In the 1970s, a new type of educational institution was created in Costa Rica in response to community demand for increased access to higher education. Loosely modeled on the American community college, the parauniversity was to serve community needs, provide technical education, and offer courses that would transfer to the universities. In 1980, a law was passed authorizing these institutions as part of the Costa Rican higher education system and funding them through the national budget. / The promise of the parauniversity, however, did not materialize. These schools neither articulated successfully with the universities nor offered programs that satisfy community demand. Their mission is poorly understood by the community, business and industry, the universities, and even educational leaders in the parauniversities themselves. / The purpose of this study was to survey the perceptions of leaders influential in the education community concerning the mission and intent of the parauniversity at its inception and at the present, and to offer recommendations for its future. These data were gathered by a questionnaire and interviews. A second source of data was publications and historical documents. The findings confirmed the lack of agreement on the institution's mission and its place in the university system. / Based on the data gathered, recommendations for change were offered in five areas: the law and decree, status of the parauniversities in the higher education system, funding, programs, and articulation policies. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-03, Section: A, page: 0737. / Major Professor: Louis Bender. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76616 |
| Contributors | Vincenzi-Gang, Isa., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 313 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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