Evaluación crítica y metodológica del Grana Ranking Global (GRG)

transparencia, validez y aportes a la evaluación universitaria en América Latina

Abstract

This article presents a critical review and methodological reformulation of the Grana Global Ranking (GRG), a Latin American initiative based on the GRANA methodology (Generation of Resources for Accreditation in Nations of the America). Building on a theoretical review of quality in higher education and critiques of international rankings, the study proposes a robust methodological design—combined, reproducible, and verifiable—that includes clear operationalization of indicators, normalization procedures, justified weighting strategies, and both statistical and qualitative validation techniques. The study incorporates an initial pilot with Latin American universities and proposes protocols to ensure transparency, reproducibility, and resilience against optimization practices (gaming). Preliminary findings are discussed, along with implications for university governance and recommendations to consolidate the GRG as a technical and regulatory benchmark aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finally, the limitations of the pilot are presented, together with a research agenda aimed at consolidating time series and external validations.