UFSC receives QS award and is ranked the 23rd best university in Latin America

28/09/2022 17:54

The results of the QS World University Rankings: Latin America 2023 were published on Thursday, 22 September, and ranked the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) among the 23 best universities in Latin America. UFSC occupies the 8th position among the Brazilian universities and the 4th among the federal education institutions in Brazil.

The ranking is produced annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British company specialized in education. The ranking analyzed 428 institutions in 20 Latin American countries and at the top of the list is the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC). The overall score of each institution is calculated using eight metrics, each with a different weight: Academic Reputation (30%); Employer Reputation (20%); Faculty Student Ratio (10%); Faculty Staff with PhD (10%); International Research Network (10%); Citations per Paper (10%); Papers per Faculty (5%) and Web Impact (5%). The strongest indicators for UFSC in this edition were Faculty Staff with PhD (99.8 score), Web Impact (98.7 score) and International Research Network (96.3 score).

The university was also awarded at the QS Higher Ed Summit: Americas 2022, which took place between 22 and 23 September in Vila Velha, Espirito Santo. The conference gathered together higher education leaders and experts to discuss the “Mission-led Universities: elevating higher ed in the Americas”. The event promoted debates, lectures, panel discussions and case studies, in addition to the opportunity to network with the international higher education community and build strategic partnerships. UFSC was awarded in the Research Excellence category and was represented by the acting Prorector for Research, Prof. William Gerson Matias.

Check out the complete ranking results.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here.

More than 80% of UFSC undergraduate programs assessed by Enade 2021 reach maximum grade

26/09/2022 18:06

At least 25 out of the 30 undergraduate programs at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) that were assessed in the 2021 cycle of the National Student Performance Exam (Enade) have reached grade 4 or 5 on the evaluation made by the Ministry of Education (MEC). Out of these, ten have stood out for their excellence level. In a year marked by the effects of the pandemic in education, the results indicate the commitment of the institution to quality education.

Each year, Enade assesses the graduating students of a group of programs within different subject areas, in a rotation scheme. The assessment operates in triennial cycles, that is, the courses are reassessed every three years. In the 2021 cycle, on-campus and distance learning undergraduate degree programs, including teaching degree programs, were assessed. UFSC has stood out for obtaining the highest grades in the country in several teaching areas. The undergraduate teaching degree in Biological Sciences achieved the second-best position in the country among 467 assessed programs.

The undergraduate degree in Chemistry reached the maximum grade (5) and was considered the third best in the country according to the evaluation. Among the teaching degrees, the degree in Chemistry Education, on the Blumenau campus, stood out with the sixth-best grade; the degree in English (Education) also had an outstanding performance, being assessed as the fourth best in the country; and the degree in History (Education) reached the seventh-best grade among all programs in Brazil.

According to the Prorector for Undergraduate Studies and Basic Education, Prof. Dilceane Carraro, the Enade 2021 results demonstrate the quality of the undergraduate programs at UFSC. “This outcome is a result of the dedication of faculty, technical-administrative staff and students who engage in teaching, research and outreach activities, and make our university run programs graded 4 or 5, which are considered above average. Several programs are among the best in the country. Even with the adversities faced in the last years, both related to the pandemic and the funding of public universities, this evaluation reveals the commitment of everyone involved with UFSC undergraduate programs”.

Enade

The National Student Performance Exam is regulated by the law that institutes the Brazilian Higher Education Evaluation System (Sinaes) of 2004. It assesses the performance of graduating students from undergraduate programs concerning the content the programs aim to teach and the skills and competencies developed by the students over their studies. The Exam is mandatory: only the students who complete the Student’s Survey and the exam itself can graduate.

The Enade 2021 results were announced on 12 September. In December, MEC will release another two indicators: the Program Preliminary Concept (CPC) and the General Index of the Institution’s Assessed Programs (IGC). The CPC combines different aspects related to undergraduate programs in a single measurement, such as: student performance; value added by the program; faculty members; and conditions offered to the progression of the training process.

Every year, the exam covers one year of a triennial evaluation cycle. In 2021, students from the following degrees and subject areas were assessed:

  • Undergraduate degrees in biological sciences; exact and earth sciences; linguistics, letters and arts; and related areas;
  • Undergraduate teaching degrees in health sciences; human sciences; biological sciences; exact and earth sciences; linguistics, letters and arts;
  • Undergraduate degrees in human sciences and health sciences, from programs assessed in the teaching degree area;
  • Technologist degrees in control and industrial processes; information and communication; industrial production and infrastructure.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here.