Transformations in higher education in Peru (1983-2024): logics of institutionalism, autocracy and the market; [Transformações do ensino superior no Peru (1983-2024): lógicas do institucionalismo, autocracia e mercado]

Revilla-Arizaca C.-F.; Turpo-Gebera O.-W.; Chirinos-Tovar K.-R. · Revista Iberoamericana de Educacion Superior (2026) · DOI: 10.22201/iisue.20072872e.2026.50.2199

Resumen

Higher education in Peru between 1983 and 2024 reflects a conflictual interplay among three structural logics: institutionalism, authoritarianism, and market. This article addresses the problem using a qualitative approach based on documentary analysis, examining the evolution of university legislation amid political instability, institutional crisis, and economic liberalization. It shows how reforms aimed at strengthening autonomy and quality have been repeatedly interrupted by counter-reforms driven by political and business interests, particularly under authoritarian regimes or weakened democracies. The research reveals that this system has experienced a discontinuous and fragmented trajectory, marked by institutional capture, unregulated expansion of for-profit universities, and the subordination of knowledge to market logic. The conclusion is that the Peruvian university faces a structural crisis that compromises its public function, academic quality, and capacity to contribute to social mobility and national development.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa