RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL ORIGIN AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BRAZILIAN HIGHER EDUCATION BETWEEN THE YEARS 2008-2013

This paper analyses the influence of individual, socioeconomic and institutional variables on the performance of a sample of 513,164 higher education (HE) students in Brazil who completed the National Student Performance Examination (ENADE) between the years 2008 and 2013. The data, broken down by public and private HE centres, were analysed using hierarchical regression. The results point to differences between students in public and private HE centres and to a significant relationship between grades and socioeconomic factors (as measured by cultural and economic capital), mother’s education level and the type of secondary school attended. More instructors with PhDs and better quality pedagogical aspects positively influenced student performance. The findings reinforce the thesis of social reproduction already identified for basic and secondary levels of education in Brazil and and suggest the need to rethink public policies that correct the differences of social origin of individuals even in higher education. DOI: 10.53706/gep.v.22.7014