The Commission for Academic Development (CTDA) in Panama faces a dual challenge: to meet growing demand without sacrificing academic quality. In 2025, the landscape is clear: there are more proposed careers than approved ones, and the system has yet to catch up. McLaughlin stated that delays in approvals are due to multiple factors, but did not provide details. She also questioned whether the commission would be limiting the approval of new careers, which, in her opinion, affects the country's academic development. Meanwhile, the president of Auppa, José Nieto Rojas, warned that the failure to meet the deadlines established by Law 52 of 2015 and Resolution 723-AL of 2022 has caused delays of one to three years in the approval of academic programs. Of the 125 career updates, 64 have been approved and 47 remain under evaluation. He also noted that no program in the process of updating is rejected; however, they must meet the evaluators' observations for the approval resolution to be issued. The commission is made up of five members, one from each public university, and meets monthly to evaluate study plans and programs. In the case of the 64 new programs, only 14 have been approved, while 45 are still in process; that is, approximately 2 out of every 10 new careers manage to get approval. In the last six years, 1,089 curricular designs have entered the university system, which confirms a true avalanche of new proposals. For example, in 2024, of 252 proposals, only 96 were approved, while 133 remained under evaluation; and in 2023, of 136 proposals, only 63 obtained approval. Few rejections, many delays. A fact that draws attention is the low number of rejected files. This situation, he pointed out, generates uncertainty in the sector and places Panama at a disadvantage compared to other countries in the region. Thus, with accumulated delays and growing questioning, the career approval system faces a critical point, whose outcome will be decisive for the competitiveness and future of higher education in Panama. The professor and presidential advisor Miguel Antonio Bernal requested the comptroller Anel Flores to audit the funds managed by the body, due to delays in procedures and practices that, he said, affect the country's educational system. The request arose amid concerns about delays in the approval of new careers and updates of study plans, especially in private universities, which impacts the academic development and competitiveness of Panama. According to the Association of Private Universities of Panama (Auppa), the CTDA would not be complying with the legal deadline of 30 days to respond to requests, despite charging 50% of the processing fee in advance. Bernal stated that these irregularities warranted a thorough investigation, which could involve not only the Comptroller General's Office, but also the Ministry of Education and the Public Ministry. However, more than half have not yet been approved, according to its executive secretary, Myrna McLaughlin, during her appearance this week before the Commission on Education, Culture and Sports of the National Assembly. Of that total, 78 proposals have been approved, 92 continue to be evaluated, and 19 still do not have a final report. Only in 2025, 111 files were still in process, reflecting the accumulation of unresolved cases. The increase in curricular designs evidences the universities' intention to expand their academic offer, but also shows a strained system, with hundreds of pending proposals each year. However, the approval rate does not keep up with demand, leading to accumulation and delays. It is made up of representatives from the University of Panama, the Technological University of Panama, the Specialized University of the Americas, the Autonomous University of Chiriquí, and the International Maritime University of Panama. Likewise, the CTDA must present an annual accountability report before the plenary of the body, which is sent to the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama as part of the requirements for its operation. Delays and criticisms. In this context, the management of the CTDA had already been the subject of questioning in September 2025. This means that more than 58% of the programs do not have a definitive decision, which evidences the pressure facing the Panamanian university system. The breakdown by type of program reveals significant differences. In years like 2021, 2024, and 2025, almost no formal denials are recorded, which suggests that many proposals are not discarded, but remain in prolonged evaluation. The Commission for Academic Development (CTDA), chaired by the University of Panama (UP), received a total of 189 study plans and programs in 2025, between new careers and updates of existing ones.
