Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Portuguese: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ) is a public research university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the largest federal university in the country and one of Brazil's centers of excellence in teaching and research.

The university is located mainly in Rio de Janeiro, with satellites spreading to ten other cities. It is Brazil's first official higher education institution, and has operated continuously since 1792, when the "Real Academia de Artilharia, Fortificação e Desenho" (Royal Academy of Artillery, Fortification and Design, precursor to the university's current Polytechnic School) was founded, and served as basis for the country's college system since its officialization in 1920. Besides its 157 undergraduate and 580 postgraduate courses, UFRJ is responsible for seven museums – most notably the National Museum of Brazil –, nine hospitals, hundreds of laboratories and research facilities and forty-three libraries. Its history and identity are closely tied to the Brazilian ambitions of forging a modern, competitive and just society.

Former alumni include renowned economists Carlos Lessa and Mário Henrique Simonsen; Minister Marco Aurélio Mello; the architect Oscar Niemeyer; the philosopher and politician Roberto Mangabeira Unger; the educator Anísio Teixeira; the engineer Benjamin Constant; writers Clarice Lispector, Jorge Amado and Vinicius de Moraes; politicians Francisco Pereira Passos, Oswaldo Aranha and Pedro Calmon, besides the great physicians Carlos Chagas, Oswaldo Cruz and Vital Brazil.

History

Creation

The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro is a direct descendant of Brazil's first higher education courses. Created on September 7, 1920 (Brazilian Independence Day) by president Epitácio Pessoa through the Law Decree 14343, the institution was initially named "University of Rio de Janeiro". Its history, however, is much vaster and parallel to that of the country's cultural, economic and social development (many of its courses trace back to the very foundations of Brazilian higher education system).

In its inception, the university was composed by the "Escola Politécnica" (Polytechnic School, founded on December 17, 1792 as Royal Academy of Artillery, Fortification and Design, during the reign of Portuguese Queen Maria I),, which subsequently became the Royal Military Academy of Rio de Janeiro.

The Medicine School, Faculdade Nacional de Medicina, traces back to April 2, 1808, when Dom João VI founded it under the name of Academy of Medicine and Surgery. The Law School, "Faculdade Nacional de Direito", came to exist after the fusion between the College of Legal and Social Sciences and the Free College of Law - both recognized by the Law Decree 693 of October 1, 1891).

To these initial schools many others were progressively added, such as Fine Arts, "Escola Nacional de Belas Artes" and the "Faculdade Nacional de Filosofia" (National College of Philosophy). Thanks to such achievements, the UFRJ took a crucial role in the implantation of Brazilian higher education, which was in fact an aspiration from Brazilian intellectual elite since the country's colonial era. Due to the longstanding tradition of its pioneering courses, the university functioned as the "scholar mill" upon which most of Brazil's subsequent higher education institutions were molded.

Restructuring

In 1937, Getúlio Vargas's minister of education, Gustavo Capanema, announced a reform of the education system, under which the institution changed its name to the "University of Brazil". The change reflected the government's aim of controlling the quality of the national higher education system - mainly by setting a standard by which all other universities would have to conform. Such decision was strongly influenced by the French concept of university - that in which component schools are isolated in order to assume a specific professionalizing teaching method under strong state control -, which contrasted to the German model seen, for example, in the University of São Paulo, founded in 1934.

The early 1950s marked the institutionalization of research in the university, which consequentially led to the implementation of research institutes, full-time academic staff, instruction of highly specialized professors and the establishment of partnership with national and international financing agencies.

Organization

Administration

The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro is an autarchy and a public institution linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC). Its administration is commanded by the superior councils: the "Conselho Universitário" (University Council), the highest decisional authority, presided by the "reitor" (rector); the "Conselho de Curadores" (Curators Council), responsible for the financial books and budgetary matters, also under rectorship rule; the "Conselho de Ensino de Graduação" (Undergraduate Council), responsible for admission to undergraduate course and other undergraduate affairs, presided by the pro-rector of graduation; and the "Conselho de Ensino para Graduados" (Graduate Council), responsible for research activities and post-graduation courses, presided by the pro-rector of post-graduation and research.

