University technological federal of paraná and politechnical institute of bragança: A perspective of territorial cohesion

Abstract

The present study aims to understand the role of UTFPR and IPB in the internal policies developed with a view to territorial cohesion and national and international affirmation, with a view to regional development. UTFPR is the first and only University of Technology in Brazil, created in 2005, after transformation induced by legal changes imposed on professional education in the country. The IPB created from the Veiga Simão Reform (1973) as part of a political strategy for diversification and democratization of access to Portuguese higher education. The documentary evidence is composed of official documents and semi-structured interviews which were applied to managers involved both in the process of constitution of these organizations and their current status. Data were treated using the Content Analysis technique. It was found that extension activities were more present in the early years of UTFPR. We verified that there is little incentive of the UTFPR for the extension, without internal policies that measure the relationship of the teachers with the environment. In the case of IPB, it was verified that the institution was able to organize its own strategies and redefine its mission for the development of the region.