Defining higher education? The student loan ‘crisis’ and debt cancellation policies in Chile
In the fourth session of the IPEG Financialisation in Latin America webinar series, we turn our attention to the student loan “crisis” and debt cancellation policies in Chile within the broader debate on the financialisation of higher education. Originally designed as a neoliberal policy to expand access to education while reducing public investment, student loans have become a highly contested issue, with increasing calls for debt cancellation and policy reform. Dr Héctor Ríos-Jara’s analysis examines the rise and crisis of student loans in Chile, highlighting the challenges faced by progressive forces in phasing out student loans and implementing debt cancellation policies. The discussion will explore the origins and expansion of Chile’s student loan system, the emergence of social movements opposing these policies, and the policy alternatives being debated to reform or replace student loans. Additionally, Dr Ríos-Jara will reflect on the difficulties policymakers and authorities encountered in designing Chile’s debt cancellation plan, shedding light on the structural constraints of de-financialising welfare and higher education. By analysing the Chilean case, this session aims to broaden our understanding of the links between student debt, neoliberal education reforms, and social conflict, while considering what the end of student debt might mean for overcoming neoliberal policies in higher education.
Speaker
Dr Héctor Ríos-Jara is a social scientist specializing in policy change, social conflict, and higher education funding models. He holds a PhD in Social Science from University College London (UCL) and an MSc in Sociological Research from the University of Bristol. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Economic and Society Research Centre (ESOC) at Universidad Central de Chile and serves as a special advisor for higher education funding policy and international affairs to the Undersecretary of Higher Education of the Chilean Government. His research explores the links between fees, loan policies, and social conflict, as well as the role of social movements in shaping policy alternatives such as free education, debt cancellation policies, and student loan reforms.
Registration will close two hours before the event begins