The second edition of the Quality Week in Higher Education, organized by the International Institute for Quality Assurance (IAC-Cinda), began in Lima with a focus on comprehensive student well-being. The event, held at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), brings together representatives from ten Ibero-American countries and more than 30 higher education institutions for a program that includes work modules and academic visits to four universities in the Peruvian capital.
The gathering, taking place from March 16 to 21 at NOS PUCP, aims to share approaches, strategies, challenges, and results related to university quality. During the opening ceremony, Pablo Baeza, academic director of IAC-Cinda, said that his institution has been working with Peruvian universities for over twenty years and thanked PUCP for its ongoing collaboration in organizing the event.
Baeza highlighted the diversity among participating institutions—national and private universities as well as secular and religious ones—and said this variety strengthens the exchange of experiences. “The objective is to generate an open, sincere and also critical exchange. Not only to share good practices but also to question ourselves and learn from our differences,” said Baeza. He also called on participants not just to attend but to actively engage in dialogue.
Julio del Valle, rector of PUCP, welcomed international delegations and emphasized that university quality today must be linked with well-being. “Talking about well-being means recognizing that the university experience is comprehensive. We cannot think only about academics but also about the conditions under which people study and work,” said Del Valle. He added that well-being should include students, faculty members, and administrative staff alike.
Oscar Pain Lecaros, director of Academic Affairs at PUCP, discussed how quality and well-being are interconnected processes within the university context. “Quality is not a single or static concept. It is multidimensional, dynamic and socially constructed,” said Pain Lecaros. Sylvana Valdivia, director of Student Affairs at PUCP, explained that their approach was shaped by concerning evidence regarding mental health among young people: “We believe that student well-being must be a shared responsibility based on a cross-cutting perspective involving the entire University.”
The event’s agenda features six thematic modules as well as visits to four universities: PUCP itself; Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Universidad Ricardo Palma; and Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya. The week-long program aims not only to discuss accreditation or standards but also how institutions can better care for their communities.
