The results of a prospective study are presented in the context of Project 914BRAS1123 - Present and Future of the National System of Graduate Programs, concluded in May, 2009. The study sought to evaluate the potential for expanding the graduate system to all areas of knowledge. The emerging research issues with the potential of leading to the creation of new programs have been identified according to the taxonomy used by Capes and the Research Directory of CNPq. The probability of occurrence of new programs for each research issue has been calculated, based in part on comparisons with similar programs in international and leading national institutions. A specific methodology was developed in order to map the most likely way to expand the system for the next ten years, indicating the research issues and the institutions in which the new graduate programs are likely to occur.