Acesso à Educação Superior e Desenvolvimento Regional: Como esses construtos se relacionam?

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the impact of access to higher education in the Municipal Human Development Index (IDHM), measuring the relationship among higher education to local economic development (IDHM-Income), improvements in quality of life (IDHM-Longevity) and improvements in educational level (IDHM-Education). As a methodological procedure, an empirical study was performed in 853 municipalities of Minas Gerais, Brazil, through multiple regression statistical model. It is a descriptive and quantitative study in order to justify the importance of public policies related to higher education as a municipal development mechanism. The results show strong relationships between access to higher education and rises in levels of municipal development, identifying the Open University of Brazil system (UAB) as an important strategy of public policy, able to expand access to higher education, consequently boosting municipal development.