THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

I. THE GLOBAL UNIVERSITY

Cristovam Buarque*

Along its n a l thousand year h s o y the University has represented: ery itr

A stockpile of knowledge that the graduate would acquire t last a lifeo

time. Today t i knowledge is i constant fluctuation and the ex-student hs n needs t constantly update t i knowledge; o hs Knowledge as the specific property of students i classrooms o libraries, n r d s r b t d by p o e s r and books. Today knowledge is something that itiue rfsos is i the air, It reaches a l s r s of people i a l s r s of places through all n l ot n l ot s r s of channels.The u i e s t is j s one channel,and shares space with ot n v r i y ut Internet, educational T vspecialized magazines, businesses, l b r t r e : aoaois and private i s i u i n ; ntttos Knowledge as a s r passport f r s c e s f r the graduating student. This ue o ucs o is no longer t u today due t the highly competitive p o e s o a market re o rfsinl that requires continual updating, r c c i g and new t a n n so that eyln riig knowledge gained does not become obsolete,and Knowledge as something that serves everyone because by i c e s n the nraig number of professionals, the u i e s t product became widespread. In nvriy todaysworld,a newly graduated p o e s o a knowledge is basically used rfsinls t serve the desires and i t r s s of those that can pay f r services, using o neet o c s l equipment that doesnt allow f r d s r b t o of the knowledge. oty o itiuin

There have been no huge structural changes i the university over the past n thousand years, The r l of the u i e s t has changed ltl. However,t e reality oe nvriy ite h
of t e worldss c a s t a i n and the dynamic advances made i terms of inforh oil iuto n mation, knowledge and new communication and education techniques have made the need f r a revolution i the concept of the u i e s t q i e clear. o n nvriy ut

1. HOPE I THE UNIVERSITY N

The world experienced a huge ideological displacement i the beginning of n
the twenty-first century that included enormous p l t c l disassociation and oiia massive s c a i e u l t . In the face of these upheavals, the u i e s t still oil nqaiy nvriy represents i t l e t a heritage, p l t c l independence and s c a criticism. nelcul oiia oil Thanks t this, the u i e s t is the most appropriate and prepared place t o nvriy o guide the f t r of humanity. uue
* Minister of Education i Brazll Paper presented at the World Conference on Higher Education + 5 a UNESCO Paris, 23-25 June,2003 n t

The last decades of the twentieth century caused great disorientation:

Economic activity that had been the pride of the twentieth century began t o slow down; This economy i i i l y increased the number of those benefiting froni progress, ntal then began t be the t o of the most b u a i e u l t among human beings ever o ol rtl nqaiy seen i history; n P l t c l parties led by the right o left stopped c e t n hopes; oiia r raig Democracy that was created by city-states and that had lasted a thousand years began t crack and t become incompetent. This occurred at a time when an o o elected president i a small o large country has power o e the e t r planet and n r vr nie o e c n u i s t come i terms of d c s o s made; vr etre o n eiin Religions that had always represented c l u a guardians began t feel i e f c u l utrl o nfeta i terms of putting the brakes on t e ferocious advance of individualism; n h Businesses that had previously been the c e t r of jobs began t be the raos o destroyers of jobs; Science and technology that were the pride and j y of a l of humanity f r three o l o hundred years, arrived i the t e t - i s century w t the enormous risk of n wnyfrt ih immorality i terms of being able t manipulate life and t d s r y the planet, n o o eto This is especially true i terms of how science and technology are used t benefit n o the minority and wl soon completely exclude the majority that wl soon not il il even be considered part of humanity i w continue on t i path, and f e hs Many i e l g e have become weaker, It has become clear that s c a i m was doois oils incapable of building utopias, guaranteeing liberty o p o e t n the p a e . r rtcig lnt Capitalism has been demonstrating its inherent inhumanity i the face of requiren ments f r e o o i a balance and respect f r the common good of human b i g . o clgcl o ens

There is little hope left that a new global system of ideas wl be created t il o r - n t l hope f r the p s i i i y of an ideal world that combines the human eisil o osblt dream of technological progress w t liberty and e u l t . This hope included ih qaiy
t u t i p l t c a s r l g o s leaders and judges that were meant t i v n the rs n o i i i n , eiiu o net means that would serve t create c a i i n among human beings, However,i w o oltos f e examine the i s i u i n that have s r i e o e the past thousand years, w can ntttos uvvd vr e f e nvriy a l w o r e v s this hope i w look at the U i e s t . lo usle In order f r the u i e s t t become an instrument of hope,however,hope o nvriy o nvriy must be recuperated within the u i e s t . This means understanding the universitys d f i u t e and l m t t o s and formulating a new proposal along w t new ifclis iiain ih s r c u e and work methods. Fighting t defend the u i e s t i v l e f g t n tutrs o nvriy novs ihig t transform the u i e s t . o nvriy

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

2.THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW

O all Brazilian accomplishments i the second half of the twentieth century, f n
perhaps the most important was the establishment of the university,especially the
public federal u i e s t . This innovation was at least as important as indusnvriy t i l z t o ,a telecommunications system, a transportation network and energy raiain ifatutr. n r s r c u e The u i e s t is a symbol of the B a i i n nation and the B a i i n nvriy rzla rzla peoples strength. nvriy n I i i l y the u i e s t was the product of state support i the first decades of ntal, development. Over the last few decades,however,t e s r i a and growth of the h uvvl u i e s t have been the r s l s of the u i e s t communitysstanding fast i the nvriy eut nvriy n context of a country f c n enormous d f i u t e . When state protectionism aig ifclis oe n ainn ended i B a i and there were h l s i the roads,energy r t o i g and stalled n rzl i d s r a growth that caused b s n s e t fail, u i e s t professors, students nutil uiess o nvriy and employees continued t grow. There were new classes and more openings f r o o students that researched,graduated,published and invented. The late twentieth century B a i i n u i e s t graduate was an i t l e t a c e t r as wl as a m l t n rzla nvriy nelcul rao el iiat f r s r i a i the middle of despondency. o uvvl n This is what makes optimism possible when thinking of the future. The twenty-first century has arrived and there is a consolidated critical mass ready t move forward, They have been plundered and they are discouraged. o They still have the courage t fight,although their self-esteem is low. They still o have the challenge of confronting emergencies although they know that the crisis is much deeper and i v l e the u i e s t proposal,structure,operating methods novs nvriy and financing activity. Most importantly,w have arrived at t e beginning of the e h t e t - i s century w t a government that i committed t education even wnyfrt ih s o though there are not s f i i n resources t attend t the demand. Above all, w ufcet o o e are experiencing a unique moment i h s o y where B a i i n s c e y seems t n itr, rzla oit o have woken up t the importance of education. There is still d s r s i the r l o itut n oe of the u i e s t , however. The u i e s t seems t be a s c e y of a i t c a i nvriy nvriy o oit rsortc academics t many people when compared w t the sea of i d v d a s w t very o ih n i i u l ih low educational levels i B a i . n rzl This all demonstrates that even i spite of,or perhaps because of,all of these n d f i u t e the right time is now. ifclis

3.THE UNIVERSITY CROSSROADS

The crisis i Brazilian universities coincides w t the crisis i universities on a n ih n
g o a level. Humanity is at a crossroads,f c n a choice between: lbl aig continuing t e t c n c l modernity that has been developed o e the past two h ehia vr hundred years that has culminated i the b u a d v s o between two dissimilar n rtl iiin

groups i terms of access t s i n e and technology. This d v s o d f e e t a e n o cec iiin ifrnits between human beings not only i terms of access, but almost i terms of n n biological characteristics,o r an a t r a i e ethical modernity that is capable of maintaining the similarities lentv i the human race and guaranteeing s i n i i and technological progress t a l n cetfc o l.

This choice involves the university as wl. Faced with this crossroads that el
i v l e a changing world,the u i e s t must choose between: novs nvriy Knowledge that p e i u l represented accumulated capital and has become rvosy something that is f u t a i g and permanently renewed o surpassed by obsolescence; lcutn r Teaching that p e i u l took place through direct bilateral channels between rvosy the student and the professor i defined places like the u i e s t . This teaching n nvriy now occurs through other recognized methods and takes place i a way that n resembles waves f y n i all d r c i n o e a sea of communications,and lig n ietos vr Professional t a n n that p e i u l represented a fr place t stand i the riig rvosy im o n fight for success. This training has become at best a life jacket that can be worn ih the technological scientific i a turbulent sea w t waves of neo-liberalism, n revolution and g o a i a i n lblzto.

n nvriy rsras s o Hope lies i the u i e s t at this c o s o d .There i a demand f r transformation and reinvention so that the u i e s t can provide an a t r a i e p o e t f r civinvriy lentv rjc o l z t o .Almost eight and a half c n u i s have passed s n e the c e t o of the iain etre ic rain u i e s t ,and the u i e s t is standing i the middle of a c v l z t o crossroads nvriy nvriy n iiiain that wl d f n the future, This wl mean moving towards t c n c l modernity il e i e il ehia w t e f c e c that is independent of ethics o choosing ethical modernity where ih f i i n y r t c n c l knowledge is subordinate t ethical v l e . One of the most important ehia o aus of these v l e is maintaining the similarity between human beings. aus The university must harmonize w t this new direction i order t correct the ih n o l s of s n h o i i y that it s f e e during the t r u e t p r o that accompanied os ycrnct ufrd ubln eid the change of the century.

4.THERESOURCE C I I AND THE CRISIS I THE RESOURCE RSS N

question that p b i u i e s t e have been badly mistreated by u l c nvriis n o l b r l s o e the past f w decades. B a i i a tragic example of t i s t a i n e - i e a i m vr e rzl s hs i u t o . During t i period, B a i i n p b i u i e s t e l s power, f n n i l r s u c s hs r z l a u l c nvriis ot iaca eore nufcet n o h o and p o e s r .There was i s f i i n growth i order t meet t e demand f r rfsos openings. In 1 8 there were 305,099registered students,and i 2 0 there 90 n 01 were 502,960. growth of private u i e s t e ,on the o h r hand,w s amazing. The nvriis te a In 0 1 In I981 the number of registered students was 850,982, 2 0 there were 2,09 1,529registered students.This represents an increase of 56%.

