Mendive. Journal on Education, 22(2), e3820

Translated from the original in Spanish

Leading article

Strategic planning as a link between the institution and the Career Department

 

La planeación estratégica como vínculo entre la institución y el Departamento Carrera

 

Planejamento estratégico como elo entre a instituição e o Departamento de Carreira

 

Jesús Miranda Izquierdo1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6970-221X
Yamila Caridad Páez Hernández1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4753-8978

1University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca". Cuba miranda.izquierdo@upr.edu.cu; yamila.paez@upr.edu.cu

 

One of the aspects with the greatest consensus in today's world, in general, and in the scientific world in particular, is that related to the unavoidable need for planning, as it is known interchangeably, to guarantee the success of any process.

However, despite the explicit recognition of its importance, the number of studies carried out regarding Strategic Planning within Latin American universities is still incipient. The limited existing research in this context is dispersed in countries such as Mexico, Cuba and Ecuador (Vélez, Aragón & Rodríguez, 2022).

Through this Editorial, the vision of the "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca" University is offered in relation to Strategic Planning (PE) in general, and its derivation to the teaching department, exemplifying with that of Mathematical Education of the Faculty of Secondary Education (FEM).

According to Serna (2008), Strategic Planning is the process by which decision makers in an organization obtain, process and analyze relevant internal and external information, in order to evaluate the present situation of the company, as well as its level. of competitiveness, with the purpose of anticipating and deciding on the direction of the institution towards the future (Daza, 2010).

The main function of Strategic Planning is to guide organizational transformations in the present, to achieve future institutional developments (Daza, 2010).

Although the term originated in the business world, it quickly spread to almost all spheres of human endeavor, including education; It currently has a reserved space within the sciences of educational administration.

Strategic Planning provides valuable elements that allow Higher Education institutions to adapt and take proactive actions to face the needs of the environment; For this, it is necessary to incorporate the process of globalization and internationalization of the aforementioned education. However, its existence is not enough; it is also extremely important to disseminate the aspects of PE (mission, vision, objectives and institutional development plans) (Silva; Santiago & García, 2016).

It is, furthermore, a fundamental process of educational administration, for every university institution. Foresight and diagnosis are implicit in it, and order and direction are provided to the functioning, in general and specifically, of the areas that make up its structure. It is a tool that allows you to point out where you want to be and where you want to reach in a given time, having as its main guideline the philosophical aspects to which it responds. Each institutional sphere must have projects, strategic objectives, and observable and quantifiable results that attest to the quality of its processes (Vélez, Aragón & Rodríguez, 2022).

The University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", like the rest of the Cuban Higher Education institutions, organizes its work through careful Strategic Planning, both annual and five-yearly, which allows directing actions to the continuous and sustained improvement of the substantive processes it develops. To do this, it is based on a clear definition of its strategic Mission and Vision, as well as the processes and objectives that must be fulfilled. Below we summarize them.

Mission of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca"

Satisfy the needs for comprehensive and continuous training of higher-level professionals in agricultural, technical, social, humanistic, pedagogical and physical culture and sports sciences, based on the integration of strategic, key and support processes, articulated by transversal strategies, to guarantee a competent graduate, committed to the Revolution, entrepreneurial and innovative, as well as the generation and implementation of scientific-technical results and updated knowledge that impact sustainable development at the local, national and international level, in strategic alliance with governments and the rest of the economic and social actors.

Vision of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca"

We are a University of excellence, entrepreneurial, innovative and developer, recognized nationally and internationally, characterized by the management of knowledge and innovation in an integrated way between its processes and activities, to achieve their improvement in order to satisfy our customers. the demands of society and a high impact on the sustainable development of the province of Pinar del Río and other regions of the country, with emphasis on areas such as forestry development, food production, local development and tourism, sciences social, educational and sports sciences, the Environment, energy and cooperativism.

Strategic processes of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca"

Missionary processes or keys of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca"

Objectives of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca"

1. Train professionals (...) committed to the Revolution, who are comprehensive, competent, with an innovative spirit and political-ideological firmness, who satisfy the demands of graduates for the sustainable development of the territory and the country .

