Social imaginaries of higher education and new meanings of university students in the pandemic’ context

Abstract

Higher education institutions have suffered various tensions in recent years, which have increased because of the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on a social, economic, and educational level. These institutions had to quickly reinvent themselves to respond to the diversity of situations that affect them, particularly concerning students. The perceptions of this group are configured as the study object in this research, considering the importance of knowing their evaluations, fears, and expectations; to establish contingent institutional responses. Qualitative research was carried out, aimed at unveiling social imaginaries and new meanings regarding higher education. 14 students belonging to "Programa de Acceso a la Educación Superior" of the “Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción” were interviewed. Through the method of semantic structural analysis, it was revealed that young people consider higher education as something difficult to achieve, a privilege only for some, through which social status is gained, and for which the development of some required competencies could not be possible without support. The new meanings attributed by students highlight the importance given to the teacher-student relationship in the pandemic’ context.