There is no

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

There were 42,010professors at public institutions i 1980,and i 2 0 n n 01 there were 51,765, t private u i e s t e ,however, the number of professors A nvriis o If e e went from 49,541t 128,997. w compare the growth of the two systems, w wl f n that w i e the private system grew 62%, the public system grew 19%. il i d hl Lack of resources is a crisis indicator i the universities. B a i is not an isolated n rzl
case. Many parts of the world have experienced a change i the treatment n of u i e s t e . The public university has moved from a position of being nvriis protected t being abandoned. There has been tremendous growth of private o u i e s t e that are financed by private resources and i d r c p b i i t r s s nvriis niet u l c neet. Many times this financing is clearly related t economic i t r s s and not t the o neet o free spirit the u i e s t should promote. nvriy However,i an in-depthexamination of the crisis, the majority of u i e s t e n nvriis have become the prisoners of their own immediate n c s i i s They tend t treat eeste. o the crisis drop by drop with leaky roofs that do not reveal that the sky is f l i g aln, The university needs t transform the resource crisis into a resource that wl o il incorporate the largest crisis i human knowledge i t the d s i y of mankind. n no etn The size of the crisis must be understood based on the historical reality that served as the basis f r the birth of the u i e s t . H o w the u i e s t has faced o nvriy nvriy previous crises must a s be examined i order t create conditions f r change. lo n o o

5.THE L S O SYNCHRONICITY OS F
This is not the first time that the university has needed t change. However, o t e u i e s t has n v r needed t change q i e so much as it does now. This is h nvriy ee o ut not the first time that the u i e s t has not seemed t n t c the crisis. It is a s nvriy o oie lo not the first time that the u i e s t has had t overcome problems and r o g n z i nvriy o eraie n
order t serve humanity. o The Brazilian university is a special place i terms of understanding the n u i e s t crisis i todaysworld. B a i is d f e e t from rich countries that do nvriy n rzl ifrn not s f e the same kinds of f n n i l d f i u t e and that are not surrounded s ufr i a c a ifclis o c o e y by s c a e c u i n B a i is d f e e t from poor c u t i s where condtions lsl oil x l s o . rzl ifrn onre f r s r i a are all that matter and the u i e s t is j s another part of p v r y o uvvl nvriy ut oet. B a i is an intermediate country where riches similar t those from the best rzl o u i e s t e i the world c e i t wt p v r y that i similar t the poorest c u t i s nvriis n o x s ih o e t s o onre i the world. B a i is n i h r Europe nor Africa. B a i is a little bit of each of n rzl ete rzl these continents. B a i r p e e t a p r r i of our p a e and of contemporary rzl e r s n s otat lnt c v l z t o . It i the best i d c t r f r u t understand the d r c i n the world iiiain s niao o s o ieto is heading i and the d r c i n the world should take. n ieto In B a i ,w have the great fortune of having every imaginable crisis. W e a s rzl e lo have the strength that comes with adversity. W e have all types of tragedies and all of the resources t overcome them. Above all,w have the urgency that comes o e from knowing that w have t f n solutions o w wl sink. This is why the e o id r e il
7

B a i i n u i e s t ,along w t other u i e s t e around the world,must awaken rzla nvriy ih nvriis t a crisis that goes beyond t e f n n i l crisis. The u i e s t crisis is much larger o h iaca nvriy than the proposals that exist i this rapidly changing world. n Universities,at the beginning of t i century,have stopped representing the hs c t i g edge of knowledge. They have l s their ability t guarantee a s c e s u utn ot o ucsfl future f r their students. They are no longer c n e s f r the d s r b t o of o etr o itiuin knowledge and are no longer used as t o s f r uniting mankind. U i e s t e f o t ol o n v r i i s la somewhere i the middle of g o a i a i n changes and they run the risk of s n i g n lblzto ikn ethically i they accept a divided society. f Almost eight and a half c n u i s have passed s n e the c e t o of the u i e s t . etre ic rain nvriy ees U i e s t e should understand that changes are needed on five sweeping l v l : nvriis a To return t the position of being the c t i g edge i terms of generating ) o utn n knowledge; b) To return t being a legitimate guarantee for a studentsfuture; o c To return t being a p i c p l player i terms of d s r b t n knowledge; ) o rnia n itiuig d) To assume the ethical responsibility and commitment to a future for mankind that does not include s c a exclusion,and oil e To recognize that the u i e s t i not an i o a e i s i u i n but one that ) nvriy s sltd nttto, makes up part of a global network.
Knowledge is surrounded: i the mosques and the universities n

The university was born nearly eight and a half centuries ago because of the l s of synchronicity that occurred i medieval mosques i light of the rhythm os n n and type of knowledge that emerged i that world. The mosques were surrounded n
and they were not able t attract those outside w t their preoccupations and o ih work methods. They were imprisoned i dogma and defended their faith,i t r r t n n nepeig texts. The mosques were unable o i s n i i e t the fact that there was a need t r nestv o o incorporatethe leaps that were occurring i the thoughts of the day. Many times n the mosques chose t return t classic Greek thought that had been interrupted o o a f w hundred years before. e The university emerged as a place for new freethinking that was on the cutting edge of the era. These new places were able t attract and encourage the young o people that decided t dedicate themselves t activities of the spirit i a way that o o n was d f e e t from r l g o s s i i u l t . ifrn e i i u prtaiy During the following centuries, u i e s t flourished as a t u c n e f r the the n v r i y re etr o generation of higher knowledge i s c e i s In order f r t i t occur,however, n oite. o hs o the u i e s t had t constantly recycle, change and a j s t the wide variety of nvriy o dut o s t a i n that occurred around the u i e s t . iutos nvriy A the end of the nineteenth century research centers for inventors operated t independently from u i e s t e , n v r i i s University professors and students often looked down at these c n e s Ford,Bell and Edison were not u i e s t students.In etr. nvriy

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

addition,u i e s t e did not recognize these i d v d a s work as having any kind nvriis niiul of i t l e t a merit. The u i e s t l s speed and fell behind while t c n c l nelcul n v r i y ot ehia progress and t c n c l knowledge moved on without the u i e s t . ehia nvriy In the beginning of the t e t e h century,however,u i e s t e had the wisdom wnit nvriis t realize that they were turning i t modern day mosques. Instead of monks, o no there were undergraduate students. Instead of dogma,there was debate that was restricted t the t a i i n l classical d s i l n s Instead of involvement w t the o rdtoa icpie. ih world of the mass consumer,there was a i t c a i snobbery that surrounded rsortc undergraduate knowledge. Soon u i e s t e began t recycle and t i c u e t c n c l nvriis o o n l d ehia knowledge fields llke e g n e i g and applied s i n e .I the middle of the century, niern cecs n the u i e s t was so recycled that the t c n l g c l fields had become the dominant nvriy ehooia fields i r l t o t the t a i i n l areas of Philosophy, A t and L t r t r . n eain o rdtoa rs ieaue Classics had been the c n e of u i e s t knowledge f r many years and suddenly etr nvriy o found themselves relegated t the group of much less important departments and o treated llke dmosaurs i terms of concepts and i t r s s Classics became a thing of n neet. the past. The beginning of the twenty-firstcentury shows that this optimum technol g c l knowledge is becoming tied t higher-level knowledge once a a n This is oia o gi. p e e t n the free leaps of the human spirit that must move towards a l b r a i n rvnig ietra future. This future needs t be aesthetically rich and ethically j s as wl as o ut el epistemologically e f c e t It must a s include a broad reach i terms of the fiin. lo n media and must be s c a l legitimate and u i e s l i scope. oily nvra n University knowledge is surrounded and is f l i g behind,f l i g out of touch aln aln i r l t o t knowledge and the demands of the s c a s t a i n that lies outside n eain o oil iuto of its wls The u i e s t i c r e t y experiencing a problem that the mosques al. nvriy s urnl s f e e a thousand years ago and that the u i e s t s f e e only a century ago, ufrd nvriy ufrd

The loss of synchronicity

a With the advance of knowledge - the l s of epistemological e f c e c ) os fiiny The first loss of synchronicity i the university is found i the speed of n n knowledge progress i todays world. Until r c n l ,u i e s t knowledge was n eety nvriy something that spanned generations without undergoing many changes. Medical knowledge and s i n i i t e r e progressed so s o l that a u i e s t graduate cetfc h o i s lwy nvriy o nie could easily carry the instruments of knowledge they had acquired f r their e t r lives. A diploma was valid f r at least a p o e s o a life, and many times f r l n e . o rfsinl o ogr This situation has changed radically. The current speed of the progress of knowledge does not allow for graduates t be prepared u l s they constantly update their t a n n . N o p o e s o a o nes riig rfsinl could still obtain h s o her diploma five years after graduation. This i t u i r s re sometimes even before they graduate, Many of the things learned have already become o s l t and have been replaced by new t e r e ,information and knowledge, boee hois
9

Knowledge makes such rapid progress today that specific fields reflect i t r a nenl changes and new fields are constantly created. The university has been making an effort to incorporate these changes,but it has not been able t manage. The s r c u e of the courses,the length of doctoral o tutr programs and the c n t a n s of i d v d a departments are preventing that osrit niiul knowledge advance within the u i e s t at the same pace that knowledge nvriy advances outside the u i e s t . nvriy This causes many people to produce knowledge outside of the university. This is a surprising phenomenon f r those who remember the strength that the o university had j s a short time ago. In the past, f w p o e s r o researchers ut e rfsos r worked outside u i e s t wls It was impossible f r a young person t pursue n v r i y al. o o nvriy rfso. c t i g edge knowledge without the help and guidance of a u i e s t p o e s r utn This has changed i recent decades, A variety of fields of knowledge have n developed outside the u i e s t . This has taken place within b s n s e that nvriy uiess maintain their own research c n e s and i higher learning i s i u i n that go by etr n ntttos the name of corporate u i e s t e as a way of showing that they provide higher nvriis education without teaching the same thing that t a i i n l u i e s t e do, rdtoa nvriis These para-universitiesexist because traditional universities did not fliltheir ufl r l . They fell behind i terms of generating knowledge and they became out of oe n touch i terms of the type o q a i y of the themes they developed o taught. If n r ult r t a i i n l u i e s t e do not recognize t i and change d r c i n they wl no rdtoa nvriis hs ieto, il longer be u e u . This i what happened t the mosques a thousand years ago. sfl s o The resource crisis is partly caused by government indifference and has a l t o t do w t the l s of synchronicity i the u i e s t . The opposite is a s true, o ih os n nvriy lo however. If u i e s t e had continued t clearly flil their r l of being on the nvriis o ufl oe c t i g edge of all types of knowledge,these p r - n v r i i s would not be utn aauieste emerging and p o i e a i g at their current speed and the State would not have rlfrtn stopped supporting p b i u i e s t e . u l c nvriis

b) With the distribution of knowledge - the loss of media reach When America was discovered,u i e s t e had already had decades t develop nvriis o
and teach new maps of the world. Today,when any new phenomenon is created o discovered,almost everyone i the world knows about it at the same time. In r n todays world maps are created the minutes the geography changes. This makes u i e s t e fall behind i terms of d s r b t n knowledge. nvriis n itiuig The attentive young person that surfs the Internet,watches special programs on t l v s o and visits special chat rooms can sometimes be more knowledgeable eeiin than his o her professor is about c r a n types of information. r eti Knowledge has become urgent and simultaneous. It is urgent because of the speed involved i its c e t o and it is simultaneous because of the speed of its n rain d s r b t o . The e t r world has become one huge school f r t o e that are paying itiuin nie o hs a t n i n and behave l k permanent students. teto ie

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

In the S c a i pre-university, p o e s r was the almost i d v d a t t r of ortc the r f s o niiul uo a small group of students. Even when these students m e t i debate rooms n Greeks, Romans,Byzantines - the number of studints was restricted. The prof s o loud v i e had t reach them w t no visible support. Centuries later,the esrs oc o ih u e of the blackboard caused a r v l t o . For the first time,v s a resources were s eouin iul used and allowed f r more students t be reached. Even with this innovation,the o o student had t appear i class i order t l a n The student had t be present o n n o er. o and look i t the eyes of the teacher and see the drawings and words that the no teacher used. The u e of the microphone slightly i c e s d the number of s u e t s nrae tdns but teaching continued t occur within the classroom i buildings that were o n designated as u i e s t s r c u e . nvriy tutrs Quite r c n l ,modern e e t o i media resources have emerged allowing f r eety lcrnc o d s a c learning. Almost all types of knowledge,especially f r u i e s t adults, itne o nvriy can be taught today without the physical presence of a teacher. The classroom is no longer a square room w t wls It is open and has an E n t i dimension i i h al. isen n terms of time and space. A student can be anywhere and s can t e professor. o h They can be synchronized i different times. n Some u i e s t e have been making an e f r t incorporate this new reality. nvriis fot o They still haventmanaged t capture or accept the reality that the walls of any o campus c v r t e e t r world. U i e s t e have not made a compatible leap i o e h nie nvriis n terms of todayst c n c l reality so that the u i e s t can become t u y without ehia nvriy rl wls and connected on-linei order t d s r b t new knowledge t the world on al n o itiue o a real time basis.

