Institutional Change in Higher Education in Mexico: Reforms for U.S. Accreditation

• In Event: The experience and practice of internationalization

Proposal

Internationalization is a driver of institutional changes in higher education in recent decades. Even prior to this current era of globalization, with its pressure as an external influence, select higher education institutions in Mexico had internal motivations to pursue international accreditation since the 1950s. This institutional change in Mexico may be described as an isomorphism - normative associated with professionalization or mimetic as a response to uncertainty (Powell & DiMaggio 1983:150). The research presents three case studies for qualitative analysis: Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec or the Tech) (ITESM), Universidad de las America Puebla (UDLAP), and Centro de Enseñanza Técnica Y Superior (CETYS), in order of U.S. accreditation. Primarily, the research addresses “why does institutional change take place,” identifying internal institutional motivations and external competitiveness related to globalization as explanations. The research presents the multi-level governance context of global, national, and institutional levels of influence for these private universities Mexico. Additionally, the research addresses themes of educational quality, international academic recognition, and regional integration in North America.

Authors

• Beverly Barrett, University of Miami

• Frank Fernandez, University of Houston

• Elsa M. Gonzalez, University of Houston