2. Achieve the preparation and completion of the faculty and staff of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", with a high percentage of doctors, who are distinguished for being active defenders of the Cuban Socialist Revolution. Coordination: DGERH-Cuadros.

3. Strengthen the link between the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca" with companies producing goods and services , extending organizational forms that encourage the application of the results of science, technology and innovation, with impact on strategic sectors for the development of the province and the country.

4. Impact scientific and technological development, as a pillar of the government management system based on science and innovation, the application of the results and the satisfaction of the training, postgraduate and doctoral training needs of professionals, in correspondence with the demands of sustainable territorial and country development .

5. Apply the policy outlined for the preparation and improvement of the cadres and reserves of the State and the Government, with emphasis on the territorial level , aimed at the transformation of management and modes of action with a focus on innovation.

6. Promote the university-society relationship for the comprehensive development of localities, with emphasis on the social, political and economic transformation of communities, in accordance with the territorial development strategies in the province of Pinar del Río.

7. Guarantee the digital transformation of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", in correspondence with the improvement of university processes, and effective positioning in the media and Internet platforms.

8. Manage the material and financial resources that guarantee the necessary infrastructure and transportation to ensure the processes of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca". Coordination: DGAS ( Reinier González Garrido).

9. Ensure the quality of Higher Education at the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", supported by the accreditation of its courses, postgraduate programs and the institution , with a higher category of accreditation.

These key points of institutional Strategic Planning are derived to the basic cell of any university: the teaching department that, in turn, organizes and directs the training processes of professionals in each of the careers, so that the mathematical training that offered by the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca" constitutes a good example (although not the only one) of how it is fulfilled.

To understand how the aforementioned derivation takes place, it is necessary to remember that the Educational Teaching Process (PEA) of Mathematics must be developed based on situations and facts that make it easier for the student to perceive, interpret, understand and make decisions to solve mathematical problems in the daily life (Viloria & Godoy, 2010, p. 97), so it must be planned strategically based on it.

The emergence of new information, theories, ways of understanding life and different ways of social interaction make mathematics the foundation of most scientific disciplines; Therefore, it is inferred that the student's success from an academic point of view and, it could be said, in their working life, is conditioned on being able to understand basic mathematical relationships, being able to communicate them and follow their method of reasoning (Viloria & Godoy, 2010 , p. 98).

Hence, the Strategic Planning of the PEA developed by the department of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics, of the FEM, at the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", has taken into account the Strategic Project for its preparation UPR 2022-2026, which enables the creation of faculties and teaching departments, for each year; In addition, the 2023 one that is being executed.

The following aspects were also taken into account:

All of this made it possible to clearly outline the direction that should be given to the work carried out by the aforementioned department.

Mission of the department of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics, Faculty of Secondary Education (FEM)

Satisfy the initial and continuous training needs of higher-level professionals in the Bachelor's Degree in Education, Mathematics, based on the integration of strategic, key and support processes, articulated by a general strategy and its areas, which guarantee a competent graduate, committed to the Revolution, entrepreneur and innovator; as well as the generation and implementation of scientific-technical results and updated knowledge that impact sustainable development at the local, national and international level, in strategic alliance with the Ministry of Education (MINED), municipal governments and the rest of the economic actors. and social.

Areas of planning in the department of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics, degree at the FEM

Values to share in the department of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics, degree at the FEM

Humanism: the subject actively appropriates a comprehensive conception of the world and society, centered on the full dignity of people, generosity, solidarity and altruism; Therefore, it rejects selfishness, utilitarianism and excessive pragmatism.

Modes of action:

Patriotism: the country comes first, which means that the national interest predominates over the individual and that one is always in a position to defend it, being consistent with the historical roots and the future of the Cuban Socialist Revolution.

Modes of action:

Responsibility: it is based on the conscious fulfillment of individual and social duty, with self-discipline, being intransigent in the face of wrongdoing.

Modes of action:

Anti-imperialism: it is the conviction that in the face of imperialist pretensions, the independence and sovereignty of the country rests on unity, the strengthening of socialism and internationalism.

Modes of action:

The Bachelor of Education, Mathematics degree must undergo external evaluation to obtain a higher category of accreditation before the end of 2024. To this end, we work with a comprehensive and sustainable approach in educational and political-ideological work.

