http://dx.doi.org/10.14718/NovumJus.2018.12.1.2

EDITORIAL

The term globalization has a multitude of meanings depending on the angle from which it is viewed. Globalization in education refers to an increased public awareness created by a myriad of advancements in technology, communications, and transportation. The cultural, political, and economic mixing of people and ideas that started sometime around the second half of the twentieth century has had transnational consequences; and although there is no global consensus as to their magnitude, it cannot be denied that the public must act to address them.

Globalization in education also means the ability to share knowledge across transnational borders. Today, it is more important than ever that educators as well as students take part in the cultural and educational revolution of the age of information. Teachers must prepare students to understand their environment and the role they play amongst the actors that shape their everyday lives.

Technological advances are advantageous to teachers since the ability to transmit information becomes much faster and more effective thanks to various types of software platforms and apps designed for such purpose. However, the ability to access information anytime from anywhere can pose a threat to traditional teaching techniques and methods. The massification of information, not always vetted for truth can even pose a challenge outside the classroom in the form of what's been called "fake news."

In such a fast-paced world, where the exchange of information affirms our presence as inhabitants of a global village, the respect for human dignity, freedom, and autonomy of the person appear as crucial principles for the full exercise and enjoyment of human rights. It is the job of educators to instill these values, not as abstract concepts, but as valid and legitimate cornerstones of the formative process undertaken by students inside and outside the classroom.

In Colombia, the right to education is established in Article 67 of the Constitution and developed in Law 115 of 1994. Education is a fundamental right; therefore, it is inherent, inalienable, essential to the human person, and materializes the principle of equality enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution. The economic policies of the 1990s that promoted the country's business development and economic aperture, as well as the modernization of the production system, were also responsible for the promotion of education as a business model. Thanks to developments in education technology, especially in Information and Communication Technologies (TIC), Colombia has been equipped to handle the growing need to expand education coverage and to respond to demands of competitiveness, effectively invigorating the market.

Universidad Católica de Colombia has remained at the forefront of technological developments to ensure that students are prepared to face the challenges of modern society, and advance themselves through work, citizenship, and service. The University offers a wide range of exchange programs for students, and encourages its professors to increase their knowledge through continued education and engagement in collaborations with professors from international universities.

The current issue of Novum Jus features several articles by international authors, reinforcing thus the commitment of the School of Law at the Universidad Católica de Colombia, and its editorial team, of delivering a journal that complies with the highest quality standards, and understands that knowledge is global and must be shared as far and widely as possible.

Laura C. Gamarra
Director
Novum Jus Law Journal

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