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Copyright (c) 2026 Sinéctica http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Anxiety, failure, and academic performance in health sciences university students
With the increase in university enrollment, anxiety among undergraduate students is becoming more evident, especially in health-related fields, due to the academic workload, constant evaluations, and lack of emotional support. In order to evaluate the relationship between anxiety, failure and academic performance in university students from the south of Mexico in the health area, a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional study with a descriptive-correlational approach was carried out. Anxiety was assessed with the Beck Anxiety Inventory, failure by direct questioning and academic performance through the institutional Kardex. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were applied for data analysis. A total of 308 first-year university students participated, with an average age of 20.15 years. The results in anxiety revealed a mean of 21, highlighting a higher prevalence in the mild and moderate levels. Failure affected 51.3% of the students, and in terms of academic performance a mean of 83.4 was obtained, with differences by gender. Significant correlations were found between anxiety, failure and academic performance, being the relationship with academic performance negative. It is recommended to implement preventive strategies for coping with anxiety and emotional support mechanisms in university students.
anxiety, academic performance, failure, university students
Neuroeducational principles in higher education: Wellbeing, human development, and citizenship
The article analyzes associations between the application of neuroeducational principles and dimensions of learning, socioeducational well-being, academic interaction, and civic education among university students within a specific institutional context. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional design and an exploratory, descriptive, and correlational scope, focused on relationships among variables without establishing causal inferences. The study was conducted at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, in the Architecture and Industrial Design programs, during the 2023–2024 academic period. The sample consisted of 314 students from different academic pathways. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, naturalistic observation, and document analysis. The findings, integrated through methodological triangulation, show associations between neuroeducational teaching strategies and self-regulation, motivation, socioeducational well-being, academic collaboration, and the emotional climate of the learning environment. Relationships were also identified among teacher feedback, psychoeducational support, and perceived quality of the educational experience, suggesting consistent interactions between pedagogical and socioemotional dimensions. Civic education was associated with participation, collaboration, and shared responsibility. The study concludes that neuroeducational principles are related to formative conditions of learning and well-being in the analyzed context, without implying causality or generalization to other educational settings. Overall, results provide situated evidence for higher education research and practice.
neuroeducation, learning environments, human development, citizenship, academic community, higher education
Uses of pedagogical theories: Keys for a critical epistemological reflection
The article aims to propose epistemological keys for rethinking the use of pedagogical theories in the analysis of educational reality. It is framed within a critical epistemological perspective from which the relationship between theory and reality in the pedagogical field is examined, on the understanding that theories are historical constructions that must be problematized and contextualized. Methodologically, the study is grounded in a theoretical-critical reflection supported by conceptual review and dialogue with authors in the tradition of critical pedagogy. The analysis is based on the distinction between theoretical thinking and epistemic thinking, between totality and knowing everything, between history and the historical moment, as well as on the need to situate the political within the pedagogical and to place the subjects of education at the center. The findings show that the uncritical use of theories limits the understanding of educational reality. It concludes that rethinking such uses from a critical and situated perspective strengthens educational understanding and transformation in concrete historical and social contexts.
epistemology, educational theory, education, critical thinking
Teaching practice with adolescents in conflict with the law: A case study at CERSAI 1 in Chihuahua, Mexico
The article analyzes teaching practices in the educational and socio-emotional support of adolescents deprived of liberty at the Centro de Reinserción Social para Adolescentes Infractores 1, in Chihuahua, Mexico. The study is grounded in specialized literature and theoretical approaches to education in contexts of confinement, which emphasize its role as a protective factor. Methodologically, it is a qualitative, non-experimental study, developed through a case study design and in-depth interviews. The instrument was previously validated by a panel of three experts, obtaining a content validity coefficient of 0.826 and an average statistical error probability of 0.0032. The interviews were conducted with 66% of the teaching staff, selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The results show that the construction of trust-based relationships, emotional support, and pedagogical strategies sensitive to the context of confinement foster students’ appropriation of educational spaces and academic motivation. The study concludes that teachers transcend their academic role by addressing students’ emotional needs and, in many cases, compensating for the absence of positive family role models.