Transversal strategies that work in the department of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics, degree at the FEM

Hence, the strategic objectives for which the department of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics degree will work in the year 2024, are the following:

1. Train professionals with a Bachelor's degree in Education, Mathematics, committed to the Revolution, who are comprehensive, competent, with an innovative spirit and political-ideological firmness, to satisfy the teaching needs of this area and promote the sustainable development of Mathematics Education in the territory.

2. Achieve the preparation and completion of the Mathematics faculty and staff in the department, with an increase in the percentage of doctors; who distinguish themselves for being active defenders of the Cuban Socialist Revolution.

3. Strengthen the department link of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics-Teaching of Provincial Education degree, developing organizational forms that encourage the application of the results of science, technology and innovation, with an impact on student learning in those teachings.

4. Impact scientific and technological development, as a pillar of the government management system based on science and innovation, the application of the results and the satisfaction of the training, postgraduate and doctoral training needs of professionals, in correspondence with the demands of sustainable territorial development.

5. Support the policy outlined for the preparation and improvement of the cadres and reserves of the State and the Government, with emphasis on the territorial level, aimed at the transformation of management and modes of action with a focus on innovation.

6. Support the university-society relationship for the comprehensive development of localities, with emphasis on the social, political and economic transformation of communities, in accordance with the territorial development strategies in the province of Pinar del Río.

7. Guarantee the digital transformation of the department of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics degree, in correspondence with the improvement of university processes, and effective positioning in the media and Internet platforms.

8. Manage the material and financial resources that guarantee the necessary infrastructure and transportation to ensure the processes of the department of the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics, degree at the FEM.

9. Ensure the quality of Higher Education for the Bachelor of Education, Mathematics degree, endorsed with a higher category of accreditation for said degree in 2024.

However, it must be said that we still have to work to understand the importance of university Strategic Planning, especially at this level, so that the future projection of the department and each of the instances is more similar to its reality. its necessity, because only in this way can it advance with the growth that society demands of it.

Every University has to give the necessary relevance to the process of defining its institutional projection over time, to position itself regarding where it wants to go; This does not exclusively involve a small number of managers but rather a team of members of the academic community that represents different institutional instances and who, above all, know the institution deeply (Chiquito, Plua & González, 2022).

Strategic Planning is a transcendental process at the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", which is closely linked to the evaluation of the quality of education offered by the teaching institution, and which represents a detailed map of the work that it carries out based on this, hence the level of priority given to it, both by its managers and by its entire faculty and support staff.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

Chiquito Tigua, G. P., Plua Parrales, N. V. & González Benítez, N. (2022). Planeación estratégica para la mejora de la gestión administrativa en instituciones universitarias de Ecuador. Avances, 24(1), 135-148, http://www.ciget.pinar.cu/ojs/index.php/publicaciones/article/view/680/1909

Daza Lesmes, J. (2010) Desafíos y recomendaciones a la planeación estratégica en universidades. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación, 2(54)

Serna, G. (2008). Gerencia estratégica. Planeación estratégica: un marco de referencia. Bogotá, Colombia: 3R Editores.

Silva Payró, M. P.; Santiago Ruíz, A. y García Martínez, V. (2016) Componente de internacionalización en la planeación estratégica de las Instituciones de Educación Superior públicas y privadas de la Región Sur-Sureste de la ANUIES. Perspectivas docentes. Revista Texto y Contexto, (61), p. 47-56.

Viloria, N. y Godoy, G. (2010) Planificación de estrategias didácticas para el mejoramiento de las competencias matemáticas de sexto grado. Revista Investigación y Postgrado, 25(1), 95-116

Vélez Jiménez, D., Aragón Sanabria, R. & Rodríguez González, M. S. (2022). Estudio para la calidad y prospectiva de la planeación estratégica organizacional en Educación Superior. Ed.Sophia, colección de Filosofía de la Educación, 32, pp. 151-169.

 

Conflict of interests:

The authors declare not to have any interest conflicts.

 

Authors' contribution:

The authors participated in the design and writing of the article, in the search and analysis of the information contained in the consulted bibliography.

 


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