Evaluation of higher education in Brazil: a systematic review of the literature and future agenda

Resumen

This study aims to identify the fundamental elements related to the quality of higher education in the Brazilian context. The methodology employed involved a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) in the Scopus database, resulting in the selection of 29 articles on the evaluation of higher education in the Brazilian context. Content analysis was adopted as a technique to identify strands, methodologies and gaps in the research. The results indicated a growing interest in the subject over the years. Five main categories emerged from the studies: Performance Evaluation, Quality Indicators, SINAES, Institutional Evaluation and Higher Education. The importance of institutional self-assessment, quality metrics and the uniqueness of SINAES in the Brazilian context stand out. The agenda for future research identified gaps, such as evaluating the impact of government policies, approaches to the quality of institutions and international comparative analyses. In conclusion, this study offers a comprehensive view of higher education evaluation in Brazil, highlighting its evolution over the years and pointing to directions for continuous improvement in the Brazilian education system. The categories identified reflect the complexity of the subject, underlining the importance of ongoing efforts to improve the country's higher education system.