juvenile offenders, juvenile delinquency, social reintegration, prison pedagogy, contexts of deprivation of liberty
Pre-service English teachers’ reading comprehension beliefs, reading frequency, gender, and academic progress
Research on reading beliefs has generally focused on belief types, such as implicit theories (ITs), rather than on clusters of belief types, or IT schemas. This study describes the ITs and IT schemas of Mexican undergraduate pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language from dimensional and typological perspectives. It also examines associations among ITs, schemas, reading frequency and genre variety, gender, and year of study. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design was used, drawing on the locally developed Scale of Implicit Theories of Reading Comprehension. Five ITs were identified. The Receptive Polyphonic IT was the most prevalent, whereas the Rhetorical Sourcing IT was the least common. Participant variables were not associated with these ITs, except for the Critical IT, which tended to increase with academic progress. The schema-based approach showed that most participants were multischematic, meaning that they held more than one IT. Participants who reported reading more frequently and across more genres tended to be multischematic and to hold more epistemic-interactive ITs, whereas less frequent readers tended to be monoschematic or aschematic. These findings suggest that promoting frequent reading across diverse genres may support greater schematic diversity and more systematic multiple-document comprehension practices in university-level academic reading instruction.
academic progress, beliefs, gender, reading comprehension, reading frequency
Addictive internet use in university students: A psychodynamic group intervention
This article analyzed the subjective meanings associated with addictive internet use among university students, as well as the reflective processes that emerged during a psychodynamic group intervention. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted, with an initial diagnostic assessment and a final evaluation carried out through focus groups. Eleven university students participated, of whom 10 completed the process, with a mean age of 21 years, and were selected through a preliminary questionnaire. The intervention was conducted in three phases: diagnosis, implementation, and evaluation. The findings showed a shift from predominantly ego-syntonic internet use, associated with habit and entertainment, toward a more reflective understanding linked to emotional avoidance and patterns of use that were difficult to regulate. Processes of de-idealization of the digital object and greater flexibility in defensive responses such as denial and rationalization were also identified, along with indications of a more explicit critical appraisal and affect regulation processes. In the group studied, the intervention was accompanied by processes of self-reflection, affective symbolization, and emotional awareness, suggesting the relevance of these types of interventions in university settings.
addictive internet use, mental health, psychodynamic group intervention, university students, reflection group, qualitative study
TikTok addiction among university health students
This study aimed to assess problematic TikTok use among university students in health-related programs and to examine its association with sociodemographic and academic variables, particularly age and sex. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational design was used with a sample of 825 students from Nursing, Medicine, Nutrition, and Psychology programs at two public universities in northwestern Mexico. Data were collected through an online questionnaire that included a validated TikTok addiction scale organized into three dimensions: obsession, lack of personal control, and excessive use. The results showed low to moderate levels of problematic engagement with the platform, with excessive use and self-regulation difficulties being the most prominent features. No statistically significant differences were found by sex. However, relevant associations were observed with age, academic program, and number of failed courses, as younger students and those with greater academic delay reported higher levels of problematic TikTok use. The findings suggest that problematic TikTok use is not a uniform phenomenon in this population; rather, it is linked to self-regulation and academic performance, underscoring the importance of preventive strategies in university settings.
addiction, problematic social media use, TikTok, higher education
School mental health in Chile: An analysis from a human rights perspective
The objective of this study was to analyze public action on mental health in the school context from a human rights perspective. To this end, twelve ministerial documents addressing the role of school communities in this area were examined. The findings show that these documents recognize a broad range of rights related to mental health and education, supported by legal frameworks that promote an approach centered on integral well-being. However, this recognition operates mainly at the declarative level, without sufficient mechanisms for enforceability, oversight, or sanctions. Although schools are positioned as key actors in prevention, the documents do not specify the resources or monitoring systems needed to sustain this responsibility. The study concludes that schools are called upon to care without being cared for, creating a form of asymmetric co-responsibility in which the State occupies a marginal and limited role.
mental health, well-being, public policies, human rights
Andragogy and the experience of adult learning in rural communities: A phenomenological study
The objective of this study is to analyze the learning process of adults in rural community contexts from the principles of andragogy, based on the formative experiences of individuals who resumed their educational trajectories. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach, with a descriptive phenomenological design, employing in-depth interviews to explore participants’ lived experiences and the meanings they attribute to learning. The phenomenological approach made it possible to understand how participants interpret their educational experiences, considering motivational, affective, and sociocultural dimensions. The results indicate that adult learning in rural communities is characterized by self-directed learning, the pursuit of immediate practical relevance, the need for personal recognition, and the importance of horizontal educational relationships mediated by the facilitator. It is concluded that the incorporation of andragogical principles into community-based education promotes more relevant, flexible, and experience-centered learning processes, contributing to the strengthening of personal and community development.
