REGIC AS A REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT METHOD IN SMALL CITIES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES IN SÃO CARLOS AND LEBON RÉGIS (SC), BRAZIL

Abstract

This study examines the application of the Regions of Influence of Cities (REGIC) survey as a structuring method for regional development in small municipalities, using educational services of medium and high complexity as the empirical variable. Adopting a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive, and comparative approach, the research analyzes the cases of São Carlos and Lebon Régis, in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, based on the functional hierarchy identified by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Secondary official data, including REGIC, the 2022 Demographic Census, and the School Census, were used to identify patterns of centrality, territorial dependence, and intermunicipal flows related to technical and higher education. The findings suggest that the presence of local technical educational infrastructure, such as a federal campus, partially reshapes the municipality’s functional position within the urban network by reducing external dependence. Conversely, the absence of such infrastructure intensifies educational outflows and reinforces reliance on regional poles. The study concludes that REGIC can be operationalized as a methodological tool for territorially coherent educational planning in small cities.