Higher technical education in Mexico. History, current status and perspectives

Abstract

This work is an approximation of the evolution and function the public sector has developed in higher technical public education (EST for its acronym in Spanish) in Mexico, arising from the reform policies targeted at this education level, launched by the federal government in the last 20 years; said reforms have taken the sector towards its proper differentiation by integrating public institutions included in three sub-systems: federal and decentralized technological institutes and polytechnic universities. In order to know the institutional development of each subsystem, as well as the policies established for this sector, the starting point is the history of the EST in Mexico; followed by a display of the current status showing each of the subsystems of technical education, including the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN for its acronym in Spanish), underlining the different modes of education, career portfolios, enrollment and social impact; last some of the trends of this mode of education in the public sector are outlined.