Higher education in Latin America & the Caribbean faces complex challenges as it expands and evolves. Key issues include:
Despite significant growth, access remains unequal. Social stratification along racial and socioeconomic lines persists, with marginalized groups like Afro-Latinx and indigenous populations underrepresented. Affirmative action policies, such as Brazil's quota system, aim to address these disparities but face implementation challenges.
The region leads globally in for-profit private higher education enrollment, particularly in Brazil, Peru, and Chile. This trend raises questions about access, affordability, quality assurance, and the balance between market forces and public good in education.
Latin America struggles to develop world-class research universities, lagging in research output, innovation, and global rankings. Limited funding, bureaucracy, and lack of strategic focus on research excellence contribute to this gap.
The dominance of English in global academia challenges a region where Spanish and Portuguese prevail. Pressure to publish in English can hinder local scholars and limit dissemination of regionally relevant research.
The region strives to balance its cultural and linguistic heritage with global knowledge economy demands. Addressing equity issues, enhancing research capacity, navigating geopolitical complexities, and rethinking language policies are crucial for ensuring higher education contributes to a just, equitable, and knowledge-driven future in Latin America & the Caribbean.