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Authorities inaugurate new units for the Teaching Improvement Unit
The infrastructure has been implemented with new furniture and equipment that will cover the numerous initiatives to support teaching work and the implementation of the Institutional Educational Model, among other tasks.
With the participation of university authorities, members of the Honorable Board of Directors, academics and officials, the inauguration ceremony of the expansion of the infrastructure of the Teaching Improvement Unit (UMD) was held. The UMD, dependent on the Teaching Directorate of the University of La Serena, was born on March 5, 2012 with the purposes of adequately implementing the Institutional Educational Model, having among its tasks to promote and technically accompany the actions of constant review and innovation of graduation profiles and curricular designs; provide academics with qualification to practice undergraduate teaching and form academic teams and enhance their leadership for the innovation of teaching practices, leading to their improvement.
On the occasion, the academic vice-rector of the ULS, Dr. Jorge Catalán, representing the Rector Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, expressed that due to the successful subjects undertaken by the multidisciplinary work team led by Dr. Pamela Labra, it was necessary to expansion of its facilities, enabling a new fully equipped work room, located next to the Irma Salas Library of the Domeyko Campus.
''The University of La Serena is a consolidated institution, recognized for the quality of its work and that is moving towards higher development in the context of national university education,'' said Dr. Catalán, who also thanked all those who worked hard in the concretion of "these works that contribute significantly to the intervention processes carried out by the Teaching Improvement unit and in its consolidation as a training, guiding, analytical and interpretive body of the training processes."
For his part, the director of Institutional Studies and Planning, Mg. César Espíndola stated that ''the Teaching Improvement Unit has been conceived as a service unit for the institution's teaching staff, and is nothing more than the faithful reflection of an institutional response to the new demands of the higher education system. Your work team is consolidated and depending on its task and the number of challenges ahead it is growing, giving space for the training of new teachers and also for those who already have a track record at our University.''
During the years 2012 and 2013, the Unit has focused its efforts on the area of teaching development and skill leveling. During 2012, 18 courses were offered, attended by 220 teachers, and in 2013, 19 courses were offered, in which 158 teachers participated. Starting in 2013, the Unit supports the different Schools in the process of curricular renewal, providing technical advice to 19 training programs, which is only part of the diversity of the work carried out.
Regarding the new tasks that the UMD will develop during this year, the Director of Teaching, Mg. Laura Vega, indicated that the research area will be created, ''an area whose purpose is to systematize information related to the implementation of the ULS Educational Model, in the different areas of undergraduate teaching and generate useful information for related decision making. to quality assurance and management processes.
The director also took the opportunity to recognize the great work of Dr. Labra and her team, for their commitment and support in the management of teaching, to the vice-rector, Dr. Jorge Catalán, who has believed in the UMD proposals. and to the head of SIBULS, Héctor García, for his commitment and support to the development of the Unit.