Assessment of geologic programs in higher educational institutions of Chile

• Published in: International journal of educational development 2018-03, Vol.59, p.70-85
• Main Authors: Tapia, J., Tolorza, V., Durán, P., Poblete, N., Schneider, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chile; Geology program; Higher education; Mining
• ISSN: 0738-0593; 1873-4871
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2017.10.009

•All geology programs in Chile were assessed using data from the last five years.•Currently there are more students of geology than total graduates.•There exists no apparent correlation between program quality and cost.•The professional demand for geologists depends largely on mining industry trends.•Geology program locations are not related to the locations of mines. In Chile, the subject of geology has historically been significant mostly due to the presence of world-class mineral deposits and highly profitable mines. Considering variable trends in mining, academic institutions with geology programs in Chile were analyzed to provide an evaluation of their current state and projected development across the country. Through the compilation of 5 years of data, a comparison was undertaken in relation to the age of the programs, their respective lifespans, geographic distributions, vacancies, annual entry fees, yearly tuitions, scores on admission tests, curricula, and human resources and infrastructure. The main results indicate the following: most of the new programs are located in or near the Metropolitan Region due to population trends rather than the locations of mines, the actual number of new students may double the total amount of vacancies, the student program fee tends to increase with time and varies between the programs with no apparent relationship to quality, there exists a strong variation in scores needed to enter into the geology programs, and currently there are more individuals studying geology than total graduates. When considering the unfavorable projections for mining in Chile, it is conclusive that this career will not yield the anticipated benefits for graduates unless new, more diverse professional opportunities develop in other sectors.