Measuring Change in Institutional Diversity in Higher Education in Brazil

Abstract

Drawing on previous literature emphasising the relationship between types of higher education institutions and institutional logics, this study investigates the impact of the higher education system expansion on the functioning of institutions in Brazil. Using latent profile analysis and administrative data from all Brazilian higher education institutions in 2010 and 2019, we estimate nine groups of institutions. The shifts between clusters indicate an increase in the hybridisation of institutional logics carried out by small-scale private institutions, alongside a reinforcement of industry logic in a small number of for-profit HEIs characterised by a high concentration of enrolments. On the contrary, research-oriented institutions form a distinct and relatively more stable group. By following a multi-functional approach to understanding the degree of institutional diversity in an expanding higher education system, our study contributes to a more nuanced capture of its current dynamics and changing patterns over time.