More resources for public higher education

The Colombian Congress has approved the most significant financial strengthening of public higher education in recent decades. This involves reforming Articles 86 and 87 of Law 30 of 1992, which has completed its legislative process and now awaits presidential approval. This decision will structurally increase the resources allocated to state universities, technical and technological institutions, and higher education institutions, establishing fairer funding rules and ensuring their long-term sustainability.

The Minister of National Education, Daniel Rojas Medellín, highlighted that this achievement is the result of a historic struggle by the student movement:
“Ten years ago, thousands of students took to the streets to demand funding for public universities. Today we can say that that struggle was not in vain; it is now the Law of the Republic.” The Ministry of Education reiterated its commitment to a comprehensive reform of the system, which recognizes education as a right and as a fundamental pillar for building peace and development in the country.

With this decision, Congress approved a new funding model that will allow higher education institutions, within the framework of their autonomy, to address a long-standing need. For years, funding for public universities grew far below their actual requirements: while enrollment increased steadily, resources did not keep pace, affecting academic quality, access, and institutional sustainability.

The reform establishes a fairer financing scheme that better reflects the realities of the system by recognizing the actual variations in the operating costs of public institutions. This moves away from a limited model, tied solely to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is clearly insufficient to address the sector's dynamics.

From now on, the Nation's contributions will be updated based on the Higher Education Cost Index (ICES), calculated by DANE, which will allow a more equitable, stable and sustainable allocation of resources for the country's public universities.

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