'For the socially responsible university'. Reflections on Universidad 2014, Cuba's 9th international higher education congress, in Havana, Cuba, 10-14 February 2014

Abstract

Every other year Cuba holds a conference on Higher Education. It attracts thousands of academics and other educators from Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries, and it also brings together representatives of all Cuban tertiary institutions, including those affiliated with different ministries. The theme for the 2014 conference, ‘For the Socially Responsible University’, was refreshingly welcome in an age when many universities are becoming increasingly corporatized seekers of profitable ventures and high student fees. The closing ceremony of the conference summed up the importance of the week of academic and cultural exchange. Cuba’s 1st Vice Minister for Higher Education, Dr. Jose Ramon Saborido, reminded delegates of the key role of the university in changing the status quo by providing valuable knowledge throughout society.