This report describes the steps that led to the establishment of the Network of Technical Schools of the Brazilian Health System (RET-SUS). The Network brought together the so-called Technical Schools of the SUS (ETSUS) from 18 Brazilian states. The ETSUS are state schools specializing in the area of health and, in most cases, connected with the Health Secretariats of the various states and municipalities. Their main role is to organize, orient and participate directly in the various levels of professional training that will supply the SUS' demand for qualified staff; and second, help to consolidate public policies in the area of health. In the text, we look at the challenges presented by working in a network, in particular the efforts to integrate the various ETSUS in order to promote the exchange of experiences, projects, curricula, technologies and management models; and at the attempts to build articulated movements of cooperation and mutual help by developing previously isolated activities.
cooperative networks; professional education in health; permanent education; integrated curricula; articulation teaching-services
