Public Administration Education in Brazil: Evolution, Challenges, and Opportunities

Public administration education is provided in Brazil in two modalities: by government schools at all levels and branches of government, and by academic programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Education before entering the public service is primarily offered in public and private institutions of higher education at the graduate and undergraduate levels, with the latter predominating. Schools of government provide professional training that concentrates on skill and knowledge development for civil servants; a few offer academic degrees. Training is generally related to the focus of sponsoring agencies, although some schools have more expansive offerings. This paper addresses three questions related to the delivery of public administration education in Brazil: (a) How have the academic and professional training systems evolved? (b) How do their approaches compare? (c) What are the challenges and opportunities that face both modalities educating for public service in Brazil in the future?