The Weight of Tradition: Conditions that Foster and Deter the Growth of World-Class Universities in Argentina

RABOSSI, MARCELO; SALTO, DANTE J.

In Pursuit of World-Class Universities. A Global Experience

Studera Press

Lugar: Delhi; Año: 2018; p. 91 - 114

In an increasingly globalized world and as part of a competitive market, higher education institutions compete against each other in the search for funding and the best students and faculty members, regardless of the country of origin. Under this rationale, many governments promote the establishment of world-class institution, primarily based on the benefits brought by this type of institutions. However, there are also costs, mainly for countries that still face problems of access and equity. It is extremely costly to open a world-class university, not only in terms of money but also timewise. Moreover, it is challenging to maintain these excellent institutions giving the cost and complexity of research. This chapter analyzes the higher education sector in Argentina and the conditions that may foster and deter the establishment of world-class universities in the country. Using data from different secondary sources, the chapter explores the state of research in Argentina, analyzes organizational factors that may foster and inhibit the development of world-class universities, and compares the performance of Argentine universities in global and regional rankings. . The final remarks invite some discussions and problematize the world-class ?gold standard? in the context of a developing country.