The COVID-19 Pandemic as an Institutional Stress Test: University Management in Four Latin American Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic required universities to reorganize teaching and student services when campus access was restricted. This exploratory study examines whether reported university management practices were associated with enrollment change. University leaders in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela completed a survey between November 2021 and January 2022, rating eight management domains before and during the pandemic. Descriptive analyses included 105 institutional survey records. Enrollment analyses used 74 institutions in Colombia and Ecuador with usable student counts for 2019 and 2023. Separate regression models examined each pre-pandemic management domain, accounting for baseline institutional size, country, and perceived risks. Additional analyses examined relative enrollment change and compared institutions with different levels of reported management implementation during the pandemic. Enrollment increased by an average of 2935 students, although the median increase was considerably smaller, at 328 students. None of the eight management domains showed a statistically significant association with enrollment change after adjustment. Differences across implementation categories were also not statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons. These findings did not establish a clear association between the measured management practices and enrollment change in this sample. Retrospective reporting and limited information on institutional circumstances constrain interpretation. The study contributes evidence on university management in a region where institutional data remain scarce. Prospective research should examine how specific practices relate to student retention, progression, and access to services, which would provide a more direct basis for assessing educational continuity during future disruptions.