The 1990s saw important changes in Mexican higher education as reforms in regard to financing, evaluation, and access were enacted. During the same period, various higher education studies research communities emerged and the field consolidated in Mexico. Yet, little is known about the development of the field of higher education studies in Mexico and the formulation of higher education policy.
I analyze how a network of Mexican higher education researchers has taken part in the development of higher education studies and in the formulation of the country's policies during the 1990s. The study is framed by the concept of epistemic community , defined as a network of professionals with recognized expertise and competence and with an authoritative claim to policy-relevant knowledge within a domain or issue area. Empirically, the dissertation is grounded on interviews and questionnaires conducted with members involved or related to the higher education epistemic community in Mexico, as well as on the analysis of diverse materials and secondary sources. The analysis focuses on the research agendas and the intellectual, political and personal networks of this epistemic community both nationally and internationally. In the international arena, I explore the influence of four of the most important international organizations involved in Latin American higher education upon this epistemic community: The World Bank, the International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean-UNESCO, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Ford Foundation.
My analysis shows that members of the epistemic community played a significant role in the consolidation of the field and in the reform and modernization of Mexican higher education. I show that even when not directly involved in decision-making, members of this community influenced the issues of public debate and in some instances indirectly shaped policies. I also conclude that the four international organizations catalyzed the formation of networks, empowered some research communities, influenced research agendas, and in this way affected policy formulation in the country through the epistemic community of higher education.
