Influências do Sistema de Avaliação da Capes nas Estruturas Curriculares e Práticas Formativas dos Programas de Pós-Graduação em Educação: O Caso da UFBA

Abstract

This study addresses the theme "The Influence of the CAPES Evaluation System on the Formative Process of Graduate Programs", with a particular focus on the Graduate Program in Education (PGEDu) at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). The main objective of the research was to analyze the impacts, changes, and formative practices resulting from the CAPES Evaluation System on the curricular structures of PGEDu, emphasizing teacher education for Higher Education from the system's implementation to the present day. The investigation was guided by key questions: How does the CAPES Evaluation System influence changes in the curricular structures of graduate programs in education? Which curricular components of UFBA's PGEDu are aligned with CAPES criteria, and how do they contribute to teacher preparation for Higher Education? And how does CAPES's evaluation form—Document 38—shape formative practices within the program? The theoretical framework is grounded in the works of authors such as Anastasiou and Pimenta (2002), Pimenta and Anastasiou (2014), Silva (2007), Sacristán (2013), Trevisol, Fávero, and Almeida (2019), Morosoni (2001), Morosini (2006), and includes significant contributions from Ball (1996), in discussing the culture of performativity, and Santos (2004), who explores the implications of managerialism in Higher Education. The study also adopts Bardin's (2010) content analysis as a method for interpreting the narratives of current and former PGEDu coordinators. The results indicate that the inclusion of international elements and the emphasis on scientific production reflect PGEDu's efforts to align with CAPES criteria, particularly regarding internationalization and academic impact. However, tensions arise between the demands for academic productivity and the preservation of the program’s local identity, highlighting the challenge of balancing external requirements with curricular autonomy. The research revealed significant discrepancies between CAPES's evaluative criteria and the actual formative needs of future educators, showing that while pedagogical training for Higher Education teaching is an internal concern of the program, it is not prioritized by CAPES. Interviews with program coordinators revealed a shared perception: although PGEDu has incorporated courses focused on research and academic production, the pedagogical preparation of professors for Higher Education remains a developing area. CAPES’s evaluation form—especially Document 38—influences pedagogical practices but does not clearly prioritize teacher education. This points to a gap between CAPES’s guidelines and the real demands of the educational field, requiring ongoing curricular adjustments to address both external expectations and the local needs of students and faculty. By addressing teacher education and curriculum design, the study underscores how the culture of performativity and managerialism permeates CAPES's evaluation process, as discussed by Ball (1996) and Santos (2004). The emphasis on publication volume and academic impact reinforces a high-performance culture, often at the expense of deeper pedagogical training. In this regard, PGEDu has sought an approach that maintains its local relevance while still complying with CAPES requirements. In summary, the findings show that the CAPES Evaluation System, while essential for setting unified criteria and ensuring academic quality in Brazil, imposes rigorous parameters for evaluating graduate programs. This standardization aims to harmonize scientific output, faculty qualifications, and research relevance, ensuring that master’s and doctoral programs meet high standards of excellence. However, it also brings significant challenges—particularly regarding teacher training for Higher Education—since the focus on research can diminish attention to pedagogical development. The tension between evaluative guidelines and curricular autonomy was a key point, emphasizing the need for strategies that support a healthier balance between academic productivity and educational quality. In this context, PGEDu demonstrated resilience by implementing initiatives that reconcile these demands, serving as an example of adaptation within the Brazilian educational landscape.