c With the e f c e c of the diploma - the l s of s c a promotion ) fiiny os oil Not too long ago,u i e s t e had the r l of s r i g as s c a promoters f r nvriis oe evn oil o their students.A diploma was the passport t a s c r f t r f r any young person. o eue uue o This situation has changed. Over the last two decades a u i e s t diploma has l s its usefulness. It is no nvriy ot longer a s c r passport f r s c e s Millions of young graduates are unemployed eue o ucs. all o e the world. This is caused by an excess of p o e s o a s and by the rapid vr rfsinl obsolescence of what they have learned, The university, however,has not f l y incorporated this reality. Instead,the ul u i e s t has criticized the market i s e d of understanding that t i reality nvriy nta hs r q i e new fields of knowledge and new knowledge within the o d r fields. eurs le Above all, speed i t a n n and r c c i g students is a primary p i r t . n riig eyln roiy Today the u i e s t is undergoing a crisis that started i the beginning of the nvriy n twentieth century,when the u i e s t r f s d t understand that the s t a i n nvriy eue o iuto demanded more graduates from technological areas than from liberal arts areas.

d) With the excluded - the loss of the role of building a utopia During the nineteenth century,B a i i n c n e s of higher education c e i t d rzla etr oxse

w t the slavery regime. There was little demonstration of d s a i f c i n o ih istsato r

p o e t much less a fight f r a o i i n Most of t e u i e s t community rts, o blto. h nvriy watched the absurdity of slavery without blinking and used their knowledge i n Law,Economics and Engineering so that the system could function e f c e t y fiinl. In the twenty-firstcentury the B a i i n u i e s t looked on impassively and rzla nvriy collaborated i making B a i a divided country. The d v s o was between those n rzl iiin that b n f t d from modernitys products and those that are excluded from these eeie b n f t . Today,the u i e s t deals w t poverty i the same a i n t d fashion eeis nvriy ih n leae that it did i the nineteenth century i r l t o t slavery. n n eain o The Brazilian university is merely a portrait of the global university. The s a m e way that the B a i i n u i e s t is a i n t d from the poverty that surrounds it, rzla nvriy leae the European u i e s t i a i n t d from the global tragedy. nvriy s leae In the t e t - i s century, the century of globalization,the u i e s t lives wnyfrt nvriy with the tragedy of a humanity that is split i t two parts. O n one side there are no those that are included i the t c n c l advantages of the modern world and on n ehia the other side there are those that are excluded. The i o curtain was pulled away rn and the world has become divided by a c r a n of g l b i t t some e t n based uti o d ul o xet on u i e s t knowledge that b n f t only one of the sides of the d v s o . The nvriy eeis iiin c r e t pace of the e o u i n of the c v l z n p o e t w l leave humanity divided urn vlto iiiig r j c d i t two parts that wl be so d f e e t they wl not even be seen as related. This no il ifrn il wl occur within the next f w decades and wl occur i part thanks t the work il e il n o performed by those that go through the u i e s t system. Law favors the rich, nvriy Economics benefits a specific part of society and Biology can be used t o create t o s that can provoke mutations i human beings f r the b n f t of ol n o eei j s one part of the human race, destroying the similarities among us that ut still exist. The university is now concerned w t technical knowledge and has left ethics ih behind. The u i e s t can be used as one of the t o s f r the construction of a nvriy ol o goa dvso. lbl iiin Until r c n l , u i e s t e t a n d professionals that directly o i d r c l eety nvriis rie r niety promoted economic growth and an i c e s i s c a wl being as wl as s r i g n r a e n o i l el el evn as t o s f r d s r b t o of w a t and s c a b n f t . ol o itiuin elh oil eeis Beginning i the 1990s, excluding c v l z t o model caused p o e s o a s n the iiiain rfsinl from u i e s t e t cater e c u i e y t one side of s c e y the side of those nvriis o xlsvl o oit: included i s c a b n f t , Society began t divide on an i t r a i n l level and n oil eeis o nentoa two s c o s became d s i c i countries all o e the world.One s c o is made up etr itnt n vr etr of those that are included i the goods and services that are o f r d by modern n fee technological advances. The other s c o is made up of the excluded masses. etr The product of scientific and technological knowledge from universities catered t the privileged m n r t e i o h r areas as wl.The u e and consumption o ioiis n te el s of t i knowledge a s became restricted t these elite m n r t e . U i e s t e hs lo o ioiis nvriis served a specific part of s c e y while ignoring the o h r oit te.

12

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

Classes o f r d at u i e s t e have little t do w t the masses. Economics fee nvriis o ih nraig courses look f r ways of i c e s n wealth and rarely study overcoming poverty. o Medicine c u s s are more concerned wt p o e t n the rich fiom dying o g t i g ore ih r t c i g r etn o d than with preventing i f n m r a i y Architects are i t r s e i building l nat otlt. neetd n mansions and buildings f r the rich and almost n v r i v n solutions f r the o ee net o housing problems of the poor. Nutrition courses place a l t of emphasis on how o t make fat rich people t i rather than how t make t i poor people fatter. o hn o hn Each field of superior education ignores the masses. This occurs through omission and through a t o . Society has chosen e c u i n cin xlso. This situation has not occurred simply because of one situation. Another example of t i reality can be found i the s r g l s of the u i e s t . In the hs n tuge nvriy 1960s the university was a revolutionary figure,seeking t improve society and o b i d j s i e Today the u i e s t e fight basically t maintain their own i t r s s u l utc. nvriis o neet. Public u i e s t s u e t are concerned wt p b i f n n i g and private u i e s t nvriy t d n s ih u l c i a c n nvriy students are concerned w t lower t i i n and tax exemptions f r graduates. ih uto o This is not the first time i Brazilian history that higher education courses n d s r t a i n t o in r l t o t t e poor. It was a sad moment in B a i i n h s o y u t a e leain eain o h rzla itr when t e u i e s t made little o no contribution t the a o i i n of slavery i the h nvriy r o blto n n n t e t century, I B a i , a o i i n was helped by the e f r s of p l t c a s ieenh n rzl blto fot oiiin, poets,j u n l s s and even n b l t . There were f w a o i i n movements i the orait oiiy e blto n Law,Medicine, or Engineering schools of that time. T s changed in the twentieth century wt the s c a promise that wat benefited h ih oil elh e e y n and that w a t would i c e s through the d t i u i n of a growing number vroe elh nrae srbto of j b . F g t n f r &IS utopian s c e y of riches became part of the university agenos ihig o oit da in an e f r t p o i e wealth t everyone.The u i e s t became a r v l t o a y fot o r v d o nvriy eouinr. The reality of the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twentyfirst century has turned out q i e d f e e t y There are e o o i a limits on ut ifrnl. clgcl growth and technology has caused unemployment. L m t d access t the v l a l iie o aube products in our modern world has shown that o l a salportion of the populan y ml t o b n f t from economic growth.The u i e s t has returned t the a i n t o in eeis nvriy o leain of the nineteenth century and poor people are being treated l k slaves a a n ie gi. Even when the u i e s t claims t take on the problem of the excluded,it is nvriy o often j s a sham.University entrance exams f v r the included,the rich and t e ut ao h middle class. The excluded do not take part in preparatory courses and do not pass entrance exams that would a l w them t e t r the u i e s t doors through more lo o ne nvriy ih tutr openings o m n r t quotas.The university is not concerned wt changes in s r c u e r ioiy o in coursework that would b n f t the e c u e that do not have the means t e t r r eei xldd o ne the u i e s t .U i e s t e defend reform that b n f t indwiduals that have completed nvriy nvriis eeis high school and are unable t pass the college entrance exam without addressing o changes that would i v l e u i e s t commitment t improving basic education. nov nvriy o It is as i the university has clearly chosen one side of society and thinks of the f excluded only when they are conveniently c o e t the u i e s t . These excluded ls o nvriy
13

never include the t u y excluded. It is as though b n f t n a f w representatives rl eeiig e of the excluded frees the u i e s t by incorporating a f w token r p e e t t v s nvriy e ersnaie into the world of professional graduates. There is never true liberation o r complete a o i i n of e c u i n f r those that do not have access t the services blto xlso o o of these u i e s t graduate p o e s o a s nvriy rfsinl. This reality suffocates the university.University students are ashamed and deny what is really going on o demonstrate discomfort without making any e f r t r fot o change the situation,That is why the u i e s t needs t recuperate ethical nvriy o synchronicity w t the t u i t r s s of the people. ih r e neet
e With the world - Lack of incorporation i g o a i a i n ) n lblzto In Europe,the u i e s t was one of the first g o a i s i u i n . University nvriy lbl ntttos nvriis p o e s o a s traveled widely and exchanged information. U i e s t e made up rfsinl one of the most impressive networks of i t r a i n l connections i the past. nentoa n However,this is no longer t u i light of t e current global s t a i n University re n h iuto. diplomas are n t o a l protected,p o e s r belong t specific u i e s t e ,and ainly rfsos o nvriis libraries o i n do not I t i u e their knowledge,although they are o t n a t m t c l y fe srbt fe uoaial tied t technical areas and bypass d c s o making processes,at times even working o eiin a a n t administrative e f r s gis fot. Professors often mistake t a e l n f r integration. In reality, the twenty-first rvlig o century u i e s t must be integrated on a u i e s l basis. nvriy nvra The twenty-firstcentury university has not managed to understand its position i the g o a s t a i n f r fear of l s n i s specific n t o a i y U i e s t e are divided n l b l iuto o oig t ainlt. nvriis on this question,f e i g that they must t t l y deny their n t o a specificities o eln oal ainl r defend themselves from e t r a i t r e e c that d n e todaysreality of g o a xenl nefrne eis lbl knowledge.

6.REFOUNDINGTHE UNIVERSITY
Almost eight and a half c n u i s have passed and the u i e s t f n s itself i etre nvriy id n the middle of a technological revolution i a world divided i t r a i n l y The n nentoal. u i e s t is i need of a revolution. There are at least seven areas that should nvriy n guide this revolution.

a The Dynamic University ) The university can no longer view knowledge as something that is static, long l s i g o compatible w t a teachers life span. Today knowledge is mutable the atn r ih i s a t it is created and the u i e s t must incorporate this i t the r l it plays. ntn nvriy no oe To accomplish t i : hs

A university diploma should be revalidated. The university of the twenty-firstcentury can not be responsible for a graduates
7 4

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

knowledge j s a few years after graduation. This i why a u i e s t diploma ut s nvriy should r q i e that students recycle their knowledge along their lifetimes. eur University should be permanent. In reality, the u i e s t should extinguish the concept of the graduate. A nvriy u i e s t student should be permanently tied t the u i e s t ,on l n ,g t i g nvriy o nvriy ie etn knowledge during their e t r life i order t a o d obsolescence. nie n o vi

PhDs should be updated.