The institution is also directed by a vice-rector and six other pro-rectors. The rectors are nominated and chosen by the Ministry of Education (MEC) from a three-candidate list formed by a general election every four years. In general, the MEC respects the electoral decision, choosing the most voted candidate. The current rector (2014) is Carlos Antônio Levi da Conceição, with Antônio José Ledo Alves da Cunha as vice-rector.

The academic pro-rectories are as follows: "Pró-reitoria de Graduação" (Pro-Rectory of Undergraduate Studies), "Pró-reitoria de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa" (Pro-Rectory of Research and Post-Graduate Studies), "Pró-reitoria de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento" (Pro-Rectory of Planning and Development), "Pró-reitoria de Pessoal" (Pro-Rectory of Human Resources), "Pró-reitoria de Extensão" (Pro-Rectory of Extension) e a Pró-reitoria de Gestão e Governança" (Pro-Rectory of Management and Governance).

Serving as executive institutions are a total of eleven superintendencies: "Superintendência Geral de Graduação" (General Superintendency of Undergraduate Studies), "Superintendência Geral de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa" (General Superintendency of Research and Post-Graduate Studies), "Superintendência Geral de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento" (General Superintendency of Planning and Development), "Superintendência Geral de Finanças" (General Superintendency of Finances), "Superintendência Geral de Pessoal" (General Superintendency of Human Resources), "Superintendência Geral de Extensão" (General Superintendency of Extension), "Superintendência Geral de Gestão e Controle" (General Superintendency of Management and Control), "Superintendência Geral de Governança" (General Superintendency of Governance), "Superintendência Geral de Tecnologia da Informação e Comunicação Gerencial" (General Superintendency of Information Technology and Managerial Communication), "Superintendência Geral de Políticas Estudantis" (General Superintendency of Student Policies) e a "Superintendência Geral de Atividades Fora da Sede" (General Superintendency of Non-Campus Activities).

Notable Rectors

Some of the famous figures that have held the post of rector in UFRJ are: Benjamin Franklin Ramiz Galvão, doctor, first-ever rector and former member of the Brazilian Academy of Literature(ABL); Raul Leitão da Cunha, doctor; Pedro Calmon, former minister of Education and Health; Deolindo Couto, former member of the ABL; Raymundo Augustto de Castro Moniz de Aragão, former minister of Education; Carlos Lessa, economist and former president of "Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social" (National Bank of Economic and Social Development, BNDS).

Statistics and heritage

According to its yearly statistical report (2013), the university controls 52 units and supplementary departments, each linked to one of six academic centers. It has a total of 48 454 active undergraduate students plus 7 333 students in undergraduate online courses, and a yearly graduation rate of 5 381 students. As of post-graduation studies, there are 5 389 individuals undergoing master's degree and 5 5382 candidates for doctor's degree. Of its 3 821 professors, 3 068 hold a doctor degree, 618 are masters and 61 are specialists. In addition, its high-school unit ("Colégio de Aplicação", or Application School) accounts for 760 enrolled students.

The university's main buildings are located at "Cidade Universitária" (College City, with 5.2 million m2) in "Ilha do Fundão" (Backward Island), but the campus at "Praia Vermelha" (Red Beach, with 100 thousand m2) still gathers a plethora of units and supplementary departments. Additionally, there are the Institute of Philosophy and Social Sciences, the Institute of History, the College of Law Studies, the Valongo Observatory, the School of Music, the Residence of College Students and the National Museum (53 276 40 m2). Among the isolated health buildings there are the Maternity School, the São Francisco School-Hospital and the Anna Nery Nursery Schools. The UFRJ possesses additional campuses in Rio de Janeiro's Chile Avenue (8 550 m2), in the cities of Macaé and Duque de Caxias (149 869,18 m2), Jacarepaguá (10 000 m2), Arraial do Cabo and in Santa Teresa (a 1.5 million m2 research-only wildlife reserve).

Structure

the UFRJ can be divided into six university centers plus the "Escritório Técnico da Universidade" (University Technical Department), the "Fórum da Ciência e Cultura" (Forum of Science and Culture, FCC) and the University City Hall. Each center is made of dozens of units and supplementary organs responsible for education, research and extension in their respective areas of knowledge.

