Qualidade, eficiência e sustentabilidade na educação superior: uma análise comparativa entre países em relação ao progresso desigual em direção ao Objetivo de Desenvolvimento Sustentável 4

Abstract

This doctoral thesis aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of countries’ progress toward SDG 4 Target 4.3 by analyzing performance typologies and estimating the efficiency with which tertiary education systems generate outcomes related to access to higher education, participation in vocational education, and engagement in lifelong learning. It is structured as article-based research comprising three independent yet interrelated studies. Grounded in Institutional Theory, Resource Dependence Theory, and the Capability Approach, the research adopts a comparative, multi-level, and cross-national design that integrates qualitative evidence synthesis with quantitative modeling based on secondary data. The first article presents a scoping review that systematically maps how tertiary education institutions operationalize quality and efficiency in support of SDG 4. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the PRISMA-ScR protocol, 26 empirical studies published between 2015 and 2024 were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. The findings reveal a growing diversity of strategies combining technological innovation, institutional reform, and collaborative partnerships. However, they also highlight persistent challenges related to fragmented governance, conceptual misalignment between quality and efficiency frameworks, and unequal institutional capacities across contexts. This study contributes by proposing a multi-level analytical framework linking micro-, meso-, and macro-level dimensions of quality and efficiency in tertiary education for sustainable development. The second article empirically investigates global performance patterns related to SDG 4 Target 4.3 by developing a cross-national typology of higher education systems. Using recent data (2022–2024) from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics for 71 countries, the study applies a two-stage clustering approach that combines self-organizing maps and hierarchical clustering. The results identify four distinct clusters of countries, revealing marked differences in access to tertiary education, vocational training participation, lifelong learning engagement, and gender equity. The analysis shows that countries with integrated lifelong learning policies and stronger institutional arrangements tend to exhibit more inclusive and balanced outcomes, while others face persistent gender gaps and limited vocational integration. This article advances the literature by providing an updated empirical typology and by theoretically linking institutional configurations to capability expansion in higher education systems. The third article assesses the relative efficiency with which national higher education systems transform educational resources into outcomes aligned with SDG 4 Target 4.3. Drawing on data from UNESCO and the World Bank for 112 countries, the study applies an output-oriented bootstrap Data Envelopment Analysis model to account for statistical noise and improve the robustness of efficiency estimates. The findings reveal substantial global disparities: while high-efficiency systems are associated with effective governance and strategic resource allocation, many low- and middle-income countries face structural constraints that limit performance. Notably, several countries with lower levels of economic development outperform wealthier peers, indicating that efficiency is more closely related to governance quality than to income level alone. The doctoral thesis demonstrates that global progress toward SDG 4 Target 4.3 has been uneven and only partially convergent. Although access to higher education has expanded worldwide, this quantitative growth has not consistently translated into improved equity, employability, or lifelong learning opportunities. A pronounced asymmetry persists between the Global North and the Global South. These systemic disparities threaten the achievement of Target 4.3 by 2030 and suggest that, without structural reforms, global inequalities in access and inclusion may persist and potentially deepen. The research provides a comprehensive and evidence-based understanding of the uneven progress toward SDG 4, offering actionable insights for policymakers seeking to enhance the equity, effectiveness, and sustainability of higher education worldwide.