Degrees should be updated not only f r undergraduate students,but f r graduate o o students as w l ,Today doctorate students f n s their theses and have a title f r el iih o the rest of their lives without being required t demonstrate its validity. In the o modern world t i title often becomes something that demonstrates v l a l hs aube work that was performed at a specific time. A degree could take on h s o i a itrcl hs o v l e i the same way that an athletes medal does. Often t i degree has little t au n do w t updated knowledge i fields that are changing each second. ih n
University p o e s r must take p r o i q a i i a i n exams. rfsos eidc ulfcto If studentsundergraduate diplomas and doctorate degrees need t be updated, o p o e s r cannot s c r their positions based on o d q a i i a i n exams, It rfsos eue l ulfcto would be c r e t t r q i e u i e s t p o e s r t update their q a i i a i n orc o eur nvriy rfsos o ulfctos according t d a l n s that a l w them t demonstrate updates on their knowledge. o edie lo o

Flexibility i length of course duration. n

O n the one hand,a student can never completely f n s a course. O n the other iih hand it i n tp s i l t d f n fixed periods of tm t f n s the basic requires o s b e o e i e ie o i i h ments necessary t practice a profession.Twenty-firstcentury u i e s t e can no o nvriis l n e have fued l n t s f r c u s s Students should be able t take advantage of ogr egh o ore. o exams and courses that d f n whether o not they are q a i i d t practice their eie r ulfe o p o e s o s This should take place according t their abilities and t e time they rfsin. o h need t complete the requirements. With new t a h n and research methods the o ecig time a p o e s o a needs t complete their s u i s can vary greatly. Due t new rfsinl o tde o pedagogical methods and communication and computer equipment,less time is needed t complete u i e s t than was needed a f w decades ago. o nvriy e lwy tes rges Some s u e t p o r s are more s o l and o h r p o r s more rapidly.Not one tdns rges of them needs as much time as their p r n s &d, however.This is e e t u r i the case aet v n re n of post-graduate c u s s It is simply impossible t be i synch wt the advanced ore. o n ih speed by w i h knowledge d v l p w d takmg years t f n s a doctorate, hc eeos he o iih Today, many d c o a e theses are already outdated by the time the thesis is defended.There are otrt s many information s u c s avdable f r research that i v l e computers and i t r o ore o nov nen t o a networks that a doctorate thesis takes much less time than it did b f r . ainl eoe

The current dynamic i the progress of knowledge a s means that an extremely n lo

long doctorate oftentimes means an obsolete doctorate f r other students i o n other parts of the world. It can a s mean an incomplete doctorate due t the lo o impossible task of always wanting t remain i synch w t the newest knowledge o n ih i the area. n Post-graduatestudies do not require as much time as they used t . The o finished product simply does not improve directly with the amount of time dedicated t it. o Bibliographic r f r n e should be included on l n w t books i development eeecs ie i h n and authors. The development of many books today takes longer than developing the theories that they contain. A u i e s t based on printed books is a u i e s t that has nvriy nvriy f l e behind i terms of groundbreaking knowledge. While reading and s u i s aln n tde should take place i the classic texts of a specific area, the reading of texts that n are i developmentmust a s be encouraged through permanent dialogue between n lo students and authors.

b) Unified University
Globalization wl eliminate the f o t e s between u i e s t e .U i e s t e wl il rnir n v r i i s n v r i i s il exchange professors and students and wl a s have access t all professors and il l o o a l students. According t the UNESCO Annual Report of 1997, global l o the ilo ilo u i e s t has 88.2m l i n students and 7 m l i n professors.Today there are nvriy thousands of u i e s t e but soon there wl be only one u i e s t integrated by nvriis il nvriy a l modern communication methods available. There wl no longer be language l il barriers thanks t mechanisms that are already available f r automatic t a s a i n o o rnlto on Internet. With this global network the idea of limiting a student to a specific course i n his or her university has become antiquated and inefficient. Every student can make up h s o her own course program and select professors and classes on a i r global level i a network that includes the whole world. n The university has become a single unit.

c University f r a l ) o l The university has become a unique entity and should be open to everyone. There is no longer any reason t require entrance exams or even a high school o diploma. For those that are physically present and studying on campus, the entrance exam i a condition that is imposed because of physical space l m t t o s s iiain and elevated t i i n c s s With new teaching methods that include d s a c uto ot. itne learning, u i e s t can reach a huge number of students and accompany their the n v r i y progress. Students wl be excluded i they cannot keep up with the coursework, il f o not because they are unable t pass entrance exams.

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

The entrance process should change for those who are physically present for their courses as w l .What a student memorizes i high school is not enough t el n o ensure whether or not that student wl be a good u i e s t student. The current il nvriy
exams do not reflect a s u e t scapacity t capture knowledge o t deal w t the tdn o r o ih great quantity of knowledge that exists i the world and change the received n knowledge i t something that can be re-usedi new ways and i new contexts. no n n This is why it is fundamental to accompany a studentsprogress during high school. I is a s e s n i l t d f n s l c i n exams that demonstrate a students t lo s e t a o e i e e e t o ability t capture and develop knowledge instead of exams that demonstrate a o studentsability t answer questions that r q i e simply memorizing answers. o eur

d) Open university The twenty-firstcentury university wl not have wls or a physically defined il al campus. The twenty-firstcentury u i e s t wl be open t the e t r planet. n v r i y il o nie Classes wl be transmitted o e t l v s o ,radios and Internet i a way that wl il vr eeiin n il no longer r q i e students t be on the same campus o even i the same city as eur o r n
the professor. Professors wl be able t maintain permanent dialogue w t their il o ih
students around the world.

e Three-dimensionalu i e s t ) nvriy U i e s t e that are organized by s b e t that are based on c t g r e of nvriis ujcs aeois knowledge are incapable of responding t t e demands required by the rapid o h changes i knowledge and by the s c a revolution that w are experiencing at the n oil e beginning of t i century. Knowledge changes each day, new fields emerge and hs others retire i a world where the s c a s t a i n has b i t a divided world, n oil iuto ul U i e s t e have t d s o e a way t r s r c u e that i c u e c n e s f r researching nvriis o rcvr o etutr nlds etr o c r e t i s e as wl as t e t a i i n l departments and fields of knowledge. u r n sus el h rdtoa There is no reason a university should not have mechanisms f r l n i g reality t o ikn o s u i s i t e form of Study Centers f r Hunger,Poverty,Energy o Youth i a tde n h o r n way that wl create i t l e t a connections wt reality. This could occur through il nelcul ih i s e based m l i d s i l n r c n e s lk Jobsand the Environment f r example. sus u t - i c p i a y e t r ie o Issues that exist i todays reality but that do not a s fall within defined n lo n nvriy categories of knowledge could be explored i the twenty-firstcentury u i e s t that must be organized i a multi-disciplinary fashion as wl. n el The university of the next few years has to connect students around the world i order t l n aesthetic activities t ethical debate. This could be accomplished n o ik o through the c e t o of Cultural Centers. rain With departments,Issue Centers and Cultural Centers,the twenty-firstcentury u i e s t w l be three-dmensionaland wd t a n three-dmensionalp o e s o a s nvriy i l ri rfsinl, This wd involve specialists i specific fields of knowledge that are a s committed n lo t understanding a pragmatic theme and p a t c n one o more activities that are o rciig r linked t humanistic ways of thinking either i the arts o philosophy. o n r
17

f Systematic university )

The university of the future is universally tied t all universities. However,the o u i e s t of the f t r must a s be l n e t the system that creates knowledge. nvriy uue lo ikd o The university should incorporate private and public research institutions and all
non-governmental organizations that are related t the c e t o of knowledge. o rain Every liberal professional office and every industry that performs research should be part of the u i e s t system. nvriy The university wl serve as the family of all those involved i the task of the il n advancement and d s r b t o of knowledge. itiuin Almost eight and a half c n u i s have passed s n e the u i e s t was created. etre ic nvriy It is time t take the necessary leap i order t flil the r l of the u i e s t i o n o ufl oe nvriy n the midst of the immense riches of the t e t - i s century. wnyfrt

g) Sustainable university
U i e s t e should be p b i i s i u i n ,whether owned by the state o privately. nvriis ulc ntttos r The university cannot die because of a shortage of public resources,nor can it r f s private resources from i v s o s This i why: eue netr. s The university should be financed wt public resources i order t guarantee ih n o permanent s s a n b l t i a context of s c a i t r s s above all i areas of utiaiiy n oil neet, n knowledge that do not have economic returns,These include t a n n basic riig education teachers and the arts and philosophy fields; The university should be open t the possibility of receiving resources from o the private s c o wishing t i v s i i s i u i n whether they are private o state etr o net n n t t t o s r owned,and State and private i s i u i n should be structured i a way that wl serve ntttos n il p b i i t r s s without becoming p i o e s of the corporate i t r s s of students, u l c neet rsnr neet p o e s r o employees.I the same fashion,private u i e s t e should be private i rfsos r n nvriis n terms of physical i s a l t o s but the academic community should control ntlain, academic o g n z t o .U i e s t owners can remain owners i terms of patrimony, raiain nvriy n but deans should be selected based on academic merit.

18

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

11. THE BRAZILIAN UNIVERSITY

Ioial, rncly w t the aim of awarding a title of Doctor Honoris Causa t King Leopold of ih o Belgium,during his visit t B a i i 1922. it hadntbeen f r that visit and the o rzl n If o innocent v n t of a monarch o the w i of one of his courtesans,the B a i i n aiy r hm rzla u i e s t would have taken another IO o 2 years t exist. nvriy r 0 o This goes t show the capacity the Brazilian elite has for obscurity and servility. o One hundred years after independence and thirty-three years after the founding of the Republic,there was still no u i e s t i B a i . It was created t attend nvriy n rzl o t the needs of a European King. o W e have never q i e freed ourselves from this o i i a s n ut r g n l i. Between I922and 1934, University of B a i and of King Leopold,i Rio the rzl n de Janeiro, the sole and precarious university institution,although there were was a number of higher education courses i the country. n The first large university i Brazil emerged i 1934. This university did not n n emerge because of a Belgian King and was not tied t servile B a i i n p l t c a s o rzla oiiin. The University of Sgo Paul0 began through the efforts of Brazilian intellectuals that were l n e t French i t l e t a s B a i began t look inwards i s e d of ikd o nelcul. rzl o nta outwards. Servile p l t c a s began t be replaced by academic i t l e t a s oiiin o nelcul xeir although they continued dependent on the e t r o .They were not servile anymore, yet they were s r n l influenced by the e t r o . togy xeir Between 1935 and 1964, B a i i n u i e s t grew, but it did s without the r z l a n v r i y o rzl strength o the leap that B a i required. During this period, the number of r n o n students went from 27,501i 1935 t 282,653i 1970. The number of professors went from 3,898t 49,451i 1980.Among these, however,only a o n f w had post-graduate degrees. e In the early 60s, Darcy Ribeiro and Anisio Teixeira created a new idea f r the o u i e s t i the new B a i i n capital,Brasilia. This experiment was interrupted nvriy n rzla by the military takeover of 1964. In 1964, the B a i i n u i e s t was destroyed and a s founded i a pararzla nvriy lo n d x c l tit of fate. I was destroyed by t e forced retirement of hundreds of o i a ws t h p o e s r who were exiled o expulsed. Many students were even killed during rfsos r the fl of liberty that took place during the military takeover. A the same time, al t the u i e s t was founded under a modern re-structuringthat was based f r t e nvriy o h first time on an e f r t n t o a l i t g a e the u i e s t system. This included fot o a i n l y n e r t nvriy widely available financial resources and support f r construction and equipment. o Above all, this process included t a n n young students on a massive level by riig
I. It should be noted that the currenr Federal University of Parana had been planned for ten years as the University of Brazil, currently the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. From the point of v e of explicit development on a national level, the first university began i iw n
Rio

The Brazilian university was the last t emerge i Latin America. o n

de Janeiro in 1922,thanks to King Leopold.

