Higher Education in Mexico

Study Abroad Mexico. In the year 2000, there were 1663 institutions of higher education: 658 public institutions and 1005 private institutions. Through their economic dependence or regime they are divided into: a subsystem of public universities; technological education institutions; technological universities; private institutions and teacher training colleges. The public subsystem includes 45 institutions, considering the central units which carry out teaching, research and extension services. In this category are included the federal and state universities. Most public universities are autonomous. The technological institutions include 147 public institutions, 102 of which are part of the Centre of Research and Advanced Studies of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, the federal technological institutions, the agricultural institutes, the institutes of marine sciences and a forest technological institute. All these institutions are coordinated by the Federal Government through the Under Secretariat of Education and Technological Research of the Public Education Secretariat. The other 45 institutions are decentralized institutions of the state governments. The technological universities are public decentralized organisations of the state governments. They were created as from 1991 to offer two-year programmes to train associate professionals. In the year 2000, there were 38 technological universities. To obtain a diploma, students must be successful in all subjects, carry out social services and have followed a traineeship in the productive sector of 13 to 15 weeks. Private institutions comprise: universities, institutes and centres. Studies must have received  the Reconocimiento de Validez Oficial de Estudios (RVOE) of the Secretariat for Public Education or the state governments or be incorporated in a public recognized institution.Courses in teacher training colleges last for four to six years. They train licenciados in pre-school education, in primary education and in secondary education. In the year 2000, there were some 357 teacher training colleges, 220 of which are public and 137 are private.

Languages of instruction: Spanish