SECTORIAL FACTORS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION IN BRAZIL: A MULTICASE STUDY IN SEVEN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

The private sector of education has been increasing its participation in Brazilian higher education. Between 1997 and 2007, the respective sector grew 394%, which represents an average of 17.30% per annum. However, from the year 2008 it can be seen that this expansion cycle came to an end, as the growth has stagnated in most reasonable rates around 3%, creating more challenges and the need of professionalization of the sector (HOPER, 2009). From this scenario, this work proposes to conduct a study of sectorial factors that influence private higher education in Brazil, in order to provide data and information for decision making by the government, maintainers groups, institutions maintained, and the whole community. For this, we conducted an exploratory study, of qualitative nature, by means of bibliographic data collection and interviews with managers from seven private higher education institutions nationally recognized. The results showed that there is a strong influence of the sectorial factors in private institutions of higher education, which should then monitor them properly. The executives interviewed highlighted the importance of these factors, which can turn into big enemies or powerful allies, in a scenario ever more challenging and competitive.