On January 20, 2026, the webinar “Community University in Brazil: Characteristics and Challenges of a Public Non-State Model” was held, bringing together researchers and stakeholders interested in higher education policies to discuss the specific features of the Brazilian community-based university model. The online event addressed the historical origins of this model, its legal framework, and its main institutional characteristics, with particular emphasis on its strong links to regional development, as well as the challenges and tensions it faces in a context marked by the increasing marketization of higher education in Brazil.

The webinar featured Olmiro Schaeffer, from the University of Passo Fundo (Brazil), who is currently undertaking a postdoctoral research project at Universidade Lusófona, under the supervision of Professor Cristina Sin, entitled “Quantity, Quality, and Equity in Higher Education: A Perspective on Institutional Models in Brazil and Portugal.” The initiative was part of the activities of ReLeCo — Public Policies and Governance in Education. The full recording of the webinar is available at: https://youtu.be/gBo0JCR5MmA