Higher education
18 Nov 2010
On this page
- Short description of the higher education system
- Types of degrees
- Quality assurance and accreditation
- Recent reforms
Short description of the higher education system
The Guatemalan higher education sector consists of one public and eleven private universities. These are all fairly similar in their organization and the programmes they offer. The only public university – the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) – was established by Spanish royal decree in 1675. With its ten faculties it is the largest university in Guatemala. Private universities have been permitted to operate in Guatemala since 1956. Initially they had to be approved by the USAC, but from 1966 onwards approval and supervision of private institutions was transferred to the Private Higher Learning Council.
Types of degrees
Students can qualify for the first level in four to six years and obtain a Título de Licenciado en… (Title of Licentiate in…). Some universities award a Baccalaureatus (Bachelor) of Art or Science, but these titles do not automatically grant access to graduate studies. Professional studies last four to six years and require a Bachiller en Ciencias y Letras, a Perito, a Secretaría or a Maestro de Educación Preprimaria/Primaria Urbana for admission. Students are awarded a Titulo Profesional en… (Professional Title in…) upon completion of these programmes. Graduate Studies leading to a Magister, Maestro or Maestría take one to three years and require a Título de Licenciado or Título Profesional for admission. Doctoral studies are at least two years long and require a Magister, Maestro or Maestría for admission. Upon successful defence of their dissertation, students are awarded a Doctor.
Quality assurance and accreditation
The regulatory body for private higher education is the Private Higher Education Council (CEPS). This council has the constitutional mandate of “ensuring that the academic level of the private universities is maintained”. Universities in Guatemala, both public and private, are granted a great deal of autonomy. Beyond granting basic authorization to operate, CEPS does not generally intervene in the operations of its member universities except to report a specific case of negligence in terms of the quality of infrastructure, staff or the education provided. CEPS has also initiated the establishment of the Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior (National System of Accreditation for Private Higher Education, SINADEPS). The two organizations will work together to accredit all institutions of private higher education in Guatemala and, eventually, to evaluate and recognize individual departments at each university.
Recent reforms
In 2008, the Ministry of Education announced its new objectives for education in the Políticas Educativas 2008-2012. Among its eight core objectives are quality improvement, strengthening bilingual education and decentralization of the education system.