andragogy, community education, adult learning, phenomenology, motivation
Curricular decolonization from Afro-Descendant epistemologies: Toward a pedagogy of cognitive justice in teacher education
The objective of this article is to provide a theoretical reflection on the role of Afro-descendant epistemologies in the transformation of curriculum and teacher education in Colombia. Methodologically, it develops a hermeneutic-critical analysis based on dialogue with key authors. The approach is framed within a decolonial perspective that questions the persistence of a colonial matrix of knowledge in the modern school. As a result, it is argued that this matrix perpetuates racial and epistemic hierarchies, and it proposes understanding curricular decolonization not as thematic inclusion, but as a profound reconfiguration of the criteria of knowledge validity. In conclusion, it is maintained that Afro-descendant epistemologies constitute an ethical and political foundation for a pedagogy of cognitive justice, oriented toward repairing epistemic harm and recognizing community-based knowledge, thereby framing ethnoeducation as the construction of a plural, relational, and emancipatory school.
Afro-descendant epistemologies, decoloniality, curriculum, cognitive justice, teacher training
Racism and emotions in everyday school life in the province of Jujuy, Argentina
This article reflects on how structural racism manifests, becomes naturalized, and is reproduced within the school environment. Based on a historical-ethnographic research approach, it analyzes a specific situation recorded during fieldwork in a secondary school in the province of Jujuy, Argentina, using participant observation and interviews. In a context shaped by the historical presence of Indigenous peoples and Bolivian migrants, the voices of a student, their peer group, and an institutional actor are recovered to explore how racist practices—although not always explicitly named—operate in everyday school interactions and generate significant emotional impacts. Experiences of shame, anger, fear, and intersubjective care are interpreted as social and historical configurations that shape the educational trajectories of racialized subjects. Furthermore, the article argues that schools, far from being neutral spaces, can reproduce affective inequalities that silence or delegitimize pain. It concludes that it is essential to intervene in the norms, institutional projects, planning, and pedagogical practices that structure school life, in order to create conditions that enable the symbolic processing of pain and contribute to the eradication of racism within educational settings.
racism, emotions, high school, racialized students
Epistemic racism and curricular exclusion in rural economic education: Evidence from formal education systems
Economic education has gained relevance as a school competency, particularly in urban and secondary-level contexts. However, rural settings remain largely invisible in discussions on economic literacy and educational justice. This study critically analyzes the approaches, conditions, and experiences related to the teaching of economics in rural educational contexts, aiming to identify gaps, curricular hegemonies, and pedagogical alternatives. A systematic review of scientific literature published between 2016 and 2025 was conducted using the Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO databases. After applying rigorous inclusion and analysis criteria, six empirical studies were selected. Findings reveal a significant disparity in academic production, with a predominance of technocratic models, limited contextualization, and minimal integration of local knowledge or critical perspectives. Institutional constraints that hinder pedagogical innovation are also identified, although some experiences resist traditional models through participatory and situated methodologies. The study concludes that: a) economics education in rural areas is shaped by structural and epistemic exclusions; b) prevailing pedagogical models reinforce inequalities rather than address them; c) institutional conditions are crucial for transformation; and d) emerging counter-hegemonic practices offer potential for more just and context-sensitive educational proposals.
economic education, rural areas, educational innovation, epistemic exclusion, epistemic racism
Coya territory and identity: Student perceptions of racism
This article aims to understand what it means to identify as Coya from the perspective of young people from a Technical Education School located in the Puna region of Salta Province, Argentina. Through frieze workshops and participant observation, data linked to emotional experiences, self-perceptions, and forms of violence and racism were documented. The fieldwork is part of an ongoing research project aimed at understanding the emotional experiences constructed by Indigenous students and their relationship to racism in the sociodynamics of school stigmatization. Among the results, it is noted that recognizing oneself as Coya entails two ambivalent processes: on the one hand, it implies feelings of pride and dignity, and on the other, it entails feelings of shame and self-loathing. This depends on the context of social interaction in which the students are identified or presented as such. Thus, the same identity marker operates as a sign that exalts within the community itself and, at the same time, becomes a sign of inferiority in other spaces, such as urban areas. This shows that territories are not neutral, but rather scenarios configured by devices of racial classification and hierarchization.
