The higher education system in Mexico at the threshold of change

Education in Mexico wants restructuring since the signing of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by Canada, Mexico and the United States in 1994. In higher education a new policy has been adopted to increase the enrollment, but a simultaneous improvement in quality is also needed. Nevertheless it clashes with old academic structures. This article analyzes this situation in six sections: (1) introduction; (2) key features of the Mexican higher education system; (3) main problems of higher education; (4) solutions proposed, resources required and expected outcomes; (5) effects of the free trade agreement; and (6) conclusions.