CONTEMPORARY UNIVERSITIES, INNOVATION, AND INTERNATIONALIZATION: CHALLENGES IN BUILDING WORLD-CLASS INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

The restructuring of the political economy of higher education imposes the hegemony of managerial models guided by global metrics and international rankings. This trend subordinates academic management to market logic and alters the allocation of investments, directly affecting institutions located on the peripheries of capitalism. Based on these dynamics, this study investigates the following central question: How do the concept of a “world-class university” and the hegemony of global academic rankings reshape the governance, research priorities, and social function of higher education institutions on the peripheries of capitalism? To address this issue, the general objective is defined as a critical analysis of the concept of the “world-class university,” examining the origins of its metrics and the implications of its hegemony over university governance. The specific objectives aim to map the theoretical origins of this concept, examine the criteria of global rankings, and discuss the impacts of productivism on academic autonomy and teaching work. The methodology employs qualitative literature review with an analytical approach. The results indicate that the pursuit of higher rankings in these indicators deepens epistemological dependence, intensifies the precariousness of academic work, and alienates scientific production from local social demands, leading to the conclusion that it is necessary to defend the university’s autonomy and public function.