coya, racism, territory, identity, students
Building critical interculturalism against racism. Experiences of indigenous youth university students
Racism produces and reproduces inequalities and forms of exclusion affecting populations that are wrongly labeled as minorities. Examining racism across its different dimensions and territorial expressions helps explain how it operates in educational settings, particularly in higher education institutions. This article analyzes the role of critical interculturality within a university as a practical and politically grounded response to racism in educational contexts. The study adopted a qualitative-interpretive approach and used a Google Forms questionnaire consisting of 18 open-ended items addressing experiences of racism in education and the recognition of interculturality as a framework for resistance and redress. Responses were analyzed through discourse analysis informed by diatopic hermeneutics. The findings show that racism operates both interpersonally and structurally and is shaped by ethnic and gender-based factors in university settings, as illustrated by the case of the Intercultural University of Chiapas. The article concludes that fostering critical interculturality in university educational processes strengthens social awareness, challenges power relations, and contributes to the consolidation of onto-epistemic justice in contexts of exclusion and discrimination that continue to shape university life and students’ experiences.
exclusion, indigenous peoples, critical interculturality, university students, ethnic discrimination
Racism and education: Effects on the subjective constitution of students
This study examines the manifestations of racism in the educational sphere through the relationship between social classifications, emotional experiences, and bodily practices that hinder or foster inclusion. From a sociopsychic and historical-cultural perspective, it adopts a qualitative approach that brings together critical sociology, body studies, and the affective turn through in-depth interviews. The theoretical framework challenges the separation between emotion and reason and highlights the political dimension of affects in the reproduction of inequalities. The findings show that the body functions as a marker of distinction or exclusion, producing forms of social suffering and violence. On this basis, the study argues that schools can contribute to denaturalizing discriminatory classifications and promoting critical pedagogies aimed at understanding subjective experiences and transforming power relations.
racism, education, body, emotions, inequality
The body and racism in the university trajectory of Zapotec women from the isthmus of Tehuantepec
This article aims to describe the manifestations of racism experienced by a group of Zapotec women during their time in university and their effects on the processes of subject materialization. The methodology was qualitative and consisted of applying semi-structured interviews to women from the isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca. Through a theoretical approach drawn from body studies, feminist studies, and studies on racism in Mexico, this article shows that the experience of racism produces corporeal practices of erasure (borramiento). These are modifications in the ways of speaking, dressing, and expressing oneself, whose intention is to discipline and normalize the body. The testimonies reveal that the experience of racism produces feelings of loneliness, anger, and grief, hence the necessity to avoid it. However, this erasure has long-term effects: upon finishing university and returning to their communities of origin, the body is read as "suspicious," having erased the corporeal characteristics that constitute identity and belonging, such as the Zapotec language, accent, and the use of traditional clothing. This text intends to name the influence of racism on the becoming of subjects and its long-term effects, even after the university trajectory has concluded.
Students’ reflections on racism and its eradication. An intercultural approach to anti-racist education
Racism constitutes a structural phenomenon that is also reproduced within higher education institutions, where students are among the groups most frequently affected. However, students do not always recognize that their own practices—or the aggressions they experience—are part of the broader spectrum of racist manifestations. The purpose of this study was to identify and render visible such expressions within the student community to develop intervention strategies grounded in an intercultural approach. Using an action research methodology, participatory workshops were conducted between 2024 and 2025 with undergraduate students in the Pedagogy program at Universidad Veracruzana (Xalapa campus), drawing on materials from the Initiative for the Eradication of Racism in Higher Education. The findings indicate that throughout their educational trajectories, participants have encountered racist situations both at the university level and in earlier stages of schooling. In addition, they identify related issues such as violence, discrimination, and class-based prejudice.
Weaving anti-racist teacher training between universities in Mexico and Colombia
This article presents the results of a research project that also incorporates a training intervention based on the Teacher Training Diploma in Antiracist and Intercultural Pedagogies, developed by the National Pedagogical University of Mexico and the University of Cauca in Colombia. Teachers from basic and upper secondary education in Latin America participated in the program through dialogue and collaboration during 2023 and 2024. From a qualitative and participatory perspective, the diploma program identified the presence of racism in the daily life of school and classroom settings, as well as the scope of antiracist and intercultural pedagogies. Among the key findings is that, despite structural and institutional limitations, there are possibilities for transforming educational practice by making visible and naming racism against Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and migrant populations. This involves mobilizing and transforming conceptions and stereotypes circulating in schools to promote antiracist action and enhance teacher training that impacts the educational processes of children and young people.
