Higher education institutions recognized by competent authorities

 Law 30 of July 20, 2006 recognizes the right to create, organize and implement, in the Republic of Panama, universities that focus on the precepts established by said Law, regulating the creation of national and private universities throughout the Panamanian territory.  This same law establishes that the Panamanian State has the principal responsibility of offering and sustaining public higher university education as a public good.  (Law 30, Art. 31).

The private universities function with the authorization of the Executive Branch, through the Ministry of Education, on a provisional basis for a period of six (6) years during which supervision and follow-up actions will be taken to verify compliance with the requisites under which the respective university is authorized to operate.  A Favorable Technical Report from the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama (in Spanish, CONEAUPA) is required for the creation process of the universities, based on the Oversight Commission’s Report, which is made up of the five (5) national universities.  After six (6) years, if merited, definitive authorization will be granted by executive decree.

There are currently 5 national universities and 31 private universities authorized by the State to operate.

Through Law 30, the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama (CONEAUPA) is established as the entity responsible for evaluating the quality of the universities for which respective guidelines are being drawn up that will give guidance to the university evaluation and accreditation processes.

The online directory of recognized universities authorized to function in Panama can be found on the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama (CONEAUPA) website at http://www.coneaupa.edu.pa