On December 3rd, Dalmo Dantas Gouveia delivered public exams for the doctoral thesis entitled “The expansion of higher education in Brazil through EaD: a study of graduates in the city of Aporá – BA”. The investigation was guided by Dr. Ana Maria Benavente da Silva Nuno; the jury was constituted as follows: President – Prof. Dr. António Teodor, arguers – Prof. Adriana Melo and Prof. Doctor João Pedro Fernandes, vocals – Prof. Doctor João Pedro Fernandes and Prof. Doctor Paulo Nunes.

The research shows that despite the democratization of education being recognized as part of social justice in Brazil, many of the students reach the end of their education without adequate knowledge for the level acquired. This fact typifies the exclusionary inclusion. In this case, inclusion policies have worked, including in higher education courses – EaD, as a mask of the process of discrimination within educational institutions in Brazil. The study concludes that EaD graduates from the Aporá – Ba hub acquired fragile knowledge that did not make them fit for professional practice, that is, they are part of the exclusionary inclusion group. Clearly, the opportunity to access higher education, mainly through EaD, reaches the most needy, but there is still a long way to go before the offer is of quality for everyone.