Brazil and China: towards a mass and universal educational system

Abstract

Purpose – China has invested massively in higher education, reaching a mass system; as next step, the country aims at reaching a universal system. Brazil still presents an elite system, but it needs to create adequate public policies to migrate to a mass system. The purpose of this article is to analyze the aspects for a mass educational system, with regard to the quality of education offered, and the prospects for achieving a universal system, with Brazil and China as a reference. Design / methodology / approach - I applied an exploratory and qualitative method through categorical content analysis. The data were collected through nine interviews with government managers, 15 unstructured (open) questionnaires with specialists in higher education, and four student leaders. Findings - The results indicate that the change from an elite system to a mass system impacts quality, as there is an inevitable change in experience. However, this modification does not testify against the mass system, as a nation needs to go through it and structure it adequately in order to reach out to a universal system, i.e., a path desired by both countries. Originality / value - The study presented the reflections observed in the migration from the elite to the mass system based on the main Chinese stakeholders, and the prospects for Brazil to move towards a mass system. Additionally, the article presented the perspectives for both countries to achieve the desired universal system.