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Brazilians study anything, but sciences
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de redactie
9 november 2011 | In Brazil, student enrolment increased by 110% within a decade, as numbers from the recent higher education census show. Still, universities do not produce enough scientists and engineers to foster the country’s booming economy.
The recent higher education census by the Brazilian government revealedthat student enrolment has increased by 110% within a decade. Acloser look reveals, however, that public education had little todo with this while Brazil’s economy continues to suffer from anacute shortage in science and engineering graduate.
Overall, numbers show that there are 2.377 institutions offering29.500 academic courses to 6,3 million undergraduate students.”This was maybe the best decade for access to higher education,both in relative and in absolute terms – but especially inabsolute,” commented Brazilian education minister FernandoHassad.
30.000 engineers for the next super power
Apparent becomes how much Brazilian education is skewed towardsthe private sector. 74% of all students attend classes in privateinstitutions. This has become a primary concern for Dilma Roussef’sgovernment. Brazil’s President currently expands public education massively with the goal to offer250.000 extra student places until 2014.
Despite these great ambitions, the BRIC member seems to lose outin the race for sciences. Only 30.323 students (1,38% of allfreshmen) opted for engineering courses in 2010. For adeveloping nation striving to become a world power this is simplynot enough. The government itself realized this too. This year, it announcedthat it would provide funding to 75.000 students who would decideto study sciences and engineering abroad.
