Resumo

MORLES, Víctor. GRADUATE SCHOOL EDUCATION OR ADVANCED EDUCATION IN VENEZUELA: WHAT FOR?. Investigación y Postgrado [online]. 2005, vol.20, n.2, pp.35-61. ISSN 1316-0087.

This article describes and argues about the evolution and characteristics of the graduate programs worldwide, making emphasis in the Venezuelan case. The social importance of graduate studies is enhanced, not only because it is the highest level of the education system, but because of the close relation to the intellectual production (scientific, technological and humanistic). A proposal for the creation of an advanced education system is described (wider concept than that of graduate school) and it is argued that in countries like Venezuela, with low development and high dependence of foreign countries, the main criterion to launch programs at this level should be the social relevance.

Palavras-chave : graduate school education; advanced education; higher education.