The Private University Sector in Argentina: A Limited and Selective Expansion

Abstract

The expansion of the private university market was part of a global trend that grew vigorously at the turn of the twenty first century. Although private demand has long dominated Southeast Asian countries, Latin America has also witnessed a dramatic shift toward non-public options since the early 1990s. However, not all countries in the region reacted alike, and Argentina can be an exception to this global private expansion. In fact, the State is still the dominant actor, fulfilling its role as the main demand-absorber of post-secondary students. In a market where the private sector was not always “welcomed,” the objective is to study the development of the private university market in Argentina, paying special attention to the main particularities of this growth. This dynamic will be studied from an isomorphic approach to understand what have been the main consequences in terms of organizational forms and practices before a dominant and controlling State.