Higher education developments in Venezuela and Colombia

Higher education institutions in Venezuela and Colombia have entered new academic phases. In late September 2026, universities such as the Universidad Nacional Experimental Simón Rodríguez in Venezuela and Universidad Santo Tomás in Colombia began their 2026-II terms with student orientations and faculty inductions.

Concurrently, the 2027 QS Latin America & The Caribbean University Rankings evaluated 517 institutions across 27 countries. In Venezuela, four universities placed within the top 100 in the region: Universidad Central de Venezuela (38th), Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (81st), Universidad Simón Bolívar (84th), and Universidad de Los Andes (95th). This academic standing was noted despite domestic issues such as talent flight and budgetary constraints.

Across the broader region, the Universidad de São Paulo (USP) maintained its second-place position in Latin America, followed by Universidad Estatal de Campinas (3rd), Universidad Federal de Río de Janeiro (5th), and Universidad Estatal Paulista (6th). In Ecuador, the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) reached 29th place, becoming the top-ranked institution in its country. Other notable shifts included Mexico’s Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP) advancing three positions and Honduras’ Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH) climbing into the 181–190 range.