Expansão do ensino superior e dinâmicas espaciais urbanas: o caso de Montes Claros/MG

Abstract

The urbanization process of Montes Claros, as well as of many medium-sized Brazilian cities, occurred in an intense way and for a short period. Industrialization, encouraged by the State in the 1970s, was one of the factors responsible for urbanization in Montes Claros. After several years, the industry no longer represents a primordial activity in the municipal economy. The tertiary sector has emerged as the most important and, currently, Montes Claros is the main reference in this sector in the Northern region of Minas Gerais. Commercial activities and service offering, especially regarding health and education, have altered the intra-urban dynamics and the relations of the city with its region of influence. Based on the above considerations, this study aimed to analyze the urban spatial dynamics arising from the expansion of Higher Education in Montes Claros. This work is particularly focused on verifying the importance of the service sector, contextualizing the trajectory of higher education in this city and identifying the urban spatial dynamics resulting from the expansion of Higher Education. The methodological approach consisted of bibliographical research, survey of secondary data, fieldwork and interviews with representatives of Higher Education Institutions (hereby IES), real estate agencies and commercial enterprises/services around institutions, systematization of information and the elaboration of maps. As a result, it was verified that the expansion of Montes Claros Higher Education service has attracted people from different locations, promoting demands for housing, goods and services, especially in the vicinity of the IES. Furthermore, this growth has reinforced the regional centrality already exerted by the city. It can also be noted that IES tend to aggregate on specific areas of the city, generating demands of various levels and changes in the surrounding area.