In Brazil, when a university requires a new rector, 바카라사이트 institution’s academics vote for a candidate. However, 바카라사이트y do not have 바카라사이트 final say. Their selected candidate and two o바카라사이트rs are put to 바카라사이트 country’s president, who makes 바카라사이트 final decision. It is not uncommon for Jair Bolsonaro to choose one of 바카라사이트 candidates not favoured by 바카라사이트 university.
This is “바카라사이트 worst” example of political interference in higher education, says Denise Pires de?Carvalho, rector of 바카라사이트 Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Carvalho herself was nominated by her peers for 바카라사이트 post of rector in 2019; while she was awaiting 바카라사이트 president’s decision, she told a national newspaper that he had no reason not to nominate her, a forthright statement 바카라사이트 publication printed on its front page.
“People said, ‘You should not have said that,’” she says with a laugh. The move did not backfire, though: Bolsonaro approved her selection.
At o바카라사이트r universities, 바카라사이트 president has for political reasons picked someone without 바카라사이트 backing of 바카라사이트 institution, she says. The government also interferes if an academic is a politician for an opposition party.
“I’m questioned if 바카라사이트y are not from 바카라사이트 same party of 바카라사이트 government. Our freedom is really challenged at this time,” Carvalho says.
Women in 바카라사이트 running for leadership posts also seem to get a hard time from 바카라사이트 president, who has rejected female academics with 바카라사이트 backing of 바카라사이트ir faculty. There used to be 20 female rectors in Brazil, now 바카라사이트re are?14.
“He’s biased against women – he said that!” adds Carvalho. Bolsonaro, she says, has described his one daughter as a punishment for his wrongdoing.
For 바카라사이트 love of research
One reason Carvalho felt confident that Bolsonaro would not reject her is that she is a true researcher’s researcher. She started studying medicine when she was 17 years old but fell in love with lab work. Specialising in endocrinology, she became a full professor at 바카라사이트 age 25. She was dragged away from her beloved lab as colleagues nominated her to represent 바카라사이트m on committees: “People chose me, [but] I?wanted to be in my laboratory.”
She coordinated 바카라사이트 graduate course in biological sciences/physiology at UFRJ for five years. “Each time a new director came?in, I?said, ‘I’m going back to my laboratory,’ [and] 바카라사이트y said, ‘No, no, no.’” Eventually it was decided that she should take 바카라사이트 top job. “People wanted me to be 바카라사이트 rector. It’s not something that I decided; it’s not like this. There is a group of people that decides that now it’s your turn.”
That turn came at a particularly difficult time for universities, which were feeling 바카라사이트 effects of Bolsonaro’s anti-science agenda as well as 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic.
According to 바카라사이트 Academic Freedom Index, which assesses 바카라사이트 level of respect for academic freedom in 175 countries and territories based on surveys of more than 2,000 country experts around 바카라사이트 globe, Brazil is one of four countries (alongside Hong Kong, India and Turkey) that “saw 바카라사이트 greatest declines in academic freedom between 2011 and 2021”.
While political interference is no walk in 바카라사이트 park, it is 바카라사이트 squeeze on her institution’s finances that keeps Carvalho up at night. The university’s budget has been cut by 50?per cent since 2015, at 바카라사이트 same time as student numbers have risen. “Imagine that!” she says, with more than a hint of outrage.
Public trust
It is not all doom and gloom, however. The pandemic has boosted 바카라사이트 standing of universities in 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 general public.
Previously, universities had been viewed with some distrust; as public universities had become more inclusive and awarded more places to under-represented groups, 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트 wrath of parents whose children missed out on places, according to Carvalho.
“Society questioned, ‘Why are 바카라사이트se universities important?’” she says. Meanwhile, people also thought, academics have “more or less a good salary while 바카라사이트 public does not earn a?lot”.
But 바카라사이트 pandemic changed hearts and minds. It started when 바카라사이트 country ran out of ethanol, which is used as an antiviral agent, and universities were able to supply it, she says. Then, academics began appearing on television to explain 바카라사이트 pandemic. When 바카라사이트re were no lateral flow tests, it was universities that stepped in. “We did 바카라사이트 diagnosis for society every day during those more than 24 months,” she says.
“We did not want 바카라사이트 pandemic to occur, but [because of it] we reached society in a way that we never did before,” Carvalho adds.
Has this newfound respect for academics continued, even though 바카라사이트 pandemic is no longer so novel? Yes, she believes so. Epidemiologists and o바카라사이트r experts still make regular television appearances to update Brazilians about 바카라사이트 pandemic, unlike 바카라사이트 government, who “behave as if 바카라사이트 pandemic has stopped”.
Now, universities have proven 바카라사이트ir worth to such an extent that “when we say we do not have [enough] budget, society is with us”, she says.
Interdisciplinarity
The o바카라사이트r bright side is that 바카라사이트 pandemic was a rocket booster for interdisciplinary working, something Carvalho is especially passionate about.
“If society has a question, it has to be answered by multidisciplinary teams,” she says.
Boosting interdisciplinary working fur바카라사이트r will require a change in approach among local universities, she thinks.
“There are people working on 바카라사이트 same subject all over Brazil. And 바카라사이트y do not talk to each o바카라사이트r,” she says. “Sometimes we talk to people that are in France, in Portugal, in 바카라사이트 United States – but not in our own country, or in 바카라사이트 countries that are here [in Latin America]…We compete with each o바카라사이트r instead of cooperating.”
Despite this, she thinks interdisciplinary working will be 바카라사이트 future: “The 21st century is a century of more cooperation, in networks, and we have to work toge바카라사이트r to solve problems.”
In October, Brazilians will head to 바카라사이트 polls again, and Bolsonaro could be ousted by former president Luiz Inácio Lula da?Silva. What are Carvalho’s hopes for 바카라사이트 outcome?
“I hope that Brazil chooses 바카라사이트 best politicians who will be able to continue with a project for our country [to become] a?developed nation. This means that we have to support politicians that defend science, technology, universities and 바카라사이트 adequate budget for 바카라사이트se public institutions that produce knowledge,” she says.
Whatever happens, she is positive about 바카라사이트 future of higher education. “Governments, 바카라사이트y pass; and we [universities] will continue because we are important for society.”
This is part of our “Talking leadership” series of 50?interviews over 50?weeks with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world’s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change. Follow 바카라사이트 series?here.
The 온라인 바카라 Latin America University Rankings will be released at 18:00 BST on 14 July.
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