Updating the University Law means creating conditions for those seeking answers for the country, since universities are where research centers study diseases, develop materials, and test solutions for food production. In these centers, research and development (R&D) activities transform questions into knowledge and applications. The law should facilitate this work within university education settings.
The history of Venezuelan universities is rooted in the Republican Statutes of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), enacted in 1827 by Bolívar with the support of José María Vargas. Later came the Organic Statute of 1946, the University Law of 1953, and the 1958 Law, which restored autonomy. The 1970 reform established the current framework. Each change responded to the disputes and needs of its time.
The National Council of Universities (CNU), created on September 28, 1946, has just celebrated its 80th anniversary, and for 56 of those years, it has operated under the same Universities Law. This continuity warrants evaluation: which provisions still favor R&D and which require adjustments? The longevity of a law invites an examination of its effectiveness; the proven obstacles justify its updating.
Meanwhile, the Constitution (1999) linked autonomy and research in its Article 109, and recognized the public interest in science in Article 110. The Organic Law of Education (2009) and the Organic Law of Science, Technology and Innovation (LOCTI) (amended in 2022) expanded this framework. It is now necessary to harmonize their mandates with the organization, funding, and scientific activity of universities.
Other experiences offer points of reference. In Spain, for example, the University Reform Law of 1983 was replaced, 18 years later, by the Universities Law of 2001. This was reformed in 2007 and replaced by the University System Law of 2023, after a little over 21 years. Mexico, for its part, replaced its Law for the Coordination of Higher Education of 1978 in 2021, after more than 42 years. These are different rhythms, subject to their own contexts, but it is worthwhile to learn from them to build solutions for Venezuela.
Artificial intelligence, gene editing, and advanced computing are rewriting the way research is conducted. Some capabilities are growing exponentially in stages, and each technology is following its own trajectory. Crucially, the need for shared infrastructure, data protection, bioethics, scientific integrity, and interdisciplinary collaboration is emerging. A laboratory requires rules that can accommodate these changes.
However, this update requires measuring current university performance and agreeing on its ambitions in light of the Republic's prospective growth. What kind of university do we need in the future? With data on skills, capabilities, and R&D outputs, for example, we can identify what works and strengthen it, as well as what needs to be modified to achieve the desired future.
The competent body for science, technology, innovation, and their applications has specialized centers capable of collecting and providing this evidence and collaborating with the National Council of Universities (CNU) and higher education institutions in developing scenarios. Thus, the legal instrument would connect the university of today with the one we aspire to achieve through well-founded decisions, verifiable goals, and progress evaluation, bearing in mind that implementation will require resources and monitoring.
@betancourt_phd
Excellent reflection!