ABSTRACT
The development of the university system in Peru is described and attention drawn to the periods of rapid expansion. The economic crisis of the 1980s led to some doubts about the wisdom of maintaining such a high growth rate. The fall in the number of university entrants in the period 1974 to 1978 is analyzed in the context of the educational reform program introduced by the military government. The new university law of 1983 followed the return in 1980 to civilian government. Future prospects for higher education in Peru are discussed.