19

providing scholarships t study abroad i masters and doctorate programs i o n n foreign u i e s t e . nvriis This possibility was consolidated i I968 i the reform performed by the n n military government wt America a s s a c . h s ws not the servility of 1922, ih sitneTi a nor ws it the i t l e t a cooperation that had occurred i 1934. a nelcul n The reform was not o c e t a e by French i t l e t a s but by American involvement sponsored by rhsrtd nelcul, the military dictatorshipsa t o i y uhrt. The modern Brazilian university was the product of the military regime and North American technocracy. This sponsorship and protection allowed the B a i i n u i e s t t make an enormous leap i terms of quantity and q a i y rzla nvriy o n ult between the years I964 and 1985. This was probably the greatest leap t occur o i the area anywhere i the world. It was as i w wanted t make up f r 500 n n f e o o years w had l s . There was an admirable i c e s i the number of i s i u i n e ot nrae n ntttos and a s i the number of students and p o e s r . This was especially t u i lo n rfsos re n r l t o t p o e s r w t post-graduatedegrees (masters and d c o s . In 1985, e a i n o r f s o s ih otr) there were 37,629p o e s r who had masters and doctors degrees i B a i . rfsos n rzl Beginning i 1985, reinstatement of democracy brought back liberty. This n the included the right t choose u i e s t d r c o s and direct e e t o s f r deans. It o nvriy ietr lcin o a s brought about a strong r s r c i n i f n n i l resources,however, and the lo etito n iaca public power of the public u i e s t was abandoned. In 2003,the federal nvriy u i e s t e i B a i f n themselves n a l bankrupt.These twenty years have nvriis n rzl id ery seen every advance,v c o y improvement o growth come from the r s l of a itr, r eut long hard fight a a n t p l t c l powers on the part of professors,students and g i s oiia employees. This has taken place through o e three hundred strike days i the vr n school years of 1985 and 2 0 . Without these strikes the federal u i e s t e 02 nvriis might have already closed or been abandoned.Yt the consequences of these e strikes have been extreme exhaustion. They demoralized the u i e s t e i terms nvriis n of p b i opinion and ripped the s c a fabric that existed between the students, ulc oil p o e s r and employees. rfsos This same period brought about a change i the Brazilian university profile. n U i e s t e went from being primarily p b i i s i u i n t being primarily private nvriis ulc ntttos o ones.This can be seen i the s r r s n growth of the private s c o and i the n upiig etr n unexpected i t r a focus of the State u i e s t i terms of defending its own nenl nvriy n i t r s s i order t survive, neet n o The university has become a private entity i two n ways. The first i that private u i e s t e have predominated i terms of t t l s nvriis n oa numbers of students,The second i that the p b i u i e s t e have l s their s u l c nvriis ot national s c a p o e t oil rjc. The Brazilian university went private because of a vicious cycle. There was a lack of public resources t support u i e s t e .This caused the deterioration of o nvriis i s a l t o s equipment and salaries. Then came strikes i order t remedy this ntlain, n o s t a i n These strikes caused an i c e s i private u i e s t e that then caused iuto. nrae n nvriis an i c e s i discontent and demoralization that culminated i the lack of a nrae n n
20

THE UNIVERSlTY AT A CROSSROAD

n t o a p o e t This occurred i a country that moved from development concepts ainl rjc. n t neo-liberalism,from p o e t o i t p l c e t openness, from uncontrolled o rtcins oiis o i f a i n that financed p b i spending t rigid control of p b i spending by nlto ulc o ulc i t r a i n l a e c e .When t i equation is added t the lack of a national nentoa gnis hs o v s o of t e f t r ,e e y h n c n r b t s t a huge crisis i the B a i i n u i e s t . iin h uue vrtig otiue o n rzla nvriy I addition,the p e i u l mentioned i t r a i n lu i e s t crisis a s c n r b t s n rvosy n e n t o a nvriy lo o t i u e t the predicament. o Along w t the p s t v fact that the p b i u i e s t ' numbers have i c e s d ih oiie u l c nvriys nrae along wt their almost h r i capacity f r enduring,the beginning of the twentyih eoc o first c n u y shows that u i e s t quaky can be criticized.There i s r n c r o a e etr nvriy s tog oprt activity and an unfortunate lack of academic motivation.There are s r n a i n t n t o g leaig i t r s s i the population as wl as a huge i e t t crisis i i s i u i n around neet n el dniy n ntttos the world. A the same time, t e i s i u i n is r c i i g a spirit of eagerness t t h nttto eevn o study from B a i i n young people graduating from high school i a way that has rzla n n v r been seen b f r . ee eoe This is the portrait of a situation that is at once adverse and stimulating. Growth is needed i order f r B a i and B a i i n u i e s t e t begin a new n o rzl rzla nvriis o century w t a government that is committed t p l t c l p l c e that wl make ih o oiia oiis il the u i e s t an important part of the world. This r q i e : nvriy eurs a t n i g t t e emergency requirements of a h r i ,yet abandoned i s i u i n tedn o h eoc nttto; o g n z n a u i e s t system that f n s itself i chaos owing t uncontrolled r a i i g nvriy id n o growth of the private s c o and shrinking of the p b i s c o ,and etr ulc etr refounding the u i e s t according t the demands of the h s o i a moment nvriy o itrcl mankind is experiencing.

1. REORGANIZATION O THE BRAZILIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM F

Over the past f w years, the B a i i n u i e s t underwent rapid and s r r s n e rzla nvriy upiig
growth,especially i private i s i u i n . n ntttos Number

I985

200 I

*** * . , ''. + ... .

Students:

21

Number

I985
Professors: Public ......................................... . 4 4 9 . + ......................................... 6 , 4 . ,

20 01

Private ......................................... 49,O ......................................... IO.,.

Total ......................... ......................... ........................

,.+.,.+,II , 5 , . 349.

Uncontrolled growth demands immediate reorganization. This is d f e e t ifrn from handling emergencies and should be performed above all i the public n o nie r z l a n v r i y u i e s t e .Reorganization applies t the e t r B a i i n u i e s t system. nvriis
T h e Brazilian University System

Despite the c e t o of a Federal B a i i n u i e s t system that began i rain rzla nvriy n 1968 and was reinstated i 1985 through the establishment of equality standards n and the c e t o of a common e a u t o system, the B a i i n u i e s t is still rain vlain rzla nvriy not yet a system. A set of norms must be formulated in.ordert r g l t this o euae system,This must include a l p b i and private u i e s t e and must incorporate l ulc nvriis every agency that is part of the production system of higher learning,This i c u e research i s i u i n ,b s n s e ,h s i a s and p b i m n s r e i a d t o nlds ntttos uiess optl u l c iitis n d i i n t higher level p o e s o a t a n n i s i u i n . o rfsinl riig ntttos The Brazilian university system should act t guarantee autonomy for every o agency,but should a s create a harmonious working group that i able t function lo s o w t synergy and avoid the disperse q a i y of the present situation, ih ult
Regulating transfers

In a g o a world like ours where each u i e s t i a part of a u i e s l t t l lbl nvriy s nvra oa, the B a i i n u i e s t still has no inter-communicationi terms of student rzla nvriy n t a s e s Currently,there is discussion of t e p s i i i y of a student t k n rnfr. h osblt aig courses i d f e e t u i e s t e simultaneously. However,it is still d f i u t f r a n ifrn nvriis ifcl o student t change u i e s t e . This is not because of the c l e e entrance exam. o nvriis olg It is because of incompatibility i c r i u a n urcl.
Increasing the n u m b e r of spaces

Despite the i c e s i the number of spaces i B a i i n u i e s t e ,there i nrae n n rzla nvriis s still a very sal number i light of the e i t n demand. The B a i i n u i e s t ml n xsig rzla nvriy has t i c e s the number of spaces o e the next t n years i a way that would o nrae vr e n at least double the number of students. In order t do this, additional resources o are r q i e i a d t o t changing t a h n methods i a way that wd i c e s n l eurd n diin o ecig n nraigy adopt d s a c education systems. itne
22

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

Racial quotas and public schools In a country where half of the population is of African descent, there is no moral j s i i a i n f r the e i t n e of a white elite.The abandonment of p b i utfcto o xsec ulc basic education i B a i and the fact that f w youths graduate from high school n rzl e are the main f c o s responsible f r this reality: by excluding the poor from atr o secondary education, s c e y e c u e mainly blacks. The solution t the oit xlds o immorality posed by the white s a n on the B a i i n elite is t i v s massively i ti rzla o net n the u i e s l z t o and i the improvement of basic education. Until this is done, nvraiain n however,the u i e s t must help change the shameful s t a i n i the country, nvriy iuto n where most people are black but hardly any black students attend c l e e Because olg. it serves as a springboard i t the elite, t e u i e s t is responsible f r the moral no h nvriy o n rzla oit vr d v a i n that has taken place i the B a i i n s c e y o e the past one hundred eito and f f e n years s n e slavery was abolished. This is why there can be nothing ite ic more appropriate than i c e s n the number of black students. nraig This wl not make the university more j s from a social point of view since il ut only middle and upper class blacks wl b n f t from it. Nevertheless, it wl turn il e e i il the u i e s t i t an i s i u i n that wl help change the whiteness of the nvriy no nttto il B a i i n elite. In order f r racial quotas t play a s c a r l as wl as a racial r l , rzla o o oil oe el oe only black youths who attend a p b i school a l through high school should have ulc l access t the b n f t This,however,does not mean that the poor wd b n f t from o eei. eei these quotas s n e i B a i they rarely fmish the 8th grade and hardly ever graduate ic n rzl col i l oil a n o from high s h o .Nevertheless,there w l be s c a g i s f r the lower middle class.
Creation of new funding sources

The Brazilian university is currently undergoing a serious financial crisis: public

u i e s t e can not count on support from the government and private u i e s t e nvriis nvriis are faced wt high d f u t rates and students who can hardly a f r t make ih eal fod o t i i n payments. uto B a i can not let go of the commitmentt provide free education at all levels, rzl o including higher education. The fact that s v n y f v percent of all students eet-ie attending c l e e go t a private u i e s t can not be ignored,and the country olg o nvriy can not depend on trahtional governmental budget t h d the remaining twentyo five percent that a t n p b i i s i u i n .If this path continues t be followed, ted ulc ntttos o the p b i u i e s t wl become a mere appendage t the B a i i n u i e s t . If u l c n v r i y il o rzla nvriy r g s r t o rates are kept up i terms of t e number of students that register i eitain n h n private and public u i e s t e ,i t n years only t n percent of all students going nvriis n e e t c l e e w l be a t n i g p b i i s i u i n .This s e a i wl not be a p s t v o olg i l t e d n u l c ntttos c n r o il oiie one f r the f t r of B a i and f r s i n e and technology i the country. o uue rzl o cec n B a i i n u i e s t e need sources t ensure that they operate without crises, rzla nvriis o without the need f r going on strikes. Their p i c p e should be based on o rnils
23

democracy,efficiency and ethics.This should be t u both i r l t o t funding re n eain o sources and t the u e of resources.These p i c p e should be put i t practice o s rnils no and all p s i l s u c s must be t k n i t consideration,both p b i and private. osbe o r e a e no ulc This includes resources from the national treasury and specific contributions from special funds o from permanent funds.This is how state u i e s t e i the r nvriis n State of SZo Paul0 are c r e t y financed. urnl
Evaluation of

all institutions

e a u t o system was one of the steps taken by vlain B a i i n u i e s t e .However,this system i still imperfect and incomplete,as it rzla nvriis s has been f r the past few years. The reorganization of B a i i n u i e s t e wl o r z l a n v r i i s il demand that a new e a u t o system be created, one that makes it p s i l t do vlain osbe o more than j s rank u i e s t e as i they were t k n part i a competition. The ut nvriis f aig n purpose of this e a u t o system should be t p i t out the q a i i s and weaknesses vlain o on ulte of u i e s t e and t make it p s i l f r them t improve and play the r l s c e y nvriis o osbe o o oe o i t expects of them. The increase i the number of educational establishments can not be considered n n g t v .The greater t e number of schools at a l educational levels, the better. eaie h l T s is true as long as these establishments are institutions that can truly attend h t the need of s c e y f r u i e s t - e e knowledge.They should a s a t n t o oit o nvriylvl lo t e d o t e need f r s c a i c u i n of students i the country and city where they are h o oil n l s o n located.This has not occurred w t all of the new private educational i s i u i n ih ntttos that have been established i the past f w years, however. n e It is an o l g t o of the p b i s c o t prevent businesspeople from falsely biain ulc etr o s l i g diplomas as s r p s p r s f r s c e s It is important f r the whole system eln ue a s o t o ucs. o that u i e s t e be e a u t d and that their p s t v results as wl as their n g t v nvriis vlae oiie el eaie aspects be shown.This is especially important f r the u i e s t e themselves and o nvriis f r the s u e t that a t n them,Students must know the real v l e of the diplomas o tdns ted au they receive i exchange f r the payment of their tuition fee, and society has a n o right t know the kind of professional university graduates can be. o The government w n s t coordinate the evaluation of al universities together at o l wt the s c o itself,The government believes that the e a u t o of the p t n i l of ih etr vlain oeta each i s i u i n is i everyonesbest i t r s .This e a u t o should be p b i and nttto n neet vlain ulc information regarding it should be made widely available. It should a s be lo participatory i the sense that the community should be heard. In addition,it n should be c r e t v i order t improve the i s i u i n and the system, and it orcie n o nttto should be comprehensive rather than limited t the e a u t o of only a f w o vlain e aspects of the u i e s t . nvriy

The establishment of an

24

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

Planned freedom

The state must not lmt the number of establishments whose purpose is to ii
provide educational services. However,there should be p b i regulation and new ulc u i e s t e and higher-education centers should follow r l s In addition t nvriis ue. o eiig periodical evaluations, the government is considering d f n n locations and fields of study f r new u i e s t e and choosing new r g l r u i e s t e through o nvriis eua nvriis bidding.Authorizations would be granted t the ones that could better meet the o o j c i e of the p b i s c o .These o j c i e are the following:t a n n teachers, betvs ulc etr betvs riig lowering teacher/student r t o ,i c e s n the number of scholarships,lowering ais nraig t i i n fees and adopting racial quota systems. uto Free universities In addition t r g l r u i e s t e ,the government must encourage the c e t o o eua nvriis rain of free u i e s t e whose diplomas are not recognized by the state. The greater nvriis the number of free u i e s t e ,the better f r the i t l e t a life of the country. nvriis o nelcul Without the d u i n of a regular diploma,it is p s i l that some of these c n e s lso osbe etr wd end up being respected f r the accomplishments of the professionals they t a n o ri.