University Centers

Center of Health Sciences (CCS): the university's largest, involved in activities and research related to biosciences. As a whole, it gathers ten units and fourteen supplementary organs: three hospitals, three "nuclei" (headquarters), two schools, three colleges and thirteen institutes. Activities are developed mostly at CCS's main building at College City, but there are also units at Praia Vermelha, in downtown Rio, in Macaé and in Xerém.

Center of Technology (CT): the university's second largest center, it manages two sprawling engineering schools and two high-tech research institutes, all located at College City. The CT also controls two business incubators and one foundation focused at technological studies. These units were all previous to the center's foundation, each with a unique history, and their performance is crucial to the national technological environment, given that together they form one of the country's most influential tech-poles.

Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (CCMN): originated from the traditional and influential National School of Philosophy, it is made of five institutes and one observatory. Its main infrastructure is located at College City. The Institute of Chemistry and the Institute of Physics are located at Center of Technology's Block A and the Institute of Mathematics, at its Block C, but both are units of CCMN. The Valongo Observatory is placed near the Mauá Park, at the top of Morro da Conceição, and it is the country's only federal institution to offer undergraduate course in Astronomy.

Center of Law and Economic Sciences (CCJE): responsible for activities concerning applied social sciences: administration, economics, law, library science and urban planning. It gathers three units (schools) and two supplementary organs (institutes) scattered throughout College CIty, Praia Vermelha and downtown Rio.

Center of Philosophy and Human Sciences (CFHC): encompasses interdisciplinary academic activities regarding social sciences, especially those with theoretical focus on society formation. The CFCH is made of six units (two schools, one college and three institutes) and two supplementary organs (one headquarter and the Application College, which supports professor-training courses). The CFHC is locates mainly at the campus of Praia Vermelha, though some minor buildings are found in the regions of Largo do São Francisco and Lagoa.

Campuses

Rio de Janeiro

The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro's main infrastructure is the College City, located at and occupying almost all of Ilha do Fundão (Backyard Island), northern Rio de Janeiro. The island was artificially created in 1950 by the union of various already existing islands through embankment techniques. Academic activities in the campus, however, would only start in 1970, and the initial project stated that all active courses would be transferred to the city. Architecture was hugely influenced by modernism and some designs were even awarded, such as the rectory building (designed by Jorge Machado Moreira and awarded at the "IV Bienal de São Paulo").

The campus has a residence complex for undergraduate students (504 rooms), three university restaurants (commonly called "bandejões", or "big trays"), a sports center, and banking agencies. In 2010, there was the opening of an integration station for the unified college transport system, aiming for more security and comfort to the college community. Dozens of 24/7 inter-campus bus lines, free for students, are connected to the College City, plus regular urban and intercity lines serving the population of Baixada Fluminense region and of metropolitan Rio de Janeiro.

The campus at Praia Vermelha (Red Beach), locates at Urca, southern Rio, concentrates on courses related mainly to human sciences. Its largest and most historically notable building is the University Pallace, a neoclassical-style premise built between 1842 and 1852 to serve as a hospice, which was inaugurated by emperor Dom Pedro II only ten years later. In 1949, the building was given to the University of Brazil, which then restored and expanded its facilities.

In the downtown of Rio de Janeiro, one can find many isolated college units: the College of Law Studies, at Conde dos Arcos Palace, former headquarter of Brazilian senate; the School of Music, planted in the old National Library building since 1913; the Valongo Observatory at the top of "Morro da Conceição" (Conceição Hill); the Institute of Philosophy and Social Sciences and the Institute of History, both situated in the old National School of Engineering building, at "Largo de São Francisco de Paula".

In the 2010-2020 UFRJ Master Plan a project was set for conversion of the Praia Vermelha campus into a great cultural center, consequentially transferring almost all of the campus' academic activities, plus that of all of college units scattered throughout Rio, to the College City, thus redeeming the city's original intent of centering all university activities in Ilha do Fundão. The decision has generated strong polemic with both students and staff, given the great distances between southern (Praia Vermelha) and northern (Ilha do Fundão) Rio and the chaotic traffic that plagues the Red Line of João Goulart Freeway - the "jugular" connecting the College City to Rio.

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