BRAZILIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN THE PANDEMIC CONTEXT: INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS AGAINST COVID-19

In the context of a pandemic caused by the new Coronavirus, governments have adopted measures to prevent and combat Covid-19. In this scenario, several social actors made contributions to the fight against the disease. Among these actions, the measures adopted by Brazilian public universities can be highlighted. The various internal and external actions carried out by higher education institutions demonstrate the importance of universities in crisis management, since the scientific knowledge produced has become the main foundation for the coping strategies implemented by state and municipal governments in Brazil. Given the above, the present study aimed to understand the performance of public universities in Brazil in the context of a pandemic caused by Covid-19, with emphasis on the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), due to its intense performance, support and, mainly, partnerships established with the state government. Methodologically, bibliographic research procedures and the survey and systematization of actions by federal public universities and, specifically, UFRN, were adopted. The results show that, based on the relationship established between the state government of Rio Grande do Norte and UFRN, there are indications of elements that can contribute to the establishment of collaborative governance.