Demand and supply for higher education in brazil

Abstract

The chapter discusses higher education (HE) in Brazil in the last 15 years, a period during which Brazil underwent a process of continuous economic growth and marked social inclusion, with significant impact on HE. Two factors explain the exponential expansion in enrollments in the last two decades; the raising aspirations for the benefits of HE by the students and their families, and changes in the labor market. The chapter starts with a description of the HE system. In the second part, we discuss the profile of the demand for HE in Brazil. In the third part we present how the system as a whole has responded to the challenge of expansion and inclusion. In the fourth and final part, we analyze the characteristics of Brazilian higher education institutions (HEIs) in the offer of courses and the market demand for qualified people. Among other aspects, the chapter shows that it has been easier to respond to the demands for social mobility than to the requirements of a modern economy.