Gestão educacional e responsabilidade social: um estudo das necessidades formativas dos(as) gestores(as) do Instituto Federal da Paraíba - Campus Patos

Abstract

The research titled “Educational Management and Social Responsibility: a study of the formative needs of managers at the Federal Institute of Paraíba – Patos Campus” is situated within the field of public policy, management, and higher education evaluation, focusing on the understanding of social responsibility as a constitutive dimension of educational management within the Federal Network. The study is based on the premise that educational managers are co-responsible for institutional indicators of student retention, success, and social impact, thus demanding the development of management competencies aligned with the institution's public purpose. The general objective was to analyze the formative needs of managers at IFPB – Patos Campus, considering the competencies required to promote management guided by social responsibility. Specifically, it sought to identify gaps between competencies considered strategic for public educational management and those effectively developed in practice, as well as to propose formative guidelines aligned with the Institutional Development Plan (PDI). The research adopted a qualitative approach, of an applied nature and descriptive-analytical character. Methodological procedures included document analysis (PDI, institutional regulations, and Federal Network frameworks), the application of a diagnostic instrument for competency mapping, and content analysis of the responses, organized into previously defined analytical categories. The investigated competencies included, among others, focus on results, people management, initiative and innovation, continuous learning, ethics, and public commitment. The results revealed significant gaps in strategic competencies related to management by results, monitoring of indicators, organizational learning, and innovation, demonstrating the need to strengthen a management culture oriented by evidence and social commitment. It was found that, although social responsibility is recognized as an institutional principle, its operationalization still lacks systematization, continuing education, and alignment between strategic planning and daily management practices. Furthermore, a need was observed to consolidate participatory mechanisms and more integrated decision-making processes capable of articulating administrative efficiency, equity, and social impact. As an educational product, the research proposes a Continuing Education Program titled “Educational Management and Social Responsibility in the Federal Network,” structured based on the competencies identified as priorities. The formative proposal seeks to strengthen democratic leadership, result-oriented strategic management, the use of educational indicators, social impact assessment, and team development, contributing to the consolidation of public management committed to student retention and success. It is concluded that social responsibility, when understood as a structural axis of educational management, requires formative intentionality, competency development, and the institutionalization of evaluative practices that transcend the formal fulfillment of goals. The study reaffirms that the qualification of managers constitutes an essential condition for institutional transformation and for strengthening the social mission of the Federal Institutes, especially in regional contexts marked by social inequalities, such as the Paraíba Sertão.