Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
17th Apr 2012

Ecuador shuts down 14 universities in quality campaign

In a far-reaching effort to overhaul its higher education system, Ecuador is shutting down 14 universities that the government determined did not meet basic academic standards. President Rafael Correa has made reforming Ecuador’s 71 universities (with 621,000 students) a key priority, saying that “Ecuador probably has the worst universities” in South America. The government said it would take a year to close the schools, allowing about 10,000 students who are in their final year of studies to graduate (there is a total of approximately 38,000 students in the affected schools). Most of the remaining students will be given the chance to transfer to other academic programmes. The New York Times reported last month that 26 universities were given warning to make major improvements. Government efforts began in earnest in late 2009 when they conducted an evaluation of the country’s universities, grading them from A to E.

Additional moves to enhance quality

Furthermore, this year admission to the country’s 29 public universities, which have about 70 percent of all students, will be based on an aptitude test for the first time ever. The government is also seeking to improve the quality of teaching. By 2017, all professors must have at least a master’s degree, and many will be required to have a doctoral degree. Some educators say the goals are too ambitious. Only three universities in Ecuador give PhD’s and they grant a total of about 20 a year, according to René Ramírez, the government secretary of higher education, science, technology and innovation.

The study abroad solution

In part to increase the pool of qualified professors, the government has embarked on an ambitious scholarship programme. A few years ago, the country gave scholarships for postgraduate study abroad to about 20 students a year. Last year, 1,070 students got the scholarships. This year, Ramírez expects that number to exceed 3,000. Students who get the scholarships agree to return to Ecuador when their studies are finished and remain for at least twice the time the government paid for them to be abroad. The government hopes they will become university professors or work in the private sector. In the last 20 years, a cottage industry was born around the creation of small, privately operated universities. With virtually no regulation, the quality of these schools was often very low - although the profits could be quite high. They earned the name “garage universities” because the worst ones were a long way from having the facilities and academic resources of more established schools. Source: The New York Times

Most Recent

  • UK transnational education enrolments poised to surpass onshore students this decade Read More
  • Trump administration’s proposed deal with select US colleges includes a cap on international undergraduate enrolment Read More
  • Australia introduces new integrity measures through proposed amendments to the ESOS Act Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

UK transnational education enrolments poised to surpass onshore students this decade The latest available numbers from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) tell us that there were 732,285 international...
Read more
Trump administration’s proposed deal with select US colleges includes a cap on international undergraduate enrolment The White House has sent a draft “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to nine US colleges...
Read more
Australia introduces new integrity measures through proposed amendments to the ESOS Act Australian Minister of Education Jason Clare tabled the Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025 in...
Read more
Australia: With ELICOS under pressure, peak bodies push for reduction in “extortionate” visa fees The latest data from the Department of Education reveals that enrolments in Australia’s ELICOS sector (English Language Intensive...
Read more
South Korea hits its 300,000 student target two years ahead of schedule In 2023, the South Korean government announced a plan to attract 300,000 international students by 2027: 220,000 in...
Read more
Canada: Study permit numbers are in steep decline in 2025 In 2024, the first year under Canada’s current cap on new international student enrolments, the total number of...
Read more
UK confirms levy on international student fees as new analysis argues that government is “drastically underestimating” the impact of the move Updated for 30 September 2025: On 29 September, the Department of Education announced that it would reinstate “means-tested...
Read more
US administration’s new H-1B policies create uncertainty around post-study work rights The H-1B programme is a key policy mechanism for international students in the United States. Aside from the...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links