Chilean university directors arrested

Education Minister Harald Beyer.

The former directors of two Chilean universities and the councilor of the National Accreditation Committee (CNA) face charges of bribery and money laundering after being detained Saturday. Luis Díaz, former councilor of the CNA, allegedly accepted bribes in exchange for ensuring university accreditation.


“We need to place greater value on the professionalism of our people,” Education Minister Harald Beyer said after hearing the news.

Díaz received a lump sum of US $190,000 in bribes from Ángel Maulén, former director of Universidad Pedro de Valdivia (UPV) and Hector Zuñiga, former director of Universidad del Mar, according to Pablo Norambuena, the district attorney prosecuting the case.

Accreditation from the CNA authorizes universities to grant degrees and makes them eligible for state funding. Accreditation is normally only given after rigorous criteria has been fulfilled in order to ensure the quality of a school’s degrees.