The National Council of Rectors is an organism created by the «Agreement for the Coordination of State University Higher Education in Costa Rica» signed on December 4, 1974 and reformed in 1982. This agreement, in its Chapter I, «The Organisms for the Coordination of State University Higher Education ”, indicates:

«Article 1:

The body in charge of coordinating State University Higher Education will be made up of:

a) the National Council of Rectors (CONARE);

b) the Expanded CONARE and

c) the Office of Higher Education Planning (OPES), which will be its technical body. «

OF CONARE

«Article 2:

CONARE will be made up of the rectors of the Institutions signatory to this Agreement «. …

In accordance with the foregoing, CONARE is made up of:

• Dr. Gustavo Gutiérrez Espeleta, Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) Rector

• Ing. Luis Paulino Méndez Badilla, Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC) Rector

• MED. Francisco González Alvarado, Universidad Nacional (UNA) Rector*

• MBA Rodrigo Arias Camacho, Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED) Rector

• Dr. Emmanuel González Alvarado, Univerdad Técnica Nacional (UTN) Rector

• Ing. Eduardo Sibaja Arias, OPES Director**

* Currently the National University’s Rector , MED. Francisco González Alvarado, chairs the CONARE sessions.

** The Director of OPES integrates the Council with voice but without vote.

Lic. Gastón Baudrit Ruiz, CONARE’s Legal Advisor, attends the Council sessions as a special guest.

The National Council of Rectors has its own legal status. The Council is a collegiate body that meets once a week in ordinary session. It does not have management; however, it has other program directors, who do not attend Council sessions.

CONARE Program Directors

Mag. Eduardo Sibaja Arias

Dr. Jorge Vargas Cullell, Director del Estado de la Nación.

MSc. Laura Ramírez Saborío; SINAES