Ei-iE

Privatisation and commodification of university in Latin America: The cases of Argentina, Peru, Chile and the Dominican Republic

published 17 October 2019 updated 23 July 2024
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Since the late 20th century, Latin American higher education has witnessed two major processes: firstly, considerable expansion – a sustained increase in enrolment, a growing number of institutions, and growth and diversification of study programmes, levels and qualifications; secondly, a decline in public funding.

As a result, the aforementioned expansion has taken place in circumstances that have left institutions in a situation of instability. Likewise, with a backdrop of neoliberal hegemony, education in general and universities in particular were viewed as business opportunities and were defined in free trade agreements as marketable services.