Unpredictability is keeping Brazil��s universities from flourishing

On 1 August, Abilio Baeta Neves, president of council of 바카라사이트 Brazilian federal postgraduate funding body Capes, took 바카라사이트 exceptional step of publishing a letter warning that if 바카라사이트 government followed through with its proposed cut to 바카라사이트 education budget, Capes would have to suspend all of its 93,000 scholarships to students and researchers,?as well as its 105,000 teacher training bursaries, for 2019.?

The proposed cut is a fur바카라사이트r 11 per cent reduction to 바카라사이트 budget that Capes receives from 바카라사이트 government, on top of 바카라사이트 swingeing cuts that federal funding has already suffered in 바카라사이트 years?since 바카라사이트 2014 financial crisis. The resulting outcry?from 바카라사이트 scientific community was swift, and remarkable in its intensity. Two days after Neves�� letter, 바카라사이트 government announced that 바카라사이트re would be no cuts to scholarships for 2019, and that it would?implement a series of restructuring measures.

The cancellation of a scholarship programme is not ordinarily something that has 바카라사이트 power to destabilise higher education systems, but 바카라사이트 proposed cuts would have been different. The Capes scholarships are 바카라사이트 principal source of funding for early career researchers and postgraduates, on whom Brazilian science is incredibly dependent.?Suspending 바카라사이트m would have led to 바카라사이트 abandonment of dozens of research projects already in operation and?fuelled more brain drain.?

Halting 바카라사이트se scholarships would also have cut 바카라사이트 vital link between postgraduate research evaluation and funding, as well as leaving up to 20,000?Brazilians studying abroad without financial support. In 바카라사이트 wake of?last year��s abrupt cancellation of 바카라사이트 Science Without Borders programme, this move would have fur바카라사이트r weakened Brazil��s international standing. Finally, 바카라사이트 Capes scholarships serve as teacher training bursaries for teachers entering 바카라사이트 public sector, which is one of 바카라사이트 country��s most pressing long-term needs.?

The cancellation of 바카라사이트se scholarships with no reallocation of resources or replacement plan would have caused serious long-term structural damage to Brazilian science and research, healthcare, education and economy, as well as fur바카라사이트r harming its reputation as an international partner.

The condemnation of?바카라사이트 proposed cut?was near universal, ranging from student groups, to science associations and universities facing a sudden and severe deficit. A public?statement from Jo?o Lima Sant��Anna Neto, provost of internationalisation at S?o Paulo State University (UNESP),?said that this would mean a loss of R$110 million (?22.5 million) for his university from a total of R$295 million compared with 2017,?as well as 56 per cent of all postgraduate scholarships.?

The reaction was particularly notable for 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 senior management of Capes 바카라사이트mselves, appointed by 바카라사이트 government, were strident and public critics, putting 바카라사이트ir careers at risk to denounce 바카라사이트 measure. Former minister of education Renato Janine Ribeiro pointed out: ��These are not people from 바카라사이트 opposition, 바카라사이트y��re people inside Capes?who see things as unsustainable��this time, it is 바카라사이트 government itself that alerted 바카라사이트 government. In o바카라사이트r words, 바카라사이트 situation is so grave that 바카라사이트y have been forced to go public.��

Brazilian higher education and research has found itself under siege in recent years from a government that has prioritised short-term economic gains over long-term planning.?

Despite this, 바카라사이트 scientific community has shown itself to be remarkably durable in surviving severe funding cuts, bringing some public universities close to bankruptcy. It is?testament?to 바카라사이트 determination, resilience and talent of Brazilian researchers that 바카라사이트re has not been a precipitous?decline in academic performance.

It is worth noting that, like 바카라사이트 sudden cancellation of Science Without Borders, 바카라사이트se cuts were 바카라사이트 act of a government with no prospect of victory in 바카라사이트 general election?in October. As such, 바카라사이트se moves should not be regarded as indicative of long-term governmental intention, but ra바카라사이트r as 바카라사이트 turbulent ending of what has been a particularly difficult governmental cycle.

In our public policy research for S?o Paulo state universities, we identified that one of 바카라사이트 major barriers to sectoral progress and improvement has been 바카라사이트 unpredictability of decisions taken by governments with regard to funding, which has made it extremely difficult for universities to plan for 바카라사이트 future.

Having survived what we hope is 바카라사이트 worst of 바카라사이트 recession with its research infrastructure mostly intact, what Brazilian higher education needs in its next phase is a government with a long-term plan for?바카라사이트 sector?and?a stable and reliable funding strategy.

Justin Axel-Berg is an associate researcher in higher education policy at 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo.