Comparative morphological characterization of university systems through a multilevel resolution framework

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

This study proposes a multilevel characterization framework for comparatively describing the morphology of university systems. The framework organizes the analysis into four successive levels of resolution: distributed performance, distributed research integrity risk, risk concentration, and the mechanism of differentiation derived from the risk component profile. Each level adds analytical detail without replacing the preceding one. Systemic performance is measured using the HES Index derived from the SCImago Institutions Rankings 2026, while research integrity risk is examined through a synthetic measure constructed from the IRIS 2026 indicators. The framework is illustrated through seven Latin American university systems meeting an inclusion criterion of at least nine universities represented in the SIR: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru. The stability of the resulting configurations is assessed through 5,000 bootstrap replications. The results show that university systems with nearly identical levels of distributed performance can occupy markedly different positions in distributed research integrity risk. They also demonstrate that similar levels of risk concentration can represent different internal systemic configurations depending on the prevalence and intensity of risk. The component-level analysis identifies the dimensions that differentiate systems occupying similar regions of the morphological space. The study interprets the resulting configuration as a morphological continuum rather than as a ranking or a rigid typology. It also proposes the concept of a threshold system, defined as the smallest system that retains sufficient comparative legibility for robust characterization under a particular data source and analytical framework. Under the framework applied in this study, Ecuador represents the threshold system of the analyzed universe. This document corresponds to version 1.0 of the manuscript and is deposited as a working paper. Its content may be updated, corrected, or expanded following academic review, scientific discussion, or subsequent formal publication.