A personal proposal for Zamorano reform renewal by Jose Benjamin Falck Zepeda describing the basic elements of a vision and roadmap for higher education focused in agriculture . Presentation takes into account the future of Latin America and the Caribbean and global agriculture, the new learning ecosystem. This presentation is not only valid for Zamorano University but for all higher education institution in the region.

1. MY PROPOSAL FOR ZAMORANO’S FUTURE –
REFORM, REBIRTH & RENEWAL
Jose Benjamin Falck Zepeda
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Jose Benjamin Falck Zepeda 2020

2. WHAT MATTERS TO ME?
Education, health and
accessible food
Environment and biodiversity
Science, Technology and
Innovation
Farmer/Producers’ freedom to
operate and choose
My home country Honduras
and it’s people…and people in
developing countries

3. THE CHALLENGE: RECONCILE ZAMORANO’S CORE PRINCIPLES WITH THE FUTURE TO
MAXIMIZE ITS IMPACT AND SERVICE TO THE AMERICAS
Zamorano’s core principlesStrengthen
New/emerging education & training ecosystemEmbrace
proficiency in soft / mixed skillsEnsure

4. ZAMORANO’S
CORE
PRINCIPLES
Learning by
doing Panamericanism
Academic
excellence
Values and
character
following key
ethical principles

5. NEW/EMERGING EDUCATION & TRAINING ECOSYSTEM
Traditional, online and hybrid classrooms
On demand / hybrid & pick and choose programs
Exploit augmented and virtual reality elements and simulation
capacities
Developing free access content and Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs)
Alternative credential mechanisms- MIT micro Master’s courses
Short courses - online training

6. DEVELOPING PROFICIENCY IN SOFT / MIXED SKILLS
Communications
• Manage public
relations
• Live
communication
skills
• Story telling
• Capacity to
motivate, mobilize
and innovate
• Capacity to
develop real life
personal
portfolios
Emotional and
Social Intelligence
• Curiosity
• Intercultural
sensitivity
• Creativity
• Collaboration
• Connection, care
and solidarity
• Adaptability &
Resiliency
Business
responsiveness
• Company culture
• Customer service
Personal learning
by doing
• Problem solving
• Develop life-long
learning mentality
• Build culture of
constant change
• Budgeting and
personal budget
management
• Critical thinking
Professional
productivity
management
• Stress, time and
change
management
• Conflict
Management
• Personal
productivity

7. KEY ETHICAL
PRINCIPLES
DRIVING
GRADUATE
VALUES AND
CHARACTER
Justice
Benevolence
Respect of
autonomy
Sustainability

8. THE FUTURE OF
AGRICULTURE:
KEY PRINCIPLES
ENVIRONMENTAL,
ECONOMIC, ENERGY
AND RESOURCE
SUSTAINABILITY
CLIMATE SMART
AGRICULTURE
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
AND FARMING
EFFICIENT AND
PRODUCTIVE FARMING
CONSUMER
RESPONSIVE SUPPLY –
MORE FOOD, LESS
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS?

9. THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE: KEY THEMES AND
AREAS FOR INCLUSION IN ZAMORANO STRATEGY AND
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

10. WHAT ARE ZAMORANO’S SPECIFIC
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL ISSUES?
Main short, medium and long-term issues: financial, cost
control and administrative efficiency
Facing an existential moment accelerated by COVID-19,
where universities/colleges that do not adapt will close,
merge or will be forced to enter alliances as a weak
partner

11. CURRENT STATUS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE
Cost of Zamorano’s education is too high.
 64% students receiving a scholarship that varies from 20% to full
scholarship
 Average aid granted = US$ 11,000 -----> 50% of published tuition +
room and board + services rates
Return On Investment (ROI) is quite low considering Zamoranos’
income/salary potential

12. INVESTMENT IN
A COLLEGE
EDUCATION
School name
Typical time
to graduate
Host country
minimum
salary annualInvestment in College
Zamorano 4 4,806 104,567
EARTH 4 7,591 191,443
Universidad de Costa Rica 4 7,591 84,547
U of Florida - Gainesville 4 15,393 227,250
Auburn University 4 13,191 252,294
Penn State University 4 13,191 252,211
Wageningen University 4 22,615 226,040
University Campinas 4 4,975 110,830
Universidad Autonoma de
Chapingo 4 2,446 100,973
Texas A&M University 4 13,191 280,026
Note: 1) Minimum salary and investment
measured in 2018 PPP international $, 2)
Investment includes tuition, living costs and income
lost while in college, but does not include
financial aid

13. IMPLICATIONS OF A US$117,623
LOAN/INVESTMENT IN ZAMORANO EDUCATION
To repay a Zamorano loan it would take monthly payments of:
 Full amount: US$ 1,548
 Assuming 50% average subsidy: US$ 750
For the average person receiving the 50% subsidy, which will earn
US$22,750 per year, at a15% discount rate over 25 years work
lifespan….the annualized ROI is 9.5%

14. GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
RANKINGS
The pursuit of rankings is moot
and counterproductive
Rankings are useful as a tool
to diagnose which areas may
need attention and
investments
Zamorano and most Latin
America and the Caribbean
higher education institutions in
general are not competitive
with respect to traditional
metrics/standards compared
to US, EU, UK and Asian
universities
School name
QS 2020
Agricultural
universitieis
world rank
US News
best global
universities
agriculture
QS 2020
world rank
Times Higher
Education /
Elsevier 2020
World Rankings
4icu.org
2020
World
Rankings
2020
Webometrics
world rankings
Zamorano n.r. n.r. n.r. n.r. 5235 5361
EARTH n.r. n.r. n.r. n.r. 3088 3637
Universidad de Costa
Rica 251-300 451 511-520 501-600 517 1577
U of Florida -
Gainesville 32 14 167 152 29 30
Auburn University 201-250 240 801-1000 601-800 282 333
Penn State University 31 50 93 114 9 20
Wageningen
University 1 1 125 62 243 162
University Estadual
Campinas 51-100 12 214 501-600 276 227
Universidad
Autonoma de
Chapingo 251-300 n.r. 801-1000 n.r. 4723 4376
Texas A&M
University 21 29 169 197 43 55
n.r. = not rated

16. CURRENT ISSUES LIMITING ZAMORANO'S
DELIVERY EFFECTIVENESS (1)
High cost/benefit ratio in the LAC context
Ratio of Ph.D. / M.Sc. and B.Sc. even considering learning by doing
modality
High teaching loads
High Student/Professor Ratio
Unclear faculty and staff mandates and performance evaluation
standards: education, research, communication & outreach

17. CURRENT ISSUES LIMITING ZAMORANO'S
DELIVERY EFFECTIVENESS (2)
No/very little incentives to do anything else but teaching. Incentive
structure problematic…a structural problem?
Low participation in external and high visibility academic and policy
processes
Low number of research publications
Low output communication products to disseminate research
Need for change in operational philosophy, incentive structures,
monitoring and impact evaluation, and educational/research/outreach
effectiveness, curriculum review and… substantial reform

18. CURRENT ISSUES LIMITING ZAMORANO'S
DELIVERY EFFECTIVENESS (3)
Need to fight perception of lower new graduate quality and of
poor research capacity
Need to enhance Zamorano’s participation in policy and
agricultural development processes

19. MY PROPOSED VISION FOR ZAMORANO…
Zamorano becomes a world class higher education institution
by 2050 focusing on climate, energy, nutrition and
environmental smart agriculture which ensures sustainable food
and fiber production and security
The roadmap to this endpoint contemplates a set of basic
pillars to accomplish the mission, goals and objectives
Develop and implement strategic efforts to establish Zamorano as a
world class center for higher education, research and innovation
Develop Zamorano as a regional leader in environmental, agriculture
and food policies themes

20. MY PROPOSAL FOR ZAMORANO’ REFORM, RENEWAL AND REBIRTH
IN A COVID-19 AND POST-COVID WORLD
Financial
Academic &
Research
Communications
& Outreach
Administrative

21. ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL -
STREAMLINING PROCEDURES AND ACHIEVING COST
CONTROL
Need to reduce at least 30-40% cost of doing business
Measure financial and management inefficiency to identify areas where streamlining
and cost cutting is possible. Start with an entry in-depth management/administrative
audit to examine contracts, acquisitions/purchases and administrative procedures
Identify potential areas of inefficiency, duplication, mismanagement
Align administrative procedures with financial, academic and research realities
 Enhance infrastructure & asset management
 Explore merging careers into unifying themes
 Devise intellectual property & licensing policies to promote faculty and staff innovation and
entrepreneurship and gain income

22. FINANCIAL- INCREASE INCOME DIVERSIFICATION WHILE
ENSURING THAT RESEARCH WILL BE FUNDED WITH
EXTERNAL SOURCES
Move high share of faculty to mixed appointments with 60-70%
teaching and 30-40% research/outreach effort but funded from
external sources
Faculty seek research project funding + alternate funding sources
Build up endowment fund (Fondo Dotal and other Funds) by seeking
non-traditional sources

23. ACADEMICS AND RESEARCH - SIGNIFICANTLY
ENHANCE ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH CAPACITY
Enhance Monitoring and Impact Evaluation: Clear research, teaching
and outreach output impact measures
Re-engineering approaches to education & training
Enhance learning by doing
Conduct participatory curriculum & teaching methods revamp

24. ACADEMICS AND RESEARCH - DISCIPLINE
Re-examine the disciplinary system in Zamorano to rescue relevant
factors/procedures that enhance Zamorano’s mission
Ensure compliance with accepted university practices and
regulations, including accrediting bodies in Honduras, LAC and
others
Likely need to revive some aspects of the older style “top down”
and “rigid” approaches for first two years of instruction, with
progressive ease in 3- and 4-year students

25. RESEARCH
Significantly enhance research and development capacity in key
areas defined and prioritized through stakeholder consultations.
Build upon existing seed and seed systems capacities, IPM, biological
controls and other lead areas
Implement research & teaching ethics policies
Develop and implement technology transfer policies and regulations
including faculty entrepreneurship and spin-off company promotion
Strong incentives to promote participation and publication in high
visibility venues leading to peer review publications

26. POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL OUTREACH
Work towards hosting a proposed International Center for Climate,
Energy and Nutrition Smart Agriculture that includes Applied
Biotechnology Research
Synergize academic/research policy outreach & communications
Refocus on extension & producer support
Build partnerships with IICA, CATIE, EARTH, CGIAR Centers (CIP,
CIMMYT, CIAT), LAC and US/UK/EU universities

27. COMMUNICATION & OUTREACH - CONSTANTLY
CUSTOMIZE BRAND MESSAGING AND MARKETING
Strategic
reputational
risk
management
Policy
Outreach
Alumni
Donor &
government
Brand
marketing
Target clients to ensure financial
support
Communication & outreach using
policy outreach as a pillar to
overall strategy
Proactive strategic reputational
risk management as the core
operational principle

28. ALUMNI
Create/develop content valuable to alumni
Capitalize on user generated content
Collect alumni data and develop strategic/tactical communication efforts
Improve dialogue with AGEAP and enhance funds/donations status and
use transparency thorough annual reporting
Zamorano web page needs standardization especially faculty resumes
Highlight Zamorano research, communication and alumni
talents/contributions proactively

29. BRAND MARKETING
Develop comprehensive communication campaigns using
appropriate comm tools
 Build on welcoming Zamorano images via Instagram to evoque nostalgia and
hope for the future
 Develop communication "personas" as templates for comm efforts
Enhanced and branded donation landing page
 Enhanced/frictionless payment & investment process
 Strengthen/enhance Linkedin, Twitter & other professional social media
Collect data on communication traffic about Zamorano in social
media with the dual purpose of tracking mentions but also for
brand and risk management purposes

30. JOSÉ BENJAMIN FALCK-ZEPEDA
SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW
IFPRI
1201 EYE STREET NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20005-3915
USA
J.FALCK-ZEPEDA@CGIAR.ORG
BRIEF BIO/PUBS:
HTTP://WWW.IFPRI.ORG/STAFFPROFILE/JOSE-FALCK-
ZEPEDA
PERSONAL SITE: HTTPS://JFALCK3.WIXSITE.COM/MYSITE
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: @JOSEFALCK