Márcia Cristina Bernardes Barbosa, the dean of UFRGS, warns that public and community universities worldwide are facing a coordinated effort to discredit them, despite their key role in implementing public policies.
In a recent interview, Márcia Cristina Bernardes Barbosa, the dean of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), emphasized that public and community universities around the world are under threat as part of a broader movement aimed at undermining institutions that generate knowledge. Highlighted in Forbes' list of women transforming science, Barbosa spoke on GloboNews about the essential role these universities play in shaping public policy, which she argues is being overlooked by the government.
Barbosa pointed out that the government lacks the capacity to deliver education on a large scale, thus placing increased importance on the role of universities. She highlighted that UFRGS is actively involved in public health education, specifically through a partnership with the Ministry of Health to provide distance learning for Community Health Workers (ACS). This initiative, named 'Mais Saúde com Agente', is currently training over 400,000 ACS, showcasing the university's critical contribution to public health.
The broader implications of Barbosa’s comments reflect a growing concern within academia about the global climate for public education and its funding. As threats to the credibility and support for public universities persist, she raises an alarm about the potential long-term impact on education and public health initiatives if such institutions continue to face increasing scrutiny and devaluation from various societal and governmental sectors.
