GESTÃO ESTRATÉGICA DO ENSINO SUPERIOR: A IMPORTÂNCIA DO PAPEL DESEMPENHADO PELOS SECRETÁRIOS EXECUTIVOS

The type search case study, qualitative-quantitative problematizes the professional participation of the Executive Secretariat in strategic management of Higher Education Institutions. Questionnaire was used for data collection with executive secretariat professionals and for managers of HEI of 15 institutions of the Consortium of Gaucho Community Universities of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. For data analysis, it was used the descriptive statistic method. From open questions, pertaining to secretarial professionals, content analysis was used according to Bardin. Results indicate the necessity of the effective participation of the Executive Secretariat in the strategic management of an Institution of Higher Education. This new positioning can break with the linear pyramidal thinking that segregates people in one of the following levels: operational, tactical and strategic. The contemporary movement, according to research data, indicates the Executive Secretariat causing rupture of the operational level in the search for strategic recognition, not neglecting any of the three levels.