teacher training, anti-racist pedagogies, intercultural pedagogies, racism
Racism in the Mexican academy against highly educated indigenous and afro-descendant women
This article problematizes situations of mistreatment and racism directed at highly educated Indigenous and Afro-descendant women. It begins by examining how access to higher and postgraduate education for Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities has developed in parallel with processes of criminalization affecting these groups. Subsequently, the article draws on a body of literature that documents the entry of Indigenous and Afro-descendant individuals into higher education. Through a critical perspective on mestizaje in Mexico and on whiteness as an institutional practice embedded within racial formation projects, the analysis examines institutional practices through cases of racism in research centers and postgraduate programs across different Mexican states. These cases reveal how racism based on skin color, linguistic racism, and epistemic racism operate. Finally, the article concludes by addressing the following questions: What does it mean to close the doors of academia to highly educated Indigenous and Afro-descendant women? And how does this compel a rethinking of the logics of privilege and whiteness in Mexico?
women, racism, academia, whiteness, mestizaje
Copyright (c) 2025 Sinéctica http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Social engagement of university students: Experiences in an institution education higher private in Chiapas
The objective of this article is to understand the experiences of social engagement in three academic programs at a private higher education institution in Chiapas. A case study design was employed to analyze the relationship between university and society among students enrolled in the undergraduate programs of Pedagogy, Public Accounting, and Law. The research was conducted using a qualitative, inductive-explanatory methodology, structured in two data collection phases. In the first phase, a diagnostic questionnaire was administered to students to explore their educational trajectories and experiences of social engagement through professional internships and community service. In the second phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with faculty and administrative staff to deepen the understanding of these experiences. The sample consisted of 26 students and 7 faculty members or administrators. The data were analyzed using a qualitative thematic approach, which allowed for the identification of patterns and tensions concerning the university’s engagement with local communities. Among the main findings, it is noteworthy that although students value collaboration with local contexts, challenges remain regarding the long-term impact of engagement activities on their educational processes with community actors.
institution education higher private, social links, social services, professional practices
The part-time academic as researcher: Between teaching responsibilities and scholarly production
This study aims to analyze the labor and institutional conditions of part-time faculty members who, in addition to their teaching duties, conduct research as part of Mexico’s National System of Researchers. The study examines how their employment status affects the recognition of academic and scientific merit within the institutional context of a state public university, specifically focusing on faculty members from two different educational institutions (university centers) of the University of Guadalajara. A qualitative methodological strategy was employed, involving the participation of ten part-time faculty researchers through semi-structured interviews (conducted both in person and online). Fieldwork was carried out between January and May 2024. The results highlight dimensions related to the difficulties, inequities, motivations, and consequences of conducting research for this faculty member, which are interpreted through a theoretical approach linked to merit. Finally, the study contributes to the understanding of a relatively new actor within the Mexican academic profession, as well as some of the key challenges surrounding them at the labor, institutional, and personal levels.
Social justice in rural education policy for Chile and Mexico
The global health crisis has been resolved, yet its non-health consequences persist. The experience of education between 2020 and 2022 revealed the inconsistency of public policies toward vulnerable sectors, such as rural communities in Latin America. In particular, there has been a general decline in learning outcomes—confirmed by results on national and international standardized tests—while the solutions implemented have often been reductionist in contexts that demand greater sensitivity and contextualization. Teachers across the region have faced constant uncertainty. It is evident that the urgency of the situation led to improvisation in contingency planning. However, states must now move toward educational policies that ensure the fair distribution of resources and the dignified provision of services, which are essential for recognizing and supporting minority groups. Within this framework, teaching experiences from Chile and Mexico were analyzed in order to compare the objective and subjective advantages and disadvantages in rural territories. The findings redefined the professional effort required to teach—from reaching students in their homes to generating learning resources appropriate for remote areas. The results in rural schools highlighted the urgent need to reclaim social justice in the design of educational policies in both Chile and Mexico.
school management, social justice, covid-19 and territories, educational policies, Latin American rural schools
Everyone fits in the market by learning to adapt. Structure of private higher education in the State of Mexico
This article analyzes the structure of private higher education in the State of México, which ranks second nationally in private sector enrollment. It explores three key areas: the regulatory framework governing the validity of academic programs offered by private institutions; the growth of offerings with Official Recognition of Validity of Studies (RVOE) and their integration into the Autonomous University of the State of México; and the expansion of programs by municipality, field of study, and modality. The article also highlights a trend toward oligopolistic organization within the private sector. The data analyzed are drawn from statistical reports, legal statutes, and regulatory frameworks.The findings reveal that the consolidation of private higher education offerings has been uneven, largely due to the region’s socioeconomic heterogeneity. Furthermore, there is a marked concentration of offerings in particular municipalities, academic programs, modalities, and institutions. This market dynamic appears to result from governmental decisions granting the private sector broad autonomy in defining its educational offerings, the lenient oversight of RVOE procedures, and institutional strategies focused on maximizing profitability.
