Presentation

The European project ECALFOR, «Evaluation of teacher education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Quality assurance of education degrees», pursues objectives consistent with the European Higher Education Area in terms of the structure and functioning of university education and the diversity and autonomy of Higher Education Institutions. In these, quality assurance is determined by the protocols and instruments used by each institution in the evaluation of indicators and results of the quality of university education. ECALFOR generalises the accumulated European experience in quality assurance mechanisms and procedures to be transferred, adapted and contextualised to the project partner countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, through collaborative, horizontal and transnational work.

The III ECALFOR International Congress on «QUALITY AND INITIAL TRAINING: MAIN CHALLENGE FOR LATIN AMERICA» is a meeting place for reflection and scientific approach of the most worrying issues of our days to try to offer future perspectives in the framework of educational quality. It is a forum where we all have the opportunity to present our reflections and contributions and where we can share our knowledge and scientific conclusions with other colleagues and friends, enriching ourselves academically and providing solutions to the problems of education and society.

The III International ECALFOR Congress will be held from 8 to 10 July 2024, co-financed by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and organised in Panama City by ISAE-University, the Andrés Bello Agreement and UNACHI, to generate a new space for reflection based on the research developed within the framework of the ECALFOR Project on initial teacher training in the member countries of the project and the challenges that, given the needs, limitations and opportunities, face the Latin American and Caribbean region.

This III Congress is open to all those interested in education and educational quality: teachers and researchers from training and study centres in Latin America and the Caribbean who wish to disseminate educational experiences, research on training, teacher profiles or their trainers. We want to promote exchange, dialogue and collaboration between higher education institutions that train teachers, as well as the presence of participants from initial and secondary education.

In addition, this meeting offers a place where researchers from various universities and quality agencies contribute work, new lines of research, enthusiasm, effort and enthusiasm, promoting the rapprochement and relationship between different professors from European universities and a large number of other higher education institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as between members of international universities.

Panama City, 22 May 2024.

Dr. Oswaldo Lorenzo (General Coordinator of the ECALFOR Project)

Dr. Delva Odalys Batista Mendieta (Executive Secretary of the Organisation of the Andrés Bello Agreement for Educational, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Integration (CAB)).

Dr. Gustavo M. González (Rector of the University ISAE-Panama)

Dr. Miriam Belt de Gallardo (Director of Research and Scientific Documentation of the Vice-Rectory of Research and Postgraduate Studies of UNACHI)

Mgtr. María Ángeles González (ECALFOR Project Technician)