The aim of this article is to discuss the validity of public policies adopted by the Brazilian government in relation to higher education during the last decade. In addition, it will analyse its consequences in the set-up of the 21st century university, called “emerging university”, and seek possibilities to transform the paradigm of the university today. The analysis was conducted with a documentary survey of the data made available by Brazil’s Ministry of Education, which focus on the public policies for the sector, and a bibliographic survey with constitutional and legal texts. We also resorted to theoreticians like Durham and Sampaio (2000), Cunha (2004), Baty (2011) and others. The study intends to demonstrate the possibility of carrying out research in the university (here understood as the various categories of higher education), in face of the social changes at the beginning of this millenium, as well as the transformations required for the university, its episteme, its mission and its ethos in the contemporary world.