Abstract
The Latin American response to global academic competition has been much slower and subdued than in other emerging economies. League tables, where the region fares poorly, have been met with scorn and skepticism by academics and with ambivalence by governments, with limited receptivity in public opinion. Yet, the economies have grown rapidly and governments have increased spending in research and higher education during the last decade. This paper presents a comparative overview of public policy vis-à-vis the strengthening of research universities and their competitiveness in global markets, with a focus on the contrasting experience of Southern Cone countries (Brazil, Argentina, and Chile), discussing variations in academic resistance to increased differentiation and in the competition for prestige and resources, as well as in the internal segmentation of the academic profession.
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Notes
- 1.
The following paragraphs draw largely on Balán (2012).
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Balán, J. (2014). Research Universities in Latin America: Public Policy and Political Constraints. In: Maldonado-Maldonado, A., Bassett, R. (eds) The Forefront of International Higher Education. Higher Education Dynamics, vol 42. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7085-0_11
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