How Do Political Institutions Develop?
Capes, Coneau And The National Postgraduate System In Brazil And Argentina
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21713/rbpg.v42.2469Keywords:
institutional evolution, Graduate Education, CAPES, CONEAUAbstract
This study investigates the processes of institutional development of graduate education regulatory agencies in Brazil and Argentina, analyzing how institutional and historical factors shaped their distinct trajectories. Based on the model of endogenous change, the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), created in 1951, is identified as promoting institutional development through layering, characterized by strong regulation, rigorous evaluation, and scientific support. Conversely, the National Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation (CONEAU), established in 1995, exemplifies a process of drift, with lower discretion and regulatory capacity. Methodologically, the research reconstructs the agencies’ trajectories, highlighting their contexts of creation and consolidation. In Brazil, CAPES has consolidated a highly regulated system focused on scientific productivity and internationalization. In Argentina, CONEAU operates in a more flexible environment, with high initial approval rates and less coercive mechanisms. The results suggest that while CAPES plays a strategic role in Brazil’s scientific and academic development, CONEAU faces challenges related to the uniformity and impact of its regulations. It is concluded that structural and historical differences explain the discrepancies in the evaluation and accreditation models, with important implications for the quality of graduate education systems in both countries.
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