This article presents an investigation on public evaluation policies, carried out by a research group coordinated by Dr Mere Abramowitz, as part of the Postgraduate Program in Education: Curriculum of the Pontifical Universidad Catholic de Sao Paulo. Between 2002 and 2004, the research group accompanied the implementation of public policies for evaluating higher education, based on interviews which gave voice to managers of public and private institutions, working with different levels of education, and from various parts of Brazil, in order to reveal intentions and purposes, and carry out a critical analysis of how these policies affect the day-to-day practice of these institutions. Today, faced with the implementation of a new system for evaluating higher education (SINAES), this analysis once again shows its relevance, as we believe it is important to consider these policies in their historical context, recognizing any continuities and breaks.