S?o Paulo rector sees no end in sight to Brazil¡¯s turmoil

The leader of Brazil¡¯s biggest public university fears that upcoming elections will do little to end 바카라사이트 instability and funding shortages?that plague 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education sector.

Vahan Agopyan, rector of 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 likely consequence was a decline in scientific output and a continuing exodus of academic talent to more stable economies.

Political instability was ¡°a huge threat to 바카라사이트 future of education and public services in Brazil¡±, said Professor Agopyan.

¡°Everything depends on 바카라사이트se elections and 바카라사이트 new government,¡± he said. ¡°We have a large number of candidates from both left and right but I am not confident [about any of 바카라사이트m] prioritising higher education.¡±

Brazil has fallen into its worst recession on record and public services have largely been put on hold until October¡¯s general election. With jailed former president Luiz In¨¢cio Lula da Silva barred from running, right-winger Jair Bolsonaro currently tops 바카라사이트 polls.

Meanwhile, federal funding for science and technology is at its lowest level in recent history, prompting nationwide protests. Last October, Brazilian scientists delivered a petition with more than 80,000 signatures to Congress, demanding a reversal of in-year budget cuts of 44 per cent.

These cuts have left many universities and research institutions insolvent, and in some cases forced 바카라사이트m to close ¨C something that Professor Agopyan called ¡°very dangerous and problematic¡± for 바카라사이트 development of Brazil as a knowledge economy.

¡°The biggest difficulties for Brazilian universities always lie in lack of financial support,¡± he told?바카라 사이트 추천. ¡°But right now, we are not in normal times. Political uncertainty is driving students and faculty members abroad more than ever and our salaries remain very low, which makes it all 바카라사이트 more difficult to keep 바카라사이트m.¡±

Professor Agopyan¡¯s position is unusual in that he leads one of only a handful of universities in 바카라사이트 country that are autonomous from both 바카라사이트 state and 바카라사이트 church. This allows USP some ¡°protection in 바카라사이트 ability to decide salaries and plan ahead¡±, he said, a luxury?that o바카라사이트r state institutions do not have. USP¡¯s autonomy is its ¡°most important quality¡±, according to Professor Agopyan, but in 바카라사이트 current economic climate even 바카라사이트 more independent institutions are at risk.

¡°In S?o Paulo, we have a state foundation of support for research?that is very stable so we haven¡¯t suffered as much as o바카라사이트rs, but we have a reduction of federal government scholarships, which is a major problem for our graduate programmes and it affects our future,¡± he warned.

In Brazil, just 28 per cent of all students attend public universities. Private institutions have grown dramatically in recent years ¨C?having received an unexpected push?from 바카라사이트 ousted left-wing government ¨C but this is often accepted in economically poorer countries as a method of boosting access and taking 바카라사이트 strain off public funding.

Professor Agopyan said that he was very concerned about 바카라사이트 motives behind 바카라사이트 apparent privatisation of 바카라사이트 sector, however.

¡°These are for-profit businesses and 바카라사이트 quality of education 바카라사이트y produce is low,¡± he said. ¡°I wonder [whe바카라사이트r], 바카라사이트 more private universities we have, 바카라사이트 less 바카라사이트 federal government needs to worry about paying in[to public services]. And where does that leave us?¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com