Possibilidades para a integração da educação superior: conexões, nós e redes na territorialidade da tríplice fronteira Argentina, Brasil e Paraguai

Abstract

The frontier is characterized as a singular space, with multiple identities, feelings, belongings, or even relationships materialized in networks. This territoriality, typical of the cross-border region, brings with it, in its territorial network, the constitution of relationships, associations or networks, experienced in commerce, in capital, in crime, or even, in education. In this sense, the triple frontier, located in the southern cone, composed of the countries Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, and higher education are objects of study of this research, since the cross-border takes brazilians, argentines and paraguayans to, for example, to study in one of these countries and to reside and work in another. In this context, the research problem arises: is it possible to integrate Public Universities, within the scope of undergraduate courses, in the territoriality of the triple frontier? To this end, its main objective is to understand the elements for the integration of undergraduate courses through an international network of public universities in the territoriality of the triple frontier. As a way of responding to the proposed objective, the specific objectives were defined: a) to characterize the educational systems present in cross-border countries: Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay; b) to evaluate the curricular structure of the Administration and Tourism Courses at the Public Universities UNIOESTE (Brazil), UNAM (Argentina) and UNE (Paraguay); c) to interpret the associations and networks present in the international relations of the Public Universities UNIOESTE (Brazil), UNAM (Argentina) and UNE (Paraguay). The methodological path adopted is based on qualitative research. As for the objectives, exploratory research was adopted, for contributing or providing more information on the subject, and descriptive, considering that it sought to describe the characteristics of higher education present in the countries of the triple frontier. As for the method, it is a comparative study. The research had as an empirical research field Public Universities in the triple border region (UNIOESTE, Brazil; UNAM; Argentina, and; UNE, Paraguay). Therefore, information was collected from secondary data, using documentary research. The data were analyzed from the perspective of content analysis, in order to highlight the similarities and divergences between the educational systems, the higher education of the three countries, as well as the courses investigated and the internationalization actions of the Universities. Subsequently, the findings made it possible to understand aspects or elements that may favor the formation of new territoriality in education, or even possibilities and challenges, through the constitution and materialization of an international network of integration between these Universities, in the territoriality of the triple frontier. It is expected that the articulation of social relations and production of Public Higher Education Institutions, in a network, will bring benefits to residents of the cross-border region.