Institutional university admission policies in Argentina as an object of strategic planning

Abstract

The article analyzes admission policies at Argentina’s national universities and their relationship with institutional strategic planning. A qualitative study with a comparative perspective was conducted. The research included a documentary analysis of public, regulatory, and institutional information, as well as semi-structured interviews with key informants from Argentine national universities. The analysis considered the organizational arrangements governing admission, the mechanisms implemented, and their articulation with student trajectories. Different institutional configurations of admission were identified, including centralized and decentralized management models, as well as differences in content, assessment, and student support mechanisms. The findings show that admission is linked to decisions concerning enrollment, resource allocation, student retention, and inclusion; therefore, it goes beyond an administrative function and becomes relevant to institutional management. The study concludes that admission policies constitute a strategic dimension of university management. Their articulation with information, monitoring, and evaluation systems can contribute to integrating access, retention, and graduation within an institutional policy oriented toward inclusion, academic quality, and organizational sustainability.