Reassessing Graduate Program Evaluation in Brazil: A Critical Perspective on the CAPES System through the Sociology of Education

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: Division L - Section 7: Policy Implementation, Analysis, and Impact Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

The Brazilian graduate education evaluation system, coordinated by CAPES , has played a crucial role in enhancing research quality, internationalization, and institutional performance. However, this system has also given rise to tensions related to metric overvaluation, regional inequalities, epistemological homogenization, and academic pressure. This essay critically examines the CAPES evaluation model through the lens of the sociology of education. By analyzing the implications of a system that both governs and hierarchizes knowledge production, the text explores its impact on scientific autonomy, diversity of epistemologies, and social accountability. It advocates for a more plural, equitable, and context-sensitive model of evaluation—one that values diverse outputs, regional engagement, and the social relevance of research, beyond the dominance of impact factor metrics and high-ranking journals.

Authors

• Vanessa Cotta Silveira Machado, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto

• Jose Rubens Lima Jardilino, Federal University of Ouro Preto