Brazil invests in professional and technological undergraduate education
Jul 01, 2010
According to the ministry of Education, the department for development and modernization, undergraduate technological programs deepen studies and solutions through applied science in professional activities. The courses take in average about 3 years and are always directed to the demands of the labor market.
For a long time the professional or so the called technological higher education area was not well developed in Brazil. A lot of technological courses were given as a spare time specialization course or knowledge was simply acquired through experience or work courses. The courses available were in small numbers and not given the strategic importance for a country in development they deserve. In 2000 for example Brazil offered only 364 professional / technological higher education courses in the whole of the country. Today the total reaches almost a number of 4.500 courses.
The courses are called ´cursos superiores de tecnologia´ in Brazil and give the title of Tecnólogo. In level they are equal to the Brazilian bachelor and teacher´s license, and thus can be continued by any graduate course. Though, the technological courses are practical oriented and completely focused on the labor market. According to the ministry of Education, the department for development and modernization, undergraduate technological programs deepen studies and solutions through applied science in professional activities. The courses take in average about 3 years and are always directed to the demands of the labor market. One of the highpoints of a technological course is the internship. Students learn to understand, manage and operate equipments, instruments and methods in their activities. And the courses are not limited to technical areas, there are professional courses offered in areas such as arts, commerce, communication, design, informatics, health, tourism, management and so on.
Brazil´s economy is growing rapidly. Employment is growing as well, but there is a lack of qualified personnel in various professions. Brazil sees the urgent importance of this professional education and therefore invests in it. Currently it is the fastest growing sector in higher education. New courses are being set up. The minister of Education, Fernando Haddad, announced on the especially organized international seminar on technological higher education courses: Education and the World of Labor, which took place until 1 of June, to give more visibility to these courses. Currently the profession of Tecnólogo is being regularized through the parliament. The regulation will lead to standards and conditions on the labor market and subsequently to a rise in the search for courses. Today 16% of the undergraduate courses are technological (professional) courses, already a big step forward, but more investment is needed reminded the Minister, giving as an example that in some developed countries professional higher education courses make up for 50% of the total offer, underlining the importance of this education for a country´s development.
Nuffic Neso Brazil / Remon Daniel Boef
Sources:
Ministry of Education (MEC), www.mec.gov.br
Guia do Estudante, Editora Abril, http://guiadoestudante.abril.com.br/universidades/curta-duracao/materia_433025.shtml