London, 18 May 2012

In two separate recent judgments, Brazil's Supreme Court has ruled on the constitutionality of two higher education affirmative action programmes. The first case (Racial Quotas Case) concerned the use of racial quotas for black, mixed-race and indigenous students in university admissions. The second case (Pro Uni Case) concerned the provision of scholarships to disadvantaged students in private universities. Although Afro-Brazilians make up over 60% of students in primary and secondary education, they are under-represented in higher education, where they make up less than 40% of the student population.