Abstract

This study aims to analyze the levels of international collaboration in the scientific production of the leading universities in Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador, based on bibliometric indicators. It seeks to understand how research internationalization impacts the visibility and citation of published articles, identifying strategies that promote academic cooperation and the generation of high-impact knowledge in Latin America. For this analysis, data from the SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR) 2023 and SciVal Scopus were used, evaluating nine key indicators related to scientific production and international collaboration. The three highest-ranked universities in each country, according to SIR 2023, were selected, and their publication metrics in indexed journals, co-authorship with foreign institutions, and citation rates were compared. The analyzed time window covered the period 2018-2022, allowing for a stable perspective on the evolution of scientific production and its impact. The results show that international collaboration significantly enhances the visibility and citation of scientific articles. Universities with broader global cooperation networks achieve a greater impact in their publications, with high representation in Q1 and Q2 journals. Among the best practices identified, the policies promoting internationalization in Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador by governmental organizations stand out. It is concluded that the sustainability of these policies will depend on long-term institutional and governmental support. Finally, the study highlights the importance of fostering scientific cooperation networks to strengthen the quality of academic production in the region and, consequently, contribute to solving regional and global issues that affect us. © 2025 Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions. All rights reserved.