Paraguay, Costa Rica, and Argentina face university regulation and funding debates

In Paraguay, opposition senators from the Bancada Democrática have proposed a two-year suspension on the creation of new private universities and higher institutes. The project aims to combat the rise of “garage universities”—institutions operating on commercial logic without adequate infrastructure, laboratories, or qualified faculty. Proponents argue this is necessary to safeguard educational quality and institutional rigor.

In Costa Rica, the National Council of Rectors (CONARE) supports a bill to exclude public education spending from the fiscal rule. This measure seeks to ensure that state education funding meets the constitutional requirement of 8% of GDP without being restricted by fiscal growth limits. CONARE is also engaging in technical dialogues with tax authorities regarding the treatment of international transfers for academic and scientific purposes.

In Argentina, universities are facing significant budgetary challenges. The Universidad Nacional del Comahue (UNCo) and the National Interuniversity Council (CIN) have raised concerns over the 2027 budget proposal, which is significantly lower than requested. Reports indicate that education spending may fall to approximately 0.79% of GDP, a substantial decrease compared to previous years, prompting warnings about the potential degradation of the national university system.