National university systems as agents for regional development: the Brazilian case

Post-secondary institutions in the Global South are playing an increasingly important role in the regional development process, providing educational services and training to citizens, developing important policy levers, and by supporting research and innovation. At the same time, such interventions within regional economies have been relatively uneven, and dependent upon the particular strengths and ambitions of regional institutions. Based upon an in-depth analysis of Brazil's extensive federal university network, this study attempts to move beyond current understandings within the literature to shed additional light on the factors that could help determine the effectiveness of the regional university's development function – particularly in a context of uneven regional growth. Specifically, it examines which elements of the national university system are effectively capable of undertaking this role, and then for these, how investments in post-secondary education have positioned federal universities to achieve this end. The study concludes that despite strong national policy incentives, significant challenges remain in the development of a national system that can fully address the needs and aspirations of Brazil's less affluent regions.