Postdoctoral researchers join the UC School of Education with key studies on higher education and teaching careers.

The UC School of Education strengthens its commitment to excellent research and educational justice by incorporating three new researchers who contribute key evidence to the design and evaluation of educational policies. Their projects address urgent challenges in higher education, student finance, and teacher professional development in technical and vocational education.

Ximena Catalán: New student profiles in the era of free tuition

Ximena Catalán joined the Faculty in 2022 through the Fondecyt Postdoctoral ANID project (3220639), which focuses on the effects of the free tuition policy in higher education. Her research - carried out within the framework of the Millennium Nucleus of Higher Education and in collaboration with academic Carlos González - reveals the emergence of a profile of students who, thanks to free tuition, are accessing higher education for the first time, especially through technical-professional training.

The study identifies how learning styles, levels of family support, and sense of institutional belonging affect these students' confidence in completing their studies, opening up new lines of analysis on equity and retention.

Paula Clasing: Impact of student aid on university careers

In 2025, Paula Clasing joined the Faculty as an ANID Fondecyt Postdoctoral Fellow. Using a quantitative and longitudinal approach, her research follows two cohorts of high school graduates for eight to ten years, comparing their trajectories based on the type of state aid they received: scholarships, loans, or free tuition.

This project, carried out jointly with Professor Verónica Santelices and also part of the Millennium Nucleus of Higher Educationseeks to identify how these mechanisms influence key milestones such as access, disruption, persistence, and graduation. Its results will be useful for both public policymakers and higher education institutions interested in strengthening their students' retention and academic success.

Felipe González: Technical-professional teaching and the challenge of growing in the teaching career

Felipe González joined the Faculty in 2024 after being awarded the UC postdoctoral grant in its first year of implementation. His project—sponsored by Professor Paola Sevilla—investigates how the Teaching Career Recognition and Promotion System is implemented in technical-professional secondary education.

The study seeks to identify the factors that facilitate or hinder the professional development of teachers in this modality, as well as their retention in the education system. It provides relevant evidence for improving the working conditions of those who teach in a sector that is key to the country's productivity and equity.

With these projects, the Faculty reaffirms its role as a key player in generating knowledge that transforms the educational system and responds to the country's most pressing social challenges.