Research Governance and Capacity Building in Peruvian Public Universities: Navigating Autonomy, Quality, and Regional Disparities

Abstract

Following the 2014 university reform and subsequent legislative shifts introduced in 2022 through Law 31520, Peru’s higher education system is navigating a critical tension between state-led quality assurance and institutional autonomy. While scientific production tripled between 2015 and 2020, over 80% of public university output remains outside high-impact quartiles, highlighting a divergence between volume and excellence. Furthermore, acute structural asymmetries persist, with 60% of researchers and 40% of doctoral programs concentrated in Lima. This paper analyzes how current governance structures shape research capacity and argues for a transition from bureaucratic compliance to a differentiated governance framework. Grounded in the Holistic Maturity Model (MMU-PE), the study proposes a shift toward maturity-based performance funding to optimize public budget execution for research development in Peru’s peripheral public universities. This risk of institutional "autarchy" or a severe rollback of quality metrics stems from a specific governance mechanism introduced by Law 31520: the structural restructuring of SUNEDU’s board of directors to directly re-incorporate active university rectors and institutional representatives into the regulatory body. By dissolving the independent, competitive selection process of regulators, this composition creates an inherent conflict of interest, transforming an external supervisory body back into a self-regulating guild. This structural shift allows underperforming institutions to block external accountability measures, threatening the enforcement of Basic Quality Conditions (CBC). Finally, the paper advocates for institutional alliances where established research hubs act as anchors to serve as administrative proxy handlers for joint research funds, protecting peripheral partners from procurement backlogs without breaking national financial codes.