A shocking report has revealed that out of 186 law programs nationwide, only 36 have received valid accreditation. This figure, representing a mere 19% of the total, presents a concerning picture of the current state of legal education in Korea, one of the country's most in-demand majors. This announcement by the National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education (ANEAES) raises serious questions about the quality management of legal education.
The remaining 150 (81%) law programs are currently unaccredited. Due to the significant impact graduates of law have on individuals' lives and society as a whole, law is one of six majors, along with medicine, dentistry, engineering, architecture, and agricultural engineering, that are legally mandated to undergo evaluation and accreditation procedures. Despite this legal obligation, the fact that the majority of law programs do not meet accreditation standards raises serious concerns about the quality of education.
Currently, the 186 law programs are distributed across 40 universities and 1 higher education institution. However, only 19 of these institutions have at least one accredited law program. Among these 19 institutions, 67% are private institutions, and 33% are public institutions. In terms of the number of accredited programs, private universities hold more with 22 programs, compared to 14 programs at public universities.
Looking at the geographical distribution of accredited law programs, the largest concentration is in the metropolitan area with 10 programs, followed by Itapúa with 6, Alto Paraná with 5, and Central with 3. Additionally, Amambay, Caaguazú, San Pedro, and Canindeyú provinces each have 2 accredited programs, while Guairá, Misiones, Paraguarí, and Ñeembucú provinces each have only 1 accredited program. This indicates a concentration of legal education resources in specific regions.
According to the ANEAES report, accreditation for three programs has been postponed. Two of these belong to the National University of Asunción (UNA), and one belongs to the Superior Institute of Legal Sciences (EDUPCA).
Meanwhile, ANEAES emphasized that some programs, despite their accreditation periods having expired, have maintained their accreditation status by re-registering under the new regulatory framework (Resolution N° 229/2023). This new regulation provides institutions with the flexibility to maintain their accreditation status by allowing registration at any time of the year.
This report suggests an urgent need for in-depth discussions and policy efforts to improve the quality of higher education in Paraguay, especially in the field of law. As training legal professionals is essential for achieving social justice, strengthening accreditation standards and rigorously managing unaccredited programs are imperative.
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