Carlos Iván Moreno debates the future of the university model in Mexico

Dr. Carlos Iván Moreno Arellano, Director General of University and Intercultural Higher Education at Mexico's Secretariat of Public Education (SEP), has called for a debate on the modern university model. Speaking at the University of Colima, Moreno described the current global situation for higher education as a "polycrisis."

He identified several critical challenges facing institutions, including demographic decline, lack of funding, technological disruption driven by Artificial Intelligence, and a potential loss of social prestige. Moreno noted that for the first time in a long period, young people are questioning the necessity of university education.

While coverage in Mexican public higher education institutions has increased significantly in recent years, Moreno questioned whether increasing enrollment using traditional models, old career paths, and long program durations is effective. He highlighted that over 3 million young people in Mexico abandoned undergraduate or technical studies in the last decade, suggesting that merely expanding infrastructure and enrollment may not address the underlying need for educational relevance.