Access to higher education in Ecuador: a debt of the public administration

Abstract

In Ecuador, access to higher education continues to be conditioned by deep social, economic, and territorial inequalities, revealing a pending debt owed by the public administration to equitably guarantee this right. The lack of effective policies, insufficient investment, and a lack of support for vulnerable populations limit educational opportunities and deepen structural gaps, negatively impacting national development. This study aims to analyze the barriers that hinder access to higher education in Ecuador, with a particular focus on the role and responsibility of the public administration in ensuring the effective guarantee of this right. To this end, a qualitative and documentary approach was employed, based on the analysis of regulations, official data, and academic literature from entities such as the Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, the Higher Education Council, and the Higher Education Quality Assurance Council. The main findings indicate that, despite regulatory advances and institutional efforts, significant territorial gaps, deficiencies in funding, and exclusionary admissions mechanisms persist. Consequently, access to higher education remains a pending issue for the Ecuadorian public administration, which demands the implementation of more comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable policies.