In this month’s edition of World Education News and Reviews,
we continue our review of the development of accreditation processes in higher education throughout Latin
America and the Caribbean. In this issue, we look at developments in the quality assurance procedures of
Guatemala and Honduras. These two countries are similar in that the notion of accreditation at public and
private institutions of higher education is a relatively new concept, but one that has been increasingly
explored as universities feel the pressure to conform to regional and international standards of academic
quality. The establishment of national systems of university accreditation in neighboring countries
(Costa Rica, El Salvador), the influence of regional organizations advocating for quality assurance practices,
and the proliferation of private higher education have all contributed to efforts in both
Guatemala and Honduras to initiate the process of improving academic standards at tertiary
institutions and the creation of national accreditation bodies.
