ULA Faculty Links Regional Ranking Decline to Budget Cuts and Infrastructure Decay

According to the source consulted, according to the consulted report, members of the faculty group Unidos por el Cambio at Universidad de Los Andes, based at its Táchira campus, stated that reductions in state budget allocations and deteriorating academic infrastructure have adversely affected the institution's performance, leading to an estimated drop of 60 positions in Latin American university rankings.

Academic representatives highlighted the impact that scarce public funds have placed on everyday operations and institutional standards. In this context, Dr. Rafael Labrador, a professor in the Faculty of Medicine, noted that current financial conditions are severely compromised, prompting calls to shift away from exclusive reliance on state budgets toward operational structures capable of generating independent revenue.

Labrador pointed out that the loss of standing across regional evaluations occurred primarily between 2019 and 2022. To counter this trend and regain prominence on international academic benchmarks, he stressed that the university must urgently revitalize scientific research projects and enhance professional placement opportunities for graduates in the domestic job market.

Universidad de Los Andes is an autonomous Venezuelan public institution of higher education founded in Mérida in 1785, operating regional facilities including the Pedro Rincón Gutiérrez campus in Táchira state. Dr. Rafael Labrador is a physician and faculty member in the university's Faculty of Medicine, participating in academic and faculty movements.