Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro^[3] (Portuguese: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ) is one of the largest federal universities of Brazil, where public universities comprise the majority of the best and most qualified institutions.^[4] It is seated in the city of Rio de Janeiro, with three campi (Fundão island, Praia Vermelha and the humanities core at IFCS downtown) and two more independent buildings in downtown Rio.

It was founded on September 7, 1920, by President Epitácio Pessoa,^[1] upon gathering a number of previously independent public institutions of higher education in the city. By then, Rio was the Brazilian capital and the federal government sought to stimulate scientific production in the nation's booming economy. Some of the colleges and schools which form UFRJ date back to the United Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil and to the Brazilian Empire, such as the [Escola Politécnica] (Polytechnical School - founded in 1792), Faculdade Nacional de Direito (National Law School - founded in 1882 and reestablished in 1891), Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) and the Faculdade de Medicina (Medicine School).

Initially the University was named Universidade do Rio de Janeiro. It was later renamed as Universidade do Brasil, on July 5, 1937. On December 17, 1945, the University achieved the status of full autonomy under the Brazilian Ministry of Education. In 1965 it was renamed as Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, according to the federal university system devised by the military government of Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco. In 2000, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro requested to retain its former title of Universidade do Brasil, on the grounds of the imposition of the current name by the military dictatorship during the 1960s. The request was granted and today the University may be called either name.

On the occasion of its foundation in 1920, the University was formed by joining three independent higher learning schools:

• Faculdade de Medicina (Faculty of Medicine, the former Academia de Medicina e Cirurgia, which was created in 1808 by a decree of King D. João VI)
• Escola Politécnica (Polytechnic School)
• Faculdade Nacional de Direito (National Faculty of Law)

To these, other units were gradually created an incorporated, such as the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) and the Faculdade Nacional de Filosofia (National Faculty of Philosophy).

A beautiful set of buildings of neoclassical design - originally constructed to be a sanatorium - was then set to lodge the new University, located at Avenida Pasteur, in the Urca district of the city, near the Praia Vermelha. During the 20th Century, due to the University's expansion, an entire archipelago (nowadays merged as one sole island - the Fundão Island) on Guanabara Bay was set apart for the construction of modern buildings which today host the University's administration and several of its colleges and research centers. Fundão is nowadays its main campus and many Brazilians refer to UFRJ simply as "Fundão".

UFRJ is ranked as one of the best universities in Brazil.

Centers

The University is divided in "Centers" and in independent units:

• Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), including
  • Instituto de Biologia (IB).
  • Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB).
  • Instituto de Nutrição Josué de Castro (INJC).
  • Escola de Enfermagem Anna Nery (EEAN).
  • Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho (HUCFF).
  • Faculdade de Farmácia (FF).
  • Faculdade de Medicina (FM).
  • Faculdade de Odotonlogia (FO).
  • Escola de Educação Física e Desportos (EEFD).
• Centro de Ciências Jurídicas e Econômicas (CCJE) - (Law and Economics), including
  • Faculdade de Administração e Ciências Contábeis (FACC).
  • Faculdade de Direito (FND).
  • Instituto de Economia (IE).
• Centro de Ciências Matemáticas e da Natureza (CCMN) - (Nature Sciences and Mathematics)
  • Instituto de Matemática (IM).
  • Instituto de Física (IF).
  • Instituto de Química (IQ).
  • Instituto de Geociências (IGEO).
  • Observatório do Valongo (OV)
• Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas (CFCH).
  • Escola de Comunicação (ECO).
  • Escola de Serviço Social (ESS).
  • Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Sociais (IFCS).
  • Instituto de Psicologia (IP).
  • Faculdade de Educação (FE).
• Centro de Letras e Artes (CLA) - (Arts and Letters), including
  • Escola de Belas Artes (School of Fine Arts)
  • Faculdade de Letras (FL)
  • Escola de Música
  • Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FAU)
• Centro de Tecnologia (CT).
  • Escola Politécnica (POLI).
  • Escola de Química (EQ).
  • Instituto de Macromoléculas Eloisa Mano (IMA).

Undergraduate Courses

Institutions

• Law School
• Museu Nacional (National Museum)
• Casa da Ciência (House of Science)
• CAp UFRJ (Laboratory School)

See also

• Education in Brazil
• Brazil University Rankings
• Universities and Higher Education in Brazil

References

External links

• UFRJ Official website (Portuguese)
• Technology Official website (Portuguese)