2.AUTONOMY TO CHANGE OR NOT TO CHANGE

It is necessary t d s u s the r l of the u i e s t at the u i e s t itself.This o ics oe nvriy nvriy discussion i even more important than discussions about the crisis a f c i g t e s fetn h uiest. nvriy The university has t fight t prevent small problems.It is not enough t deal o o o w t these small problems,however,without looking at the big p c u e ih itr. Justas I presented what the government has considered doing i order t help n o the university get over its problems, I wl give m y own contribution t the il o discussion about the leaks i the dyke, as these leaks pose a threat even i the n f dyke is i good shape. I wl do this more as a thinker who loves the university n il than as a m n s e . iitr The government wl not demand that changes be made,The university has to il be an autonomous establishment,even i this means that it wl follow t a i i n f il rdtos and ignore the changes that are t k n place. Autonomy means doing what seems aig right whether it is right or wrong,The government believes that it is worse t o impose changes from the o t i e Even i these changes are right, it is best t usd. f o respect the o d fundamental p i c p e of autonomy. l rnil However, it is the duty of the Ministry and especially of the Minister of Education t encourage i t r a discussions at the u i e s t i order t f s e the o nenl nvriy n o otr changes he believes are right and should take place.

25

The principle of autonomy should not be ignored,but it should not be used as a shield t protect m n s e s who are i t l e t a l cowardly o p l t c l y o iitr nelculy r oiial
opportunistic. ulns o Due t these two reasons,I propose the following o t i e f r what I believe o may be the necessary reforms t the refoundation of the B a i i n U i e s t . o rzla nvriy These reforms wl foster the refoundation of the university i they are adopted il f by universities through the discussion that needs t take place. o

3.REFOUNDATION O THE BRAZILIAN UNIVERSITY F

The establishment of the university resulted from the lack of willingness to change on the part of medieval mosques.These mosques kept the same structure,
the same methods and the s a m e admission and permanency requirements although outside of their walls there was a world of new ideas and new customs t be explored.This was the reason behind the creation of the U i e s t . If o nvriy mosques had changed and focused on u r l g o s knowledge and on the promotion neiiu of l g c and science,they would have continued t be learning centers and oi o u i e s t e would not have been created. nvriis The Catholic Church,had it wanted to or tried to understand the messages throughout the centuries concerning its need f r modernization,would have o prevented the Protestant Reform,which happened i the sixteenth century.It was n mainly due its i s s e c on the accuracy of its interpretations, t e perfection nitne on h of its i s i u i n and on the strict nature of its r t a s that there was a great ntttos iul catechization movement and a new r l g o that followed the same Christian eiin p i c p e was created. The same may happen t the u i e s t i one way o rnils o nvriy n r another:it may either be replaced by other i s i u i n which are changing it from ntttos the outside o it can transform itself. The transformation would involve r broadening t e scope of the u i e s t fundamentalp i c p e through progress h nvriys rnils i higher education,e t b i h n t o s t free humanity and i c e s n i t l e t a n salsig ol o n r a i g nelcul and material riches. It would a s i v l e broadening the horizons of equal lo n o v niiul n oit, oil opportunity f r all i d v d a s i s c e y especially youths,no matter what s c a o class,race o gender they are o where they come from. r r Throughout the past eight and a half centuries, the u i e s t has been nvriy refounded a f w times. A s c l r i s i u i n can only s r i e i there i a very e eua nttto uvv f s good reason f r its e i t n e and i it has a great deal of capacity t change and o xsec f o adapt t the demands of each h s o i a moment. A m e ,which have existed o itrcl ris longer than u i e s t e and kept the commitmentt defend their countries,have nvriis o undergone several changes throughout h s o y Churches,on the other hand,tend itr. not t adapt and t keep their dogmas i t c ,and this causes breakdowns and o o nat d v s o s They separate through reforms so they wl not be refounded. iiin. il Due t its autonomy and t the i e i t n e of dogmas,the u i e s t ,more o o nxsec nvriy rss than any other i s i u i n must refound itself whenever the need a i e . nttto,
26

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

The last change the Brazilian university underwent took place at the end of the bOs, i the twentieth century.This change occurred due t the military regime n o
and t American influence i the form of the Ministry of Education-USAID o n agreement. Since then,u t l the beginning of the t e t - i s century: ni wnyfrt The military regime has ended; There has been no o f c a censorship on any kind of intellectual activity; fiil B a i has become a democracy and has even elected a president who used t rzl o be a metal worker and whose party is clearly leftist; U i e s t e have been reorganized i t corporate segments.These segments nvriis no q i k y discovered how much power they have. This would have been unthinkable ucl a f w years back. They have used t i power w t an i t n i y that governments e hs ih nest and s c e y never thought p s i l ; oit osbe Deans are directly elected; Last centurysfights f r utopian ideals have disappeared o turned i t t o s o r no ol e iiat; i the hands of f w m l t n s n Economic growth started t destroy jobs instead of c e t n jobs.Fewer o raig people started having access t some products, which became more p o i a l o rftbe because their prices went up and not because they became cheaper and the number of consumers increased; For the first time i history,youths began t have a more economically n o d f i u t life than their parents; ifcl Youths were abandoned and became the orphans of neo-liberalism; Some youths started using drugs i order t fill the v i caused by the lack n o od of o j c i e t fight f r and opportunities f r p r o a growth,be they i t l e t a , betvs o o o esnl nelcul economic o s i i u l r prta; Science went through the most groundbreaking revolution it ever has w t ih biotechnology,g n t c engineering,computer s i n e and microelectronics; eei cec New fields of knowledge have been created and are constantly established i n the learning world; Other fields become obsolete and disappear j s as fast; ut S i n i i t u h and t e efficacy of techniques last less and less time; cetfc r t h The world has become globalized.Informationis distributed instantly,economic power is i the hands of a f w people who own the planet and products and n e techniques are available at the same time a l o e the world; l vr One s n l undoubtful n t o a power has become aware of its power, its ige ainl r l ,its ambitions and its intention t police the world and t force all nations oe o o t follow its p i c p e of p l t c l democracy and economic liberalism,and even o rnils oiia its r l g o s v l e ; eiiu a u s There was the fall of the B r i Wall; eln The map of the world is being redefined; I t l i e t weapons started being used i wars; nelgn n The poor,especially i Africa,have been abandoned by powerful world leaders. n

They rely not only on progress,but a s on hope; lo Al over the world and i each country,the s c a system recognized the reality l n oil
of e c u i n through s p r t o rather than through a proposal f r the r d s r b t o xlso eaain o eitiuin of wealth; Customs have changed everywhere. This is true f r almost everybody and o c r a n y f r all youths,especially i terms of their s x a i y etil o n eult; *Minorities started having their rights recognized, especially women, homosexuals,Indians and blacks; *Culturehas become u i e s l but c l u a diversity i now seen as a right; nvra, utrl s *Fundamentalism, e i i u o economic,is a t i e through power; rlgos r tand o n *North-Americanswere defeated f r the first time after a long war i Vietnam. However,they were involved i a number of short v c o i u wars, thus s t i g n itros etn the world under their control; Local problems became u i e s l and took on c t s r p i dimensions. nvra aatohc These problems include drug use,the power of drug dealers, terrorist weapons, the dissemination of diseases and the power of the f n n i l s c o . iaca etr Despite all this, the u i e s t has done little t change the world. Al of the nvriy o l changes above occurred after the last reform of the u i e s t took place i B a i . nvriy n rzl The Brazilian university has remained basically the same i relation to its n fundamental aspects.
N u m b e r of spaces and admission requirements

The Lula administration is seriously committed to the goal of universal n rzl 0 0 Due t this,there wl be o il secondary education f r a l youths i B a i by 2 1 . o l
a demand f r more spaces at u i e s t e .Public u i e s t e ,especially, wl have o nvriis nvriis il t double t e number of spaces they o f r i the n x five years.This wl not be o h fe n et il p s i l i the u i e s t entrance examination continues t be an admission t o osbe f nvriy o ol s n e it works as a barrier rather than as a fair s l c i n p o e s Also,this wl not ic eeto rcs. il be accomplished by increasing the number of chairs i a building,nor wl it be n il accomplished by l w r n the level of q a i y that has been achieved by the u i e s t . oeig ult nvriy The path w propose is divided into four different sections: e Considering the adoption of d s a c education f r undergraduate students, itne o making no d s i c i n between the diploma these students receive and the one itnto students who a t n r g l r classes receive. This could be a way t i c e s the ted eua o nrae number of spaces without a f c i g the work of research-orientedprofessors; fetn Considering the adoption of s l c i n p o e s s that take place i high school. eeto rcse n This has been happening through a system developed by the University of Brasilia UnB.This system is called Serial Evaluation Program -PAS and was adopted by the Federal University of Santa Maria,where it is being improved under the name of Higher Education Admission Program - PIES.It was a s adopted by the lo Federal University of Paraiba,where it is called Serial Selection Process - PSS;

28

THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

The community and specialists should carefully consider giving basic subjects
l k math and Portuguese greater consideration since they serve as a base for the ie
development of knowledge i all areas; n Considering the p s i i i y of adopting racial quota systems i order t osblt n o r d s g ,democratize and c r e t race-related i e u l t e i terms of opportunities. eein orc nqaiis n This wl also make public schools stronger. il
Structure

In todays world,it is no longer p s i l f r the u i e s t t be divided i t osbe o nvriy o no departments.New fields of knowledge and commitment t the reality of s c e y o oit demand that a m l i i c p i a y approach be followed. The d s r b t o of utdsilnr itiuin knowledge and humanist f e i g at the u i e s t wl not occur through s b e t elns n v r i y il ujcs taught within the r s r i t of d f e e t departments. etans ifrn W e suggest that the u i e s t consider a change i s r c u e along the l n s of nvriy n tutr ie what has been done by a f w u i e s t e f r decades now: I s e Centers and e nvriis o su Cultural Centers should be created. With these Centers i addition t the Departments,the university wl be a n o il three-dimensional s r c u e and wl serve as a base f r t a n n p o e s o a s at tutr il o riig rfsinl three d f e e t levels. Knowledge wl be acquired at the Department.Social and ifrn il ethical commitmentwl be developed at the I s e Center.Aesthetic tastes wl be il su il enhanced at the Cultural Center.
Constant training and flexible length of course duration

