Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Introduction

Universidade Federaldo Rio Grande do Sul is part of the federal system of higher education linked to the Ministry of Education of Brasil, being a public federal autarchy, created by Decreto Lei nº 5758 of November 20th, 1934 and federalized through the Law 1.254, of December, 1950 is registered under the CNPJ 92969856/0001-98. History UFRGS’s history started with the foundation of the School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, in 1895, and, soon after, the School of Engineering. That was also the start of higher education in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Still in the 19th century, Porto Alegre’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Law were founded, what, in 1900, marked the beginning of humanitarian courses in the state. But it was only on November 28th, 1934, that Universidade de Porto Alegre was created, initially merging the School of Engineering, with the Astronomy, Power Engineering, and Industrial Chemistry Institutes; the Faculty of Medicine, with the School of Dentistry and Pharmacy; the Faculty of Law, with its School of Commerce; the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine; the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences, and Humanities; and by the Fine Arts Institute. The third great moment of transformation of this university took place in 1947, when it started to be designated Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul, or URGS, incorporating the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Dentistry from Pelotas, and the Faculty of Pharmacy from Santa Maria. In December 1950, the University was federalized, being shifted to the Union’s administrative sphere. Since then, UFRGS – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, started to stand out in the national scenery, as one of the largest budgets in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and as number one in publications and number two in scientific production, among federal universities, taking into consideration the number of teachers. Location Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul is based in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul. Located between São Paulo and Buenos Aires – border with Uruguay and Argentina -, Rio Grande do Sul is strategically positioned in MERCOSUL, for being in the center of a region in the continent that holds 60%of all Latin America’s economy. With official policies of cultivating investments in education and health care, this State of approximately 10 million inhabitants and 281,000 km2 (108,494 mi2) has a high cultural level and excellent quality of life. Objective and operation Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul is part of the federal system of higher education, being a public benefit available to society, and consolidated by its capacity for cultural, intellectual, and scientific representation. The university has as its objective to form qualified human resources, with scientific and technological abilities, and who are committed to the exercise of citizenship. UFRGS, community of teachers, students and technical administrative staff, has as main goal higher education, and the production of philosophical, scientific, and technological knowledge, integrated with education, research and extension. UFRGS, as public University, is the expression of a democratic and multicultural society, inspired by the ideals of freedom, respect to differences, and solidarity, constituting a necessary instance of critical conscience in which the community can reflect about their way of life, and their social, economic, and political organization. UFRGS is a centenary institution nationally and internationally recognized. It offers courses in all areas of knowledge and in all levels. Its structure is composed of organs such as high-level administrative offices, UFRGS Teaching Hospital, University Unities, Specialized Institutes, and Interdisciplinary Study Centers. The High-level Administrative Offices comprise Conselho Universitário - CONSUL (University Counsel), Conselho de Educação, Pesquisa eExtensão - CEPE (Education, Research, and Extension Counsel), Conselho de Curadores – CONCUR (Controllers’ Counsel), and Reitoria (Provost’s Office).UFRGS also has Colégio Aplicação, responsible for basic education.