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The production of scientific studies or supporting research for the formulation and implementation of public policies in a given Higher Education System (HES) should, especially in complex and diverse contexts, rely on information derived from its own internal dynamics, such as aspects related to the functioning and outcomes of its Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Typically, these analyses are based on categorizations defined within the formal structure of the HES, which are not capable of unequivocally guiding the strategic and pedagogical decisions of HEI managers and maintainers, despite the constraints and possibilities that each type of HEI or maintainer may establish. In this regard, the application of statistical methods is considered as an alternative approach to understanding the dynamics of an HES, offering a perspective that transcends the structure outlined in current legislation by revealing analytical categories defined based on data that truly represent the reality of HEIs. As a context for applying this type of method, methodological choices related to an ongoing research project at the Higher Education Research Laboratory (Lapes) are presented. One of its objectives is to identify existing institutional typologies in HESs across Latin American countries.