Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: VICTOR RAMON SOARES

The Regional Centrality of Caicó - RN, Based on Higher Education Services

Higher education; regional centrality; Caicó.

This research analyzes the relationship between the provision of higher education services and the consolidation of Caicó (in the state of Rio Grande do Norte) as a regional hub, considering the impact of policies aimed at expanding and decentralizing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on the organization of the territory. The study discusses the historical evolution of higher education in Brazil, highlighting transformations driven by programs such as REUNI, FIES, and PROUNI, as well as the expansion of federal institutes and the growth of private institutions—developments that broadened access to undergraduate and graduate studies, particularly in mid-sized and interior cities. It then examines the spatial distribution of HEIs across Brazil, the Northeast region, and Rio Grande do Norte, highlighting progress in democratizing access alongside persistent regional inequalities and the dominance of the private sector. Within the specific context of Rio Grande do Norte, the study demonstrates that this decentralization strengthened strategic municipalities—including Caicó, which became a hub for both public and private institutions offering a diverse range of in-person, flexible, and distance-learning courses. This process intensified the movement of students, faculty, and staff; increased the circulation of goods, services, and information; stimulated changes in the real estate market, urban infrastructure, and the local economy; and reinforced the municipality's regional influence. The study concludes that the expansion of higher education is a significant factor in the production of space, the strengthening of Caicó’s regional centrality, and the reorganization of socio-spatial relations in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte, although its effects remain shaped by territorial inequalities and the limitations of public policies.