Brazil: A For-Profit Giant

Abstract

Brazil has become by far the largest higher education system in Latin America, with a large share of enrollments in the private sector. A recently established and fast growing for-profit sub-sector consolidates as one of the largest worldwide. It already surpasses the public sector in enrollment and its role is growing. Public policy has backed the for-profit growth, largely for tax revenue reasons but in recent years the federal government has taken social initiatives that include tax exemption policies for the sub-sector. As indicated by fields of study, the for-profit sub-sector shares some important characteristics with the nonprofit sub-sector, contrasting dramatically to the public sector.