Política de inclusão regional no ensino superior: possibilidade de implementação em uma universidade federal no interior de Minas Gerais

Abstract

The theoretical perspective of this study is situated within the field of public policy research and addresses issues related to the recent interiorization of higher education in Brazil, its potential contributions to regional development, and the challenges faced by a regionalized institution examined in this dissertation: the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares Campus (UFJF-GV). The institution faces the challenge of consolidating itself as a higher education institution of major relevance to the Rio Doce Valley, in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, through the retention of graduates who can foster the region’s socioeconomic development. One way to achieve the objectives of higher education interiorization is through policies based on the criterion of the Regional Inclusion Argument (RIA), which has already been adopted by several Brazilian federal universities. Accordingly, the research problem guiding this study is as follows: how can the different forms of application of the Regional Inclusion Argument by federal universities serve as examples for the formulation of a regional inclusion policy? In light of this issue, the general objective of this research was to identify models of regional inclusion policies adopted by the universities studied that could contribute, where feasible, to the formulation and implementation of the Regional Inclusion Policy of UFJF-GV. The methodology consisted of documentary research on university regulations and the quantitative analysis of institutional data related to the implemented policies. The results indicate that these policies produced positive outcomes, particularly with regard to territorial reach, the proportion of regional students, and the filling of available places. However, it was observed that the universities studied treat regional inclusion initiatives merely as affirmative action measures aimed at expanding access to higher education for students from the surrounding region. Based on these findings, it is concluded that the regional inclusion policies analyzed reveal structural weaknesses, as they focus primarily on admission mechanisms, indicating the need to advance toward a broader approach that encompasses student retention, graduate settlement, and education aligned with regional demands. Consequently, a model of a regional inclusion policy is proposed through a conclusive technical report, emphasizing expanded access, interinstitutional partnerships, outreach, student retention, academic restructuring, and retention in the region of origin, as well as the recommendation of administrative tools for the formulation, implementation, and monitoring stages. The practical contribution of this study lies in the identification of methods capable of mitigating territorial asymmetries in the population’s level of education. The theoretical contribution consists of articulating the debate on public policies in higher education with the concept of the Regional Inclusion Argument, which remains insufficiently systematized in the literature, particularly in the context of higher education interiorization.