In t d y s world,thirty years after the Ministry of Education-USAIDreform oa orchestrated by the military, careers become obsolete i j s a f w years i n ut e f p o e s o a s dont c n t n l update their knowledge.This is why the u i e s t rfsinl osaty nvriy must u g n l consider the p s i i i y of keeping a permanent follow-upt a n n rety osblt riig system that former students can u e u t l the end of their p o e s o a lives. In s ni rfsinl the future,there wl be no place f r former students.Al people wl be students il o l il il rfsinl. permanently,o they wl not be p o e s o a s r The path t be followed is the creation of several permanent &stance education o systems f r students who have already graduated from the u i e s t . o nvriy With their provisional dploma,graduates receive a code t access the permanent o education systems at the u i e s t .They can check f r innovations i their field nvriy o n of knowledge, information on r c c i g courses i their area of work and even get eyln n decide t change fields, professions o specialties depending on the evolution of o r knowledge. The university should become a permanent institution i the lives of graduates, n who should continue t be students.The p s i i i y of making the amount of o osblt time students spend on campus during their academic lives more flexible should
29

be considered. If students can be constantly i touch with the university,they n wonthave t spend as much time on campus as they do now. o With all of the modern inventions involving means of communication and pedagogical tools,it is not p s i l that the u i e s t still needs as much time t osbe nvriy o rfsinl t a n a p o e s o a as it did one hundred years ago,when these careers were first ri created,The u i e s t can not continue t ignore the e i t n e of new teaching nvriy o xsec
methods and t o s It must s r o s y consider the p s i i i y of reducing the ol. eiul osblt amount of time necessary t t a n students.This is true,i not f r all, f r many o ri f o o of the courses o f r d fee.
Connection to society

The connection the university should have w t individuals wl not be made ih il

through the u i e s l z t o of admissions. Only those who f n s secondary nvraiain iih education would b n f t from this and it would lead t a decrease i q a i y Field eei o n ult. work, with the exception of cases i which there is a d f e e t method f r each n ifrn o student,i not the s l t o either b c u e it has turned i t a form of a s s e c a i m s ouin eas no sitnils. The current administration i Brazil wants to go from assistencialism t n o abolition.The u i e s t does not get c o e t people through a s s e c a i m nvriy lsr o sitnils. This can only be accomplished through a reform that makes it possible for the u i e s t t take the problems of s c e y i g n r l i t account and t take part nvriy o oit n eea no o i its transformation.This could happen i t e following ways: n n h There should be real commitmentt quality i all areas.This is true because o n i the country maintains a university,this university must make the country proud f of the q a i y of its r s l s which come i the form of p o e s o a s and work. ult eut, n rfsinl The objective is t make the world a more beautiful,e f c e t and j s place; o fiin ut The curriculum for technical areas, fields of study that change the world l k ie medicine, engineering,a c i e t r and economy,must be altered. This is t u rhtcue re because w need t adapt their p i c p e t the ethics of a world that is more e o rnils o j s ,a world from which a greater number of people can b n f t no matter what ut eei gender o race they are, what their income is o where they come from; r r The university should participate i political activities that involve society. n This can not happen through the production of knowledge,which should not be c n r l e ,but through several kinds of mobilization practices. Unllke the higher otold education centers of the nineteenth century,which turned a b i d eye t the ln o abolition of slavery and taught how t maintain it, the u i e s t of the twentyo nvriy first century i seen by t e B a i i n government as one of the d i i g f r e f r s h rzla rvn ocs o the accomplishment of the Abolition of Poverty and Construction of the Republic.This o j c i e began being pursued one hundred and f f e n years ago betv ite and was never a t i e due t the e i t n e of a reactionary,a i t c a i elite that tand o xsec rsortc despised the people of their own country and took o e the u i e s t . vr nvriy

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THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

Funding Sources

There has been a great amount of discussion i the past f w years regarding n e the funding problem,The debate was much less about the u i e s t and more nvriy about how t finance the u i e s t . They wanted more government resources, o nvriy i c e s s i salaries and funding. However,they did not a l w i c e s s i t i i n nrae n lo nrae n uto fees and s b i i s The u i e s t i crisis needs t be discussed i depth,but the usde. nvriy n o n debate on financing should continue. The t e t - i s century u i e s t should wnyfrt nvriy have clarity on who should pay f r higher education and what they should receive o
i exchange f r that. n o The government has clarity on the fact that the privatization of public u i e s t e is not part of the discussion, nvriis The idea of charging tuition fees is also out of the question.In fact, the government would l k higher education t be ie o free of charge i Brazil i that were f n n i l y possible since the university n f iacal experience is even more e s n i l t the country than it is t the student. seta o o However,that is not c r e t y p s i l . urnl osbe Until it is, the government wants t concentrate on finding a t r a i e sources o lentv t give s h l r h p t private u i e s t s u e t and t f n n e academic activities o coasis o nvriy t d n s o iac at p b i u i e s t e .This wl be done together with the academic community ulc nvriis il and wl include the following a t o s il cin: Increasing the number of students that receive scholarships from the government s they can a t n private u i e s t e .This wl happen through the o ted nvriis il Student Support Program, launched t broaden the scope of the Student o Financing Program - FIES and guarantee that students do not need t pay f r o o their schooling; Regulating a t r a i e sources t finance p b i u i e s t e through t t l lentv o u l c nvriis oa transparency on the part of the administration and through the development of democratic and autonomous decision-making processes; Considering the p s i i i y of making the students of private u i e s t e osblt nvriis i t co-ownersof the establishments they attend. no
Priority subjects

Both B a i and the world have changed, are changing and wl continue t rzl il o uue e ujc il change i the f t r .If w do not realize that, many of our s b e t matters wl n soon be outdated. New ones have not yet been considered. Over the past f w e years w have g v n too much importance t annual management p a s and no e ie o ln o ln. nvriy o importance at all t ten-yearacademic activity p a s The u i e s t has t manage more than j s resources;it has t manage l a n n . Awareness must be raised i ut o erig n r l t o t the risk involved i i s s i g on knowledge that becomes obsolete and eain o n nitn i n r n knowledge that p i t towards the Lture. It i n c s a y t make l a n n goig ons s eesr o erig compatible w t f t r ethical,s c a ,epistemological and economic needs. ih u u e oil
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Making learning public

The university reform,which occurred during the military regime, established

the idea that the u i e s t belongs t the state o t its owner rather than t the nvriy o r o o country,its students o s c e y i g n r l During the military regime, the state r oit n eea. fired and arrested individuals and financed the u i e s t the way it saw fit.When nvriy democracy was established, d c a o s were replaced by p o e s r and other staff ittr rfsos members o m n s e s Autonomy began t be seen as a change i ownership,from r iitr. o n military headquarters t teachers' and staff conference rooms and m n s e ' o iitrs o f c s In the twenty years during which the u i e s t has been an open space, fie. nvriy little has been done that took the a t a needs and demands of the civil s c e y cul oit and students i t consideration. no The democratization of the university brought about direct elections, but o t n there was little p r i i a i n of the student body.This happened because fe atcpto of a lack of i t r s and because the s u e t 'capacity t participate i the s l c i n neet tdns o n eeto process was underestimated. A u i e s t councils,there is little, i any,student t nvriy f p r i i a i n Former students n v r take part i the process,and n i h r do civil atcpto. ee n ete s c e y r p e e t t v s There are rare exceptions,but they seem t be ways t fake oit ersnaie. o o the p r i i a i n of s c e y atcpto oit.

THE FACT THAT UNIVERSITY ASSETS INCREASE AT A FAST PACE, F Y EITHER BECAUSE O THE TUITION FEES PAID B STUDENTS F HAS LEAD OR BECAUSE O SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY TO CRITICIZE WHAT SOCIETY AND STUDENTS, SHOULD BE SEEN AS A POSlTIVE ASPECT: F THE GROWTH O A UNIVERSITY.
Recently,at the opening of a library at a private u i e s t ,a student said,"they nvriy b i t t i w t money from our t i i n fees then because of this library they wl u l h s ih uto il i c e s the t i i n fees of f t r s u e t . ' nrae uto u u e t d n s 'The construction of a library should be seen as a very good thing,especially when the government has not f l i l d its ufle o l g t o t b i d bigger libraries at p b i u i e s t e .However,private u i e s t biain o ul u l c nvriis nvriy nttto ted oit n students often feel as disconnected from the i s i u i n they a t n as s c e y i g n r l There are very f w exceptions t t i r l . eea. e o hs ue The concept of "alma mater", the love society and especially former students feel f r the u i e s t ,must be created i B a i .The way t do t i is t encourage o nvriy n rzl o hs o the f e i g that the u i e s t belongs t everyone. eln nvriy o This can be achieved through the involvement of society,students and former students i the decisions that affect the u i e s t .It can a s be achieved through n nvriy lo the development of the concept that the i s i u i n belongs t s c e y rather than nttto o oit t the government o t a s n l owner. o r o ige I the case of p b i u i e s t e ,the way t do this i t let s u e t and former n u l c nvriis o s o tdns n eiin epnilris s u e t take part i the d c s o s made by the community and in its r s o s b l t e . tdns
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THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

The dean is the intellectual and administrative leader of the institution;he is not a r p e e t t v of the state. A private u i e s t e ,it is a s necessary t separate ersnaie t nvriis lo o
the owner from the academic leader: the owner owns the building,and the dean i the coordinator of academic activities.The former buys o mherits the property, s r and the latter must be elected by the community.
Relationship to basic education

Even though they are a r s o s b l t of the same Ministry,basic education epniiiy and u i e s t e have a much more limited r l t o s i than they should i a nvriis eainhp n country where the s t a i n of education is so tragic.The B a i i n u i e s t has iuto rzla nvriy t be a part of the learning process f r B a i i n people i basic education. Its o o rzla n r l should not be limited t its own university-level students. oe o The university can be a dynamic element i basic education by: n P r i i a i g i r c c i g programs f r teachers; atcptn n eyln o Giving preference t teachers who are taking the u i e s t entrance examio nvriy nation through quota systems; Increasing the number of spaces i teacher l c n i g courses; n iesn Increasing the number of spaces i pedagogy courses; n Lowering t i i n fees f r teachers; uto o Creating s e i l z t o courses i literacy teaching f r c i d e and adults; pcaiain n o hlrn In r l t o t all other courses l k architecture, nutrition, economics, eain o ie philosophy and h s o y considering its r l i education a study matter. itr, oe n
Relationship with the public health system and other social sectors.

The university has an obligation t help public schools.It a s has an obligation o lo ulc o t help the p b i health system. Part of the curriculum of courses related t the o medical field should focus on s u i s related t p e e t v and s c a medicine tde o rvnie oil and d n i t y Cvle g n e i g c u s s could c n r b t w t t c n l g e related t e t s r . ii n i e r n o r e otiue ih ehoois o
water d s r b t o and sewage systems. itiuin The transportation sector could focus on public transportation. Al fields of l knowledge can contribute. In some cases, courses i the area of communication n may even leave traditional media behind and teach students communication techniques f r the masses. o
Social commitments that represent emergencies

In addition t f s e i g education as a means t create a poverty-freecountry, o otrn o the u i e s t needs t become involved with the s c a commitments that nvriy o oil r p e e t emergencies t B a i i n s c e y One of these commitments is adult ersn o rzla oit. literacy. The g a t eradicate illiteracy i four years could be easily reached i ol o n f
33

only three percent of all u i e s t students worked as literacy teachers. If all nvriy u i e s t students worked as literacy teachers f r four years, B a i could teach nvriy o rzl 30 times as many people how t read and write - I 0 million illiterate people, o 2 o f f e n percent of all illiterate people i the world. If each u i e s t student r ite n nvriy works 8 hours a week f r only one semester as a literacy teacher,it wl take only o il twenty-fourpercent of all u i e s t students t eradicate illiteracy i four years. nvriy o n This is not too much to ask. If w do not do this,i a f w decades,when the history of the 2003 - 2006 e n e campaign f r literacy i B a i is written,what wl be said about u i e s t stuo n rzl il nvriy dents is what w c r e t y say about nineteenth-centuryu i e s t students: that e urnl nvriy w turned a b i d eye t one of the most dramatic s c a problems of our time, e ln o oil j s as they did t slavery. ut o
Commitment to the hture of the country

has reached a crossroads and B a i lies at t i crossroads. The rzl hs f t r of our country is u c r a n not o l because of the lack of s c a investment uue neti ny oil and of the e i t n e of an i t r a d v s o but a s because of the i t r a i n l xsec nenl iiin lo nentoa The university plays a fundamental role i that it helps B a i w t the n r z l ih scenario. construction of its f t r i r l t o t the rest of the world. This happens u u e n eain o through The creation of the necessary scientific and technological bases t face the o future; An understanding of i t r a i n l r l t o s i a world where there is only nentoa eain n one national power; An understanding of the reality of a g o a i e world where there is e c u i n lblzd xlso and separation; Help with the creation of ways t defend our sovereignty i a globalized o n world.

