In Mexico, a university of poor quality is called a universidad patito, a “duckling university.” In a 2005 study, the UNAM researcher Rodríguez Gómez described such schools as establishments of “sospechosa o francamente mala calidad académica” (suspect or frankly bad academic quality).
In December 2025, Vanguardia reported 62 complaints in the state of Coahuila against about 11 schools, mainly for offering programs without official validity.