Compete for What? Faculty Perceptions of the Public Higher Education Reforms in Brazil

Abstract

The marketization and financialization of higher education in Brazil can bring severe social and economic consequences. This research aimed to understand how the faculty body of a public university in Brazil perceives the reforms of the public higher education system, which are currently undergoing political approval. The results of the analysis of variance test suggest that there is a significant difference between professors aligned with neoliberal values and those who are not, in the direction that the alignment to neoliberal values undervalue the importance of the public higher education system to society. Also, professors aligned with neoliberal values are more likely to give away administrative autonomy to external stakeholders, focusing more on meeting students’ expectations, and seeking private sponsorship to raise funds.