Renato Augusto dos Santos

29/05/2025

 

Among the research initiatives developed by Lapes/CeLapes is a line of work aimed at understanding aspects of the structure and functioning of Higher Education (HE) in the countries participating in its research projects, with the goal of conducting a comparative analysis that facilitates the identification of similarities and differences at this educational level among countries.

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The importance of this comparative analysis lies in the foundation it provides for understanding national contexts, which in turn supports analyses of other thematic areas, such as the expansion of HE in Latin America, institutional diversification and differentiation, inclusion policies in HE, and mechanisms of inequality reproduction.

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During the 2023 International Seminar held in Rio de Janeiro, the first meetings focused on HE in the Argentine context were held. These meetings aimed primarily to understand the formal structure and functioning of this educational level and to establish a basis for comparison to identify similarities and differences in relation to Brazil.

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In the data collection and comparative analyses between Brazil and Argentina, the following researchers associated with Lapes/CeLapes participated: Andrés Santos Sharpe, representing Argentina; and Adriane Pereira Gouvêa, Luma Doné Miranda, and Renato Augusto dos Santos, representing Brazil.

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In preparation for the meetings, a UNESCO document identified by one of our researchers was used, which presented some discrepancies regarding how HE is structured in Argentina. In this way, the first meetings during the Seminar were held to: (i) discuss the points of divergence identified, (ii) initiate the process of understanding HE in Argentina by Brazilian researchers, and (iii) establish comparative foundations between HE in Brazil and Argentina.

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After the Seminar, additional meetings were held with the same goals and participants. This time, however, the Argentine researcher also interacted with other researchers and technical professionals involved with Higher Education in the country. These additional meetings aimed to confirm certain operational dynamics of HE and gather input for a deeper understanding of its structure and functioning.

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An infographic was created to systematize and express the complexity of Higher Education in Argentina. Although the original version did not hold up in terms of its analytical categories, its development significantly helped in understanding the subject and enabled the definition of part of the categories used in the comparative analysis.

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Although the process of understanding Higher Education in Argentina is not yet concluded, the activities carried out have allowed for the establishment of some comparative points between Brazil and Argentina. These points are fundamental and can serve as a basis for comparison with other countries involved in our research project.

Based on the work conducted so far, it has been possible to conclude that the analysis of Higher Education in Argentina has revealed important aspects for better understanding its dynamics and structures, as well as the complexity involved in establishing similarities and differences among countries. It has also shown that each category of analysis can and should be explored in specific scientific research projects, given the nuances that shape each national context.

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Ongoing cycles of meetings involving Peru and Uruguay aim to extend the comparative analyses and develop a broader overview of how HE is structured and operated in Latin America. The continuity of these meetings and collaboration among researchers are essential to deepen this comparative study, which will certainly enrich the ongoing research projects at Lapes/CeLapes.

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Partial results of the comparison between Argentina and Brazil – hich were subject to successive revisions by researchers Andrés Santos Sharpe and Renato Augusto dos Santos,- still subject to refinement and deeper analysis – are presented in the tables¹, organized under the following analytical categories: (i) Objectives and purposes of HE; (ii) Policy definition for Higher Education; (iii) Collection and dissemination of statistical data; (iv) Funding of Higher Education; (v) Higher Education training, including types and modes of delivery; (vi) Higher Education institutions; (vii) Higher Education system; (viii) Evaluation, regulation, and oversight of Higher Education.

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