The “International Seminar on Fiscal Policy and Tax Administration” corresponding to the X edition of the International Master’s Program in Tax Administration and Public Finance was held on September 30 through October 4, 2013 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia).

This is a specialized academic master’s program developed by the Institute of Fiscal Studies of Spain (IEF), the National Distance Education University (UNED), the Economic and Commercial Studies Center (CECO) and the CEDDET Foundation with the collaboration of the State Agency of Tax Administration (AEAT), the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT) and the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID).

This is a cooperative initiative for training managers and staff of the Ibero-American Tax Administrations, with a view to developing and specializing said administrations and, accordingly, contributing to the aforementioned countries’ economic and social progress, thereby achieving greater levels of social cohesion.

As stated, the Master’s Program is fundamentally intended for Ibero-American public officials working in the Tax Administrations of their respective countries. The training provided is a highly specialized program in taxation which aims to strengthen and consolidate the managerial and technical staff of said administrations.

The two-year virtual academic program is carried out through the IEF’s platform. In addition, two face-to-face seminars are held; one in Ibero-America at the end of the first year and the other in Madrid (Spain), upon conclusion of the second academic course.

The event to which we are referring precisely coincides with the I Face-to-Face Seminar of the X edition of the International Master’s Program in Tax Administration and Public Finance. It affords the students of the Master’s Program an initial personal contact which promotes the exchange of experiences, mutual learning and enrichment at the human as well as technical levels. In addition, 4 specialists on the subjects from Spain developed the academic contents of the program:

Mrs. Beatriz Viana de Miguel, Head of the International Taxation Team of the State Agency of Tax Administration (AEAT) and former Director General of said Institution.

Mr. Luis Cremades Ugarte, Head of the Spanish Mission at CIAT.

Mr. José Manuel Guirola López, Professor of Applied Economics from UNED and Academic Director of the Master’s Program.

Mrs. Laura Hernández Ortega, Head of Studies of the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IEF) and General Coordinator of said program.

Also participating in said Seminar as student, was Mr. Alejandro Burr Ortúzar, National Director of the Internal Revenue Service of Chile.

This seminar was held jointly with the “International Seminar on Budgetary Policy and Financial Administration” corresponding to the VII edition of the International Master’s Program in Financial Administration and Public Finance. It allowed professionals from the financial and tax sectors to discuss subjects of mutual interest in joint sessions, thereby profiting from the experience and knowledge conveyed by the professors to a larger audience.

Objectives of the event

• Promote the face-to-face and active participation of the students of the program in order to strengthen the relationship and proximity among them, as well as with the professors, coordinators and management team.
• Allow a space for reflection to enrich the discussion of the most relevant and current trends in Fiscal Policy and Tax Administration.
• Set the objectives and requisites of the Research Project that must be developed during the second year of the Master’s Program and which must be presented and sustained in the second Face-to-Face Seminar in Madrid in July 2014.
• Discuss and reflect on the development of the Master’s Program during the first academic year.
• Discuss and reflect on the future evolution of the academic program by determining possible improvements to its development.

Methodology

As has been stated, one of the main objectives of the Seminar is to promote the active participation of the attendees, in order to achieve a high level of interaction and exchange of experiences. To this end, a working methodology was designed, based on case studies, presentations by the participants and sufficient time for discussions which allowed for achieving the objectives sought, all under the guidance and orientation of the professors attending the Seminar.

Photo Main Table

Group photo