A review of the evolution of Brazilian policy for higher education concludes that the conflicts, shifts in decision arenas, and decisional paralysis reflect (1) basic lack of consensus in the nature, goals, and possibilities of higher education in a society, and (2) disagreement about the resources available to a government. (Author/MSE)

Major patterns of relationship between the public and private sectors in Latin American higher education are discussed. Three key evolutionary waves are identified that have led to three private-public patterns dominant in Latin America today. For both the public and private sectors, attention is directed to origins and growth, who pays and rules,…