From the implementation of BPM (Business Process Management) one can expect benefits such as: improving the understanding of the whole and change initiatives and optimizing management performance. Some aspects of BPM implementation are the definition of key processes on which the organization should focus, which allow organizations to understand how they generate value to their customers. This work aims to define a process prioritization method for improvement initiatives in Federal Institutions of Higher Education (IFES). It was used as theoretical foundation concepts and studies related to BPM, public management, decision making and prioritization criteria. It was used research methodology of qualitative approach, of descriptive-exploratory character, using the method Design Science Research (DSR) for the development of an artifact of process prioritization. It was possible to define the priority processes for improvement initiatives in the studied context. The main contributions of this work focus on the fact that it provides subsidies to facilitate the definition of key processes of higher education organizations, making them more competitive.