Quality or coverage of higher education in Mexico?

Abstract

Introduction: Mexican higher education is currently grappling with the challenges of globalization. This has sparked a debate between the renewed nationalist approach to public policy on higher education and the proposals put forward by the neoliberal model. The previous government (2018-2024) was determined to expand the coverage of higher education without increasing its funding, which meant a decline in the quality of education. Methodology: In order to explore this scenario in greater depth, the case of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa was analyzed through a mixed documentary study with a reflective approach. Results and discussion: In addition to addressing the state of the university ecosystem, the current government, given its nationalist vocation, seems to be advocating a model that rejects the opportunities that contact with other peoples can generate. This contradiction emerges from the rejection of the idea that higher education can be made an interchangeable commodity on a global scale that multiplies the job opportunities and income of university graduates. Conclusions: It is concluded that the quality of higher education must meet the expectations of students eager to go out and conquer other spaces with new ideas. Reconciling the internal with the external is the key to solving the problems of the most vulnerable groups in society.