Tutoring in higher education in Latin America: Progresses and challenges

Abstract

The introduction of quality assurance in higher education has led to a student-centered training approach where the student is considered an active subject who learns personal and professional skills autonomously. Various mentoring models that have emerged and been implemented in universities are analyzed in the framework of the cultures and traditions of Latin American countries and different university policies. Following a decade of tutorial practices, mentoring has now come to be considered an indicator of educational quality, as demonstrated through improvements in academic outcomes, student satisfaction and the recognition of the value of such practices by stakeholders and evaluation and accreditation agencies. In this context, mentoring plays an essential role in personalizing educational intervention follow-ups, in counseling and supporting the acquisition of competencies and in the formation of students’ personal and professional projects. The strengths found are also key to revealing the weaknesses, which should serve to improve the different dimensions.