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