Brazil and China: towards a mass and universal educational system.
| Autor | Costa, Danilo de Melo |
Introduction
Higher education has always played a major role in the success of nations; however, in recent decades, the importance of such education level has boosted. Higher education started to be considered one of the main factors to achieve recognized development indexes. The importance of education has been considered by several countries that aim at investing in more effective public policies for the country's own progress. According to UNESCO (2011),higher education has the role of providing learning activities in specialized areas of education, at a high level of complexity and specialization. This level of education must go beyond academic education, because it also includes an advanced professional aspect to contribute to the advancement of society. Altbach (2013a, b) corroborates with such statement by highlighting the importance of research universities in developing countries, such as Brazil and China.
In Asia, it is possible to observe a curious phenomenon in the field of education, as the continent grows as much as it invests in education. In recent years, the Asian discovered this formula of success and began to invest heavily both in basic and higher education. Countries such as China are now conducting research within its own universities and then commercializing the results, as well as increasing investment in higher education (Mahmood & Singh, 2003). This new phenomenon begins to generate positive results for the country, which in 2020 has universities such as Tsinghua University China (31), Peking University (51), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (80), and Zhejiang University (81 in the group of the 100 largest universities in the world (Webometrics, 2020). Extending the analysis to the 150 best universities in the world, considering the Webometrics, ARWU and NTU, the presence of several other Chinese universities are also to be found (Webometrcis, 2020; Arwu, 2020; NTU, 2020).
Reports from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also demonstrate the remarkable growth of the Chinese higher education system. According to the organization, in 2015 China was the largest contributor to the OECD-G20 group of higher education students. There is a perspective for the higher education system to grow at an average rate of 2.6% per year, between the years 2015 and 2030. This occurs in the country because the demand for higher education has grown rapidly among the middle class population. And while China is expanding its higher education sector at a rate unmatched by what has historically happened in many other countries, demand is still greater than supply. For this reason, the Ministry of Education of China works closely with the provincial education authorities and higher education institutions to define all policies related to enrollment in higher education and to ensure that this enrollment policy is in accordance with central government's priorities (OECD, 2016, 2019, 2020).
In Brazil, the funding to expand higher education is mainly accomplished through public programs, such as: Program to Support the Plans for Restructuring and Expansion of the Federal Universities [Reuni (no longer active)], University for All Program (Prouni); Financing Fund for Higher Education Students (Fies); Federal Institutes of Education, Science, and Technology (IFETs); and the Open University of Brazil (UAB). While investments are being made and highlighted, they are still considered scarce in the country, especially if compared to countries such as China.
Another factor worth observing regarding Brazil is that it is a developing country and therefore, most families cannot afford to fully fund the studies in a private higher education institution. Without opportunity in public and private universities, Brazil has an elite educational system, since the access to higher education is not democratized.
According to the OECD (2019), although the percentage of young adults (25-34 years old) with higher education has doubled within a decade, Brazilian rates remain below the average of the OECD and other Latin American countries. The report shows that in 2008, 11% of Brazilians aged 25-34 years had a college degree. In 2018, it was 21%. This figure is similar to that found in Mexico, but is below other Latin American countries, such as Chile (25%) and Argentina (36%). This percentage corresponds to half the average for OECD countries. The explanation for such indexes is given by the low rates of high school completion and the concentration of seats in private institutions (corresponding to 75% of all enrollments), which represents a great challenge for Brazil and differentiates it from the Chinese system, where most seats are public.
For this reason, there is a gap to be explored with regard to the proposition of structural changes to assist higher education, with base practices already being carried out in other countries. Therefore, this study uses as a reference the mass higher education systems in China and the elite higher education system in Brazil, based on the assertion Lang & Zha (2004, p. 341), who argue that "comparisons between pairs can provide a basis for a rational assessment of the differences and similarities, and identification of strengths, weaknesses, and potential opportunities or niches."
In addition to the continental dimension, characteristic of the two countries, the reason for this choice is linked to other factors. Both are members of the BRIC, which is a group of emerging market countries with similar economic growth comprising Brazil, Russia, India and China. According to Altbach (2013a, b), these countries are expanding rapidly, and many observers see them as dominant economies in the coming decades, since they show significant growth in their higher education systems, with the prospect of expanding and improving in the coming decades. It is important to notice that Brazil and China also established an academic and scientific partnership through the "Seminar to Strengthen the Internationalization of Higher Education: Opportunities for Brazil and China" (Capes, 2012). The partnership through internationalization is highlighted by Altbach & Knight (2007), demonstrating the importance of countries exploring these opportunities.
For this reason, while understanding the importance of studying all the BRIC countries in this context, the research was limited to studying Brazil and China because China has invested and improved its access and retention indicators in higher education, which can be exemplified by the 337.5 % growth in the gross enrollment rate in tertiary education between the years 1999 and 2006 (UNESCO, 2008). Therefore, Brazil can learn from China in relation to the migration from an elite to a mass system, especially in relation to the greatest impacts observed.
Based on this information, this research addresses a relevant issue in the national development scenario, i.e. to analyze the aspects for a mass educational system, with regard to the quality of education offered, and the prospects for achieving a universal system, with Brazil and China as a reference.
Brazil's main policies for expansion in higher education
The public funding from the Federal Government has been considered largely responsible for the recent expansion of the higher education phenomenon in the country through public, private, distance learning, and technology initiatives. This funding has been applied in various public policies in order to promote the expansion in the above-mentioned arrangements. In the public initiative, investments are made through the Program to Support the Plans for Restructuring and Expansion of the Federal Universities (Reuni); in the private sector, the resources are applied through Fies and Prouni programs; with regard to distance learning, the UAB program has been responsible for the receipt and use of funds. Finally, in technological education, resources are applied in the new Federal Institutes of Education, Science, and Technology (Institutes Federais de Educaccio, Cieencia e Tecnologia, IFETs).
Program to Support the Plans for Restructuring and Expansion of the Federal Universities (Reuni) was released on April 24, 2007, as an integral action of the Education development plan (Plano de Desenvolvimento da Educaocio, PDE). Reuni aims to demonstrate the strategic role of the federal universities for economic and social development of the country. Its main objectives were the increase in seats and reducing dropout rates, focusing on classroom courses for graduation (Brasil, 2007a). Having operated for 5 years (2007-2012), Reuni had in its planning the distribution of more than R$ 2 billion to the federal universities, but to receive these resources, universities should improve many aspects, especially regarding human resources, physical structure, and quality of the undergraduate courses offered (MEC, 2019).
The biggest criticism of this public policy refers to the concern solely with quantitative expansion, forgetting the qualitative aspect that guides federal universities (Lima, Azevedo & Catani, 2008; Leda & Mancebo, 2009; Tonegutti & Martinez, 2007; Paula, 2009). On the other hand, other authors argue that the program is a first step towards a public higher, quality education in Brazil (Palacios, 2007; UNE, 2008). Finally, some public managers and university leaders defend the need to expand the program, even suggesting the creation of Reuni 2 (Costa, Costa & Barbosa, 2013).
The Financing Fund for Higher Education Students (Fies) was created by Provisional Measure (Medida Provisoria, MP) No. 1,827 of May 27,1999, in order to finance the graduation of economically disadvantaged students in private institutions. On July 12,2001, this MP was converted into Law No. 10,260, and on January 14,2001, as amended through a new law (No. 12,202), which proposed changes to allow public education professionals and doctors in family health programs to...
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