Causes and consequences of the student protests in Chile

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze the Chilean student movement (which took place between May and December in 2011), its demands, and the government's answers during the conflict. The main issues of the protests will be identified along with their implications. The Chilean Higher Education System (CHES) includes 60 universities. Among them, 16 state-owned institutions and 9 private establishments created before 1980 belong to a group named the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) and receive direct public support (AFD). In 1981 a newly enacted legislation allowed the creation of new institutions that don't rely on state support. As a result, 35 universities, 43 professional institutes (IPS; similar to colleges) and 69 technical training centers (CFTS) emerged. Universities are nonprofit but the IPS and CFTS are not.