How and why the expansion and reorientation in Cuban higher education has taken place is noted, and continuing problems and emerging trends are assessed. Few developing countries can match Cuban achievements in higher education, which has advanced to levels characteristic of developed societies. Ideological orientations of historical trends are presented. The current system, which by 1986 had over 45 university facilities enrolling 268,000 students, is discussed. Rapidly expanding enrollment is a response to Castro's commitment to provide all Cuban citizens with higher education. Numbers of academic staff greatly increased following 1975/76 reforms; and status differences between staff, professors, and students have been reduced. The concept of academic freedom does not exist. With higher education tightly integrated into Cuba's economy, university graduates move easily into technical/professional work in state ministries, agencies, and organizations. One major problem in Cuban higher education is the attempted creation of a revolutionary socialist consciousness in all students. This attempt to orient Cuban youth, who know the revolutionary struggle of the 1950s only as history, has led to a chronic problem of low academic achievement and inadequate skills development. It is unsure how long Castro will be able to pursue a counter policy of ideological rigidification with the emergence of new technical elites in the Soviet Union. The extent to which university students will continue to endure oppressive ideological indoctrination remains to be seen. Chapter IV of Cuba's Constitution ("Education and Culture") is included. Contains 50 references. (SM)