The diffusion of quality assurance policies in mercosur

Abstract

This paper analyzes the process of formulation, decision and implementation of the regional policy of quality assurance in mercosur and assesses its diffusion in the domestic legal and political systems. The effects of regional regulation are assessed in each country, identifying institutional changes, as well as highlighting the elements that led to such courses of action. The analysis of the process and its results allows us to identify the mechanisms of influence that operated in the process of diffusion of policies and the actors, interests and ideas about regional accreditation and a globally competitive academic market. Key words: policy diffusion, accreditation, higher education, mercosur, regulatory regionalism.