultural, social, and educational changes produced as a result of globalization. We focus on the universalization of education and its importance to achieving sustainable human development while respecting the cultures and ethnic groups in a region. Within higher education in the world, we delve more deeply into the creation of the European Higher Education Area and the Latin American Higher Education Area. This work allows us to highlight the problems, challenges, and needs that education is facing worldwide.

Este artículo parte de los cambios económicos, políticos, culturales, sociales y educativos producidos como consecuencia de la globalización. Nos centramos en la mundialización de la educación y su importancia para conseguir el desarrollo humano sostenible, respetando las culturas y etnias de las regiones. Dentro de la Educación Superior en el mundo, profundizamos en la creación del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior y en el Espacio Latino Americano de Educación Superior. Este trabajo nos ha permitido evidenciar los problemas, retos y necesidades a los que se enfrenta la educación a nivel mundial.

Key words:

• education reform
• democratization of education
• universal education
• European Higher Education Area
• Latin American Higher Education Area

Palabras clave:

• Reforma educativa
• Democratización de la educación
• Educación universal
• Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior
• Espacio Latinoamericano de Educación Superior

Notes

¹ Meeting of higher education partners (WCHE+5; UNESCO, Paris, 2003).

² The content of each of the conferences and meetings can be seen in Vargas-Vergara (2011) .

³ Declaration of Salamanca 2005, XV Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government. Held in Spain October 114–15, 2005 (www.oei.es). A proposal of improvement for all South America was made at all levels: political, social, and educational. It encouraged participation and the development of young people and everything related to education as a means of social promotion.