The world

Future knowledge

In order t be a t o f r the future,todaysu i e s t has t d f n the kind of o ol o nvriy o eie knowledge the world wl need i the f t r .The u i e s t , together w t the il n uue nvriy ih Coordination f r the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - CAPES, o has t e capability t d f n the types of f t r knowledge w e should start i v s i g h o eie uue netn so B a i wl be ready t celebrate its second century of independence.This can r z l il o be done i only a few months. n Based on this definition,the u i e s t needs t move forward i r l t o t the nvriy o n eain o r d f n t o of careers.This includes knowing which careers t i v s more i and eeiiin o net n w i h t i v s less i .It a s includes finding out w i h careers w l be soon outdated hc o net n lo hc d due t the dynamic manner i which knowledge and demands f r knowledge o n o
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THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

advance. More importantly,it includes d f n n which careers are permanent due eiig t s c e y sattachment t the fundamental v l e of humanism. o oit o aus
Globalization, regionalism and nationalization

When the last reform,which was conducted by the military,took place,B a i rzl had the intention of developing a national project which was independent from the rest of the world.Despite the t a i i n l alignment with the USA, support rdtoa the USAID gave t the reform and the North-American support t the ambitious o o graduate s u i s program,which was a p s t v change i the reality of Brazilian tde oiie n higher education,the development of a national project was still a dream.Today, the Brazilian university can not ignore the fact that it is part of a global project. University-levelknowledge no longer fits within the borders of any country.The B a i i n u i e s t has t be a part of i t r a i n l knowledge.This includes its rzla nvriy o nentoa q a i i s and s b e t matters. ulte ujc The university has to accomplish the goal to be global and national at the same time. It has t keep the commitments and characteristics of B a i alive and o rzl understand the kinds of specific knowledge that the country needs. In addition, each i d v d a u i e s t must realize the importance of its niiul nvriy immediate surroundings.It must become regional and,at the same time, g o a . lbl
Outline of the Brazilian university system

rzla Despite e f r s on the part of the Council of B a i i n University Deans fot CRUBand other organizations l k the B a i i n Education Council,as wl as ie rzla el the Law of Guidelines and Bases f r National Education,our u i e s t e make o nvriis up a set that lacks the clarity of an i t g a e system.The government w l p e e t nertd i rsn l a proposal f r the creation of the B a i i n u i e s t system.The idea wl be o rzla nvriy il discussed w t the academic community.This system wl show the i t r e a i n ih il nerltos and the interdependence between its s c o s and its i t r c i n w t the system etr n e a t o ih f r the development of science,technology and c l u e i g n r l It wl a s o utr n eea. il l o show t e r l t o s i between the u i e s t , the private s c o and government h eainhp nvriy etr isiuin. ntttos The Brazilian university system wl make it possible t define the future of the il o construction of u i e s t - e e knowledge i B a i throughout the n x decades nvriylvl n rzl et of the t e t - i s century. wnyfrt
Democratization and administrative efficiency

The government wants t propose the democratization of the relationship o

lo between the u i e s t system and s c e y t t e academic community. It a s nvriy oit o h il wants t propose r l s f r the democratization of each u i e s t .There wl be o ue o nvriy 35

r l s t be followed i terms of management,s c a r l t o s and funding sources, ue o n oil eain a m n s r t v efficiency and r l t o s i s i v l i g each u i , its students,s c e y diitaie eainhp novn nt oit rzla n eea. and the B a i i n people i g n r l The university must serve all. Serving all does not m e a n that everybody should be adrmtted t c l e e It means makmg s r that the u i e s t staff serves e e y n . o olg. ue nvriy vroe The university has to be the elite of the professional work force at the service of the population,Because the u i e s t resists changes i its c u s s and s r c u e nvriy n ore tutr, many of its members demagogically defend the i l s o of u i e s l admission luin nvra when they should defend t e u i e s l z t o of the work of u i e s t p o e s r . h nvraiain nvriy r f s o s

111 - A CONCLUSION - SEVEN PLEAS

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THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

The university is the gateway of hope i terms of understanding the crossn roads w are f c n i the middle of our c v l z t o process.One road represents e aig n iiiain a united world and the other represents a s c a l divided world.W e must form oily
ideas f r a better future that wl improve mankinds s t a i n w t globalization o il i u t o ih that does not i c u es c a e c u i n I would llke t concludeby makmg s v n appeals. n l d oil x l s o . o ee
A n appeal to the universities i the richest countries. n

This is an appeal to universities in countries w t the highest per capita ih income. These are the s - a l drich c u t i s The appeal i t assume g o a i a i n ocle onre. s o lblzto i practice. Please do t i not only by exporting products and ideas but a s by n hs lo
importing concerns.D o more than j s develop techniques.Develop ways of ut making ethics an e s n i l part of a commitmentt a better world. Become f m l a seta o aiir with the reality of African u i e s t e and the u i e s t e of poorer indebted nvriis nvriis c u t i s Collaboratew t these u i e s t e u v v l and t a n n and c l a o a e onre. ih nvriissria riig olbrt i c e t n a world consciousness that can interrupt the barbarous march w are n raig e making towards a divided,a i n t d s c e y This & i i n wl o l end up p a i g leae oit. v s o il n y lcn human beings i two tragically d f e e t camps. n ifrn An appeal to universities i emerging countries. n

This is an appeal to universities i emerging countries that already have a large n amountof thlnkers and importantc n e sof hgher l a n n . Look at the p v r y that etr erig oet surrounds you.Examine the r s you face by forming divided,a i n t d s c e i s ik leae oite
i your c u t i s Break the cycle of corporate claims and understand the u i e s t n onre. nvriy as part of a s c a network of human beings searching f r a better f t r .M a k e a oil o uue commitment t collaborating towards overcoming poverty. Understand that even o despite the crisis, there are many u i e s t e that could use help and that are even nvriis poorer,especially i A r c . n fia
A n appeal to the universities i the poorest countries. n

This is an appeal to the universities i the poorest countries,especially i n n Africa and some Latin-Americancountries. Dontgive up hope. In spite of the
tremendous d f i u t e that you face, there is still the p s i i i y of global ifclis osblt integration i terms of knowledge and l n s between u i e s t e .This process n ik nvriis could compensate f r your indwidual difficulties by r l i g on mutual cooperation. o eyn

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A n appeal to the professors

an appeal t the professors. R a i e that teaching methods must o elz incorporate the enormous p s i i i i s of new equipment that w l a l w the sheer osblte i lo l number of s u e t t i c e s dramatically,independent of t e countries they live t d n s o nrae h i . Please accept the risk of b i g p o e s r at a point i time when knowledge n en rfsos n changes every second, demanding dedication i order t keep track of what i n o s going on. Accept the challenge b l l and move forward t create new ways of ody o knowing,as ephemeral as they may be.
A n appeal to the young people.

This is

This is an appeal to the young people of today.Please take on the role that has been w t you throughout h s o y Be rebels.This is so important,especially today ih itr.
i a world where g o a l , independent of the countries you live in,you have n lbly become orphans of neo-liberalism. You are the first generation that faces a f t r uue that is less b n f c a than the ones your p r n s looked forward t .You are the eeiil aet o first generation where a u i e s t diploma does not mean an automatic passport nvriy t s c e s You are the first generation whose diploma wl be obsolete long o ucs. il b f r you retire.You are the first generation where t e new world has become the eoe h current world.You are the first generation that does not carry the bright flags of utopia.You are a s the first generation where the young person seems t be more lo o selfish and c n e v t v than his o her p r n s are. In defending the i t r s s of a osraie r aet neet generation,you have the right t be r b l i u .Demand changes i the u i e s t e o eelos n nvriis you study in,and practice the t a i i n l generosity of young people. You have rdtoa the obligation t be rebels i fighting the barbarity that is part of the socioo n economic g o a d v s o model.U i e s t reform wd not occur without r b l i u lbl iiin nvriy eelos mobilization from you.You are the ones that can mobilize f r revolution o o r eertn n reform.W e are c l b a i g 35 years after I968 and the taste i our mouths is of something unfinished.W e are w i i g f r our youngest sons and daughters and atn o grandchildren t believe that some dreams can come true, o
A n appeal t governments. o
is an appeal t the governments of rich and poor c u t i s ak. o o n r e le Understand the urgency i r c p r t n your p b i u i e s t e .In spite of a l of n eueaig u l c nvriis l the current f n n i l l m t t o s you cannot sacrifice the f t r .The f t r of iaca iiain, uue uue every country depends directly on the u i e s t . Please dont let the u i e s t nvriy nvriy turn i t a f c o y Dontlet knowledge become a marketable product.This i the no atr. s practice of the technocrats i some i t r a i n l organizations. If you do this n nentoa you wl betray the noblest part of the human p o e t il rjc.

This

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THE UNIVERSITY AT A CROSSROAD

An appeal to UNESCO

This is an appeal t UNESCO.Stay strong i your fight for culture,science o n

and education and transform t i meeting i t a Permanent Forum f r the hs no o Defense of Higher Education. Please defend the u i e s t and cause it t nvriy o o oa change. Make it adapt t t d y s reality where knowledge drifts and learning f o t and there are worthless diplomas f y n around and the u i e s t is far las lig nvriy away.This appeal asks UNESCO t dedicate the year 2 0 o 2005 as theYear o 04 r of the University t think about how the twenty-firstcentury u i e s t should o nvriy be. In 2003,please sponsor a day when universities all over the world stop i n order t reflect on their f t r s L t this day be one t think about new d r c i n o uue. e o ietos f r humanity.This day could a l w discussion i u i e s t e on how t return t o lo n nvriis o o being on the c t i g edge of knowledge and how t help UNESCO establish the utn o Literacy Decade. U i e s t e could think about ways of b i g t o s f r e a i a i g nvriis en ol o rdctn hunger and making b s c education u i e s l y available, U i e s t e could provide ai nvral nvriis a day f r dscussions on c n t u t n peace and r t r i g t the g a a t e of s c e s o osrcig eunn o urne ucs f r their students.They could think up ways of l v n with the new g o a and o iig lbl v r u l t a h n methods.They could imagine the u i e s t of hope,the u i e s t ita e c i g nvriy nvriy of the twenty-firstcentury.

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Editorial Council of UNESCO i B a i n rzl

JorgeWerthein Cecilia Braslavsky JuanCarlosTedesco Adama Ouane Cdio da Cunha

Translation:Linda Clark and Thais de Marco Suggestions:Renato Mariani E i o i l A s s a t Larissa Vieira Leite dtra sitn: Layout and Graphic P o e t Edson Fogaga rjc:

United Nations Educational,S i n i i and Cultural Organization cetfc Representation i B a i n rzl SAS,Quadra 5 Bloco H, 6, CNPq/IBICT/UNESCO, andar. Lote Ed. 9" 70070-914 Brasilia - DF - Brasil -

Tel.: (55 61) 321-3525

Fax:(55 61) 322-4261 E-mail: UHBRZ@unesco.org.br

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