I Arrived at University. Now What?

By Emerson Couto

What a joy it is to see Black people entering Higher Education, envisioning new horizons for work and life. Arriving is the first great achievement. But we must also talk about staying and building the future. That is what true inclusion means.

The reasons for university dropout in Brazil are complex and multifactorial, according to the few studies dedicated to the topic. For historically excluded populations, the main reasons are financial difficulties in sustaining themselves at the university, the challenge of reconciling studies with unrelated jobs, and uncertainties about the choice of course and future inclusion in the job market.

Ten years after the Quotas Law, which guaranteed access to many more Black students in Brazilian universities, discussions now focus on how to improve this and other affirmative policies in education. Beyond strengthening what has already been achieved, ensuring these students’ permanence in university and preparing/connecting them to the job market are the new challenges ahead.

Professor Helio Santos, PhD in Administration, activist, and one of the founders of the Brazilian Institute of Diversity (IBD), once emphasized that “no other public policy has reduced social inequalities in Brazil more than racial quotas” in universities, and he pointed out ways to improve them.

“As racism is systemic, affirmative actions also need to be systemic. Beyond flexible access, which is getting into the university, we need scholarships for permanence,” he says. Santos also highlights the need for refinement beyond financial support, through student monitoring and a focus on life after graduation. “And after university, where do these students go?” he asks.

At Instituto Repartir, the inclusion we propose for students is fully aligned with this systemic perspective. In addition to financial scholarships, the internship promotes technical and practical learning in the field – with diverse experiences and portfolio building –; human development; and the strengthening of youth leadership, social awareness, and protagonism. Real impact on the construction of their self-confidence and career prospects.

Cida Bento, founder and board member of the Center for the Study of Labor Relations and Inequalities (CEERT), published in Folha de S. Paulo the article “Strengthening, Expanding, and Improving Quota Systems”, in which she highlights the positive results achieved with the Quotas Law and points of evolution.

“(Studies) point to the need to broaden the concept of permanence in university policies, involving not only scholarships and financial aid, but also reception, active listening, access to foreign language courses, among others,” she writes.

Thinking broadly – financial support, practical learning/bridges to the job market, and emotional support – is the way forward. The path is long, but a partnership between the public sector, private sector, universities, and civil society organizations has all it takes to make it possible. And, in doing so, to promote the fight against social inequalities on an even greater scale.

At Instituto Repartir, our Social Journey includes paid internships lasting 12 months for low-income university students in Communication. Each internship has a total workload of 1,200 hours during this period. It is an excellent time to develop and improve various technical and human skills.

Emerson Couto is co-founder of Instituto Repartir, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to strengthen the inclusion of low-income Communication students, especially Black people, women, and LGBT+ individuals, in university and the job market.