This descriptive article presents a case study of the effects of policy change on the public higher‐education system in Brazil, highlighting the significant differences in the system after President Lula's election in the mid‐2000s. The data collected show changes to higher‐education policy in the number of institutions, the number of spots offered, racial‐quota policies, access, and the offer of public services through the adoption of electronic‐government tools. The article also considers how these changes to the Brazilian system fit into studies carried out with two public‐policy analysis models, multiple streams, and punctuated equilibrium.