Higher education markets in Oaxaca: Shifts and continuities during the 2018–2024 administration
This paper analyzes the socio-spatial transformations of higher education markets in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, during the 2018–2024 presidential term, from the perspective of the geography of educational markets. Based on data from institutional sources, maps of higher education markets were developed for the state’s eight regions at both the beginning and end of the period, to compare changes in the provision of tertiary education. Data were collected on school-based higher education offerings (normal schools and bachelor's degrees), as well as on the type of administrative control (public or private). Additionally, the distribution of enrollment was analyzed at the state level, disaggregated by administrative control and gender. The results show a general increase in both the availability and enrollment in higher education; however, this growth is uneven and marked by territorial disparities: regions with a high concentration of institutions coexist with others offering few or no educational opportunities. The study concludes that, despite the overall expansion of educational offerings and enrollment, and certain advances in coverage and decentralization, there was no structural transformation of the higher education markets in Oaxaca during the 2018–2024 period.
higher education, access to education, educational opportunities, educational policy, regional imbalances
Tsotsil bats’i k’op in Ts’omolton, Chalchihuitán: monolingualism, identity and education
This article analyzes the symbolic system represented by bats’ik’op (“true” or “authentic” language, used to refer to Tsotsil and Tseltal) in the construction of identity among Tsotsil students in the community of Ts’omolton, municipality of Chalchihuitán, Chiapas. The study focuses on a monolingual community where language constitutes a highly valued identity marker. The objective is to examine the linguistic situation of the students and to understand the system of identity representation that language provides to its speakers. From an ethnographic perspective, the study seeks to capture the link between language and identity in the primary school context. The research is grounded in historical and sociopolitical processes that have strengthened Tsotsil identity in Chalchihuitán. It shows how local circumstances have contributed to preserving linguistic identity, as well as the debates surrounding the relevance of Tsotsil as the language of instruction. Among the findings, it is identified that the expulsion of Spanish speakers, isolation from urban influence, and the persistence of Tsotsil use within the community have helped prevent threats to its original linguistic identity.
bats'ik'op tsotsil, identity, indigenous education
Organizational change in private universities within Mexico’s accreditation context
Institutional and program accreditation has become a mechanism of self-regulation in Mexican higher education, operating within a market-driven logic. Consolidated private universities engage continuously in accreditation processes, strengthening their legitimacy and prestige, while those still striving for such recognition adopt a striving behavior to gain competitive advantages. Given ongoing debates about whether accreditation genuinely drives organizational transformation, this study asks: How does change occur in Mexican university organizations with different levels of institutional consolidation in the context of accreditation? A comparative case study was conducted involving Universidad La Salle Mexico City and Universidad Intercontinental, based on an adapted version of Pettigrew’s contextualist model. Using documentary sources and semi-structured interviews, the study found that accreditation acts as an external pressure to which organizations respond through discretionary internal adaptation. Changes were identified that align with accreditation agency criteria, along with strategic and reactive transformations shaped by resource allocation and internal perceptions of quality. Differences between the two cases are largely explained by the interplay of top-down and bottom-up implementation strategies. The findings suggest that organizational change in this context is complex, nonlinear, and shaped by both external pressures and internal dynamics.
institutional accreditation, change strategies, private universities in Mexico, Pettigrew’s model, higher education, organizational isomorphism
Quality in Catholic higher education in México: A case study
The main objective of this article is to describe the meaning and significance that the actors of a private Catholic university in the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara, Mexico, have constructed regarding the concept of educational quality. To achieve this, a three-year qualitative study was conducted using a case study approach. The methodology included semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and a focus group with internal participants from the institution. This approach made it possible to capture the interpretive richness and the plurality of perspectives surrounding the concept of educational quality. The findings reveal that, in this Catholic university, the notion of quality is dynamic and multifaceted, encompassing both economic and humanistic perspectives. It is evident that the practical interpretation of quality by institutional actors often goes beyond the formally established philosophical ideals, resulting in the adaptation of policies and practices to simultaneously meet labor market demands and fulfill the university’s social mission. In conclusion, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how Catholic universities negotiate, reinterpret, and redefine the concept of educational quality in a context of increasing competition within higher education.
quality in Catholic higher education, private university management, perceptions of educational quality, Mexican Catholic universities, integration of economy-humanism in education