São Paulo State University

São Paulo State University Overview

The Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (Unesp) is a renowned public university in Brazil, dedicated to education, research, and community service. It is one of the four universities maintained by the government of the state of São Paulo, alongside the University of São Paulo (USP), the University of Campinas (Unicamp), and the Virtual University of the State of São Paulo (Univesp).

Unesp sets itself apart from other state universities by having units in 24 municipalities across the state. This includes 21 campuses in the interior, one in the city of São Paulo, and one in São Vicente, making it the first public university with a campus on the São Paulo coast. This multicampus university model is inspired by the University of California in the United States, which comprises 23 campuses established between 1857 and 2002.

Founded in 1976 by merging various "Isolated Institutes of Higher Education of the State of São Paulo," which were university units scattered across different regions of the state, Unesp currently boasts approximately 40,000 students and 3,000 professors spread across 32 faculties and institutes. These institutions offer a total of 168 undergraduate programs and 114 graduate programs across 64 different fields of study.

Unesp has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the best universities in Brazil, Latin America, the BRICS group of emerging economies, and as one of the top 100 young universities globally, according to various international rankings. Furthermore, UNESCO has recognized Unesp as the second Brazilian university in terms of international-level scientific articles, contributing to 8% of the national scientific production, only trailing behind USP and alongside Unicamp.

Unesp was established in 1976 by incorporating several "Isolated Institutes of Higher Education of the State of São Paulo." These institutes, covering various knowledge areas, were mostly created in the mid-1950s and early 1960s. Among these were the Faculties of Philosophy, Sciences, and Letters in Assis, Araraquara, Franca, Marília, Rio Claro, and São José do Rio Preto.

The process of reorganization and transformation of these isolated institutes began in the early 1970s due to administrative issues. Various proposals were put forward, aiming for the independence of these institutes from the State Department of Education of São Paulo and a new organizational structure. The majority of proposals favored the integration of the isolated institutes into a federation or a university, with the latter receiving more significant support.

In 1976, under the directive of then-Governor Paulo Egydio Martins, these schools assumed autonomous status as a university, an autarchy under the government of the State of São Paulo. By Law No. 952 of January 30, 1976, the Universidade Estadual Paulista was created, bearing the name "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" in honor of a prominent figure, and it included the Isolated Institutes.

The name "Universidade Estadual Paulista" was suggested by Unesp's first rector, Professor Luiz Ferreira Martins, and "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" was suggested by Prof. Dr. Moacyr Expedito Marret Vaz Guimarães, the President of the State Council of Education (CEE).

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Unesp sought to establish a cohesive identity that would overcome the challenges of its widespread presence across the São Paulo territory. This led to a greater focus on rural areas and the incorporation of other institutions. Notable examples include the integration of the University of Bauru in 1987 and the Institute of Higher Education of Presidente Prudente (IMESPP) in 1989. Furthermore, Unesp expanded its offering of undergraduate programs during this period, including the incorporation of the Institute of Theoretical Physics (IFT) in 1987.

Unesp also encouraged the creation of auxiliary units, complementary units, and interunit centers to foster research and integration among various research hubs within the university. Additionally, the institution developed museums with collective activities and initiated a project for the integration and development of its campus libraries.

Starting in 2003, in line with the government's policy to promote public higher education, Unesp began expanding into new regions of the state by creating "Differentiated Units," now known as "Experimental Campuses." This initiative aimed to bring higher education opportunities to underserved areas.

Notably, Unesp made headlines in 2005 when it expelled students from the institution for the first time in its history. Similar incidents occurred in 2015 in Araraquara, where 17 students faced expulsion, and in 2014 on the Botucatu campus, where a medical student was expelled due to a violent hazing incident.

With a budget of R$ 2,497,059,952.00 in 2017, Unesp currently comprises 33 teaching, research, and extension units in 23 campuses located in cities across the interior, coast, and São Paulo. Unesp has a vast infrastructure that includes 1,900 laboratories, 30 libraries with a combined collection of approximately 2.6 million books, museums, botanical gardens, and five experimental farms, covering a total area of 62.8 million square meters, with 745.4 thousand square meters of constructed space. The university also owns the Botucatu Clinics Hospital and manages the Bauru State Hospital, together providing 780 beds, in addition to veterinary hospitals and clinics specializing in dentistry, psychology, speech therapy, and physiotherapy.

Unesp employs around 3,500 professors and over 10,600 staff members. The university offers 171 undergraduate degree options in 62 different professions, with approximately 35,000 students, and graduates around 5,600 new professionals annually. Approximately 10,000 students are enrolled in 118 postgraduate programs, including 117 academic master's programs, 6 professional master's programs, and 93 academic doctoral programs. There are also around 1,800 students in lato sensu courses.

In 2010, UNESCO, a United Nations agency, ranked Unesp as the second Brazilian university in terms of international-level scientific articles, contributing to 8% of the national scientific production, only trailing behind USP and alongside Unicamp.