Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Professor Michelle Fossati receives SDG Education Seal at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: Environmental Management Coordination Office/UFSC

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has been awarded the SDG Education Seal, in recognition of its commitment to advancing the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda in Brazil. The award ceremony took place on 20 March at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together representatives from 74 Brazilian educational institutions honored for their contributions to social impact in ​​education. Organized by Instituto Selo Social, 2030 Agenda Working Group, UNB 2030 and UFRJ, the event highlighted initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fostered discussions on education, sustainability, and SDG 18: Ethnic-Racial Equality.

Representing UFSC at the ceremony was Professor Michele Fossati, from the Department of Architecture, who registered one of the recognized projects. UFSC received the seal for five initiatives promoting environmental management, education for sustainability, art, and conscious consumption – aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goal). The awarded initiatives were:

• Sustentabilidade é coisa de criança:  abordagem da sustentabilidade com escolas públicas do ensino fundamental [Sustainability is a child’s thing: approach to sustainability in public primary and lower secondary schools] – Coordinated by Professor Michele Fossati;
• Disseminação de conhecimentos sobre sustentabilidade [Dissemination of knowledge on sustainability] – Coordinated by Professor Michele Fossati;
• Semana de Arte com Educação Ambiental [Art Week with Environmental Education] – Coordinated by UFSC Sala Verde [Green Room];
• Semana de Acolhimento da Comunidade [Community Welcoming Week] – Coordinated by UFSC Sala Verde [Green Room];
• Trabalhando a cultura popular com educação ambiental através do folclore catarinense: “O Boi de Mamão” [Popular culture and environmental education through Santa Catarina folklore: “O Boi de Mamão”] – Coordinated by UFSC Sala Verde [Green Room].

For more information about the award, visit seloods.org.

Read the original article here.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC. 

International Community Welcome Day. Photo by: Gustavo Diehl/Agecom/UFSC

On Monday, 10 March, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) hosted a Welcome Day for international students joining the institution in the first semester of 2025. Organized to welcome both degree-seeking and exchange students, the event featured a diverse program focused on integration and cultural exchange.

The International Community Welcome Day targeted undergraduate students arriving through programs managed by the Office of International Relations (SINTER): the Incoming and AUGM Escala Grado exchange programs, as well as the Programa Estudantes-Convênio de Graduação (PEC-G) for international degree-seeking students. Additionally, study buddies who assist with their adaptation to university life also took part in the activities.

Welcome Day program

The Rector of UFSC and the Secretary for International Relations at the welcome ceremony for international students. Photo by: Gustavo Diehl/Agecom/UFSC

The Welcome Day began with specific orientation sessions at 9 am, at the School of Philosophy and Human Sciences (CFH). In the afternoon, at 1:30 pm, students gathered for a welcome ceremony, which featured an address by Rector Irineu Manoel de Souza.

During the ceremony, the Secretary for International Relations at UFSC, Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho, provided an overview of the university’s structure and the services available to the international community.

Every year, UFSC expands its international student community. Today, there are nearly 4,000 students coming to the University through different admission pathways, including the Entrance Exam. This “makes us very happy, because our university is recognized both nationally and internationally. In some rankings, it is the fourth-best university in Brazil. In Santa Catarina state, it is the top-ranked university, and in Latin America, it receives strong evaluations. This reflects our commitment to internationalization and to welcoming students from all around the world”, said the Rector.

The Rector of UFSC presents an undergraduate diploma in Medicine to Richardson Yonel Civil, a PEC-G graduate from Haiti. Photo by: Gustavo Diehl/Agecom/UFSC

A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation, by the Rector, of an undergraduate diploma in Medicine to Richardson Yonel Civil, a PEC-G graduate from Haiti. On the occasion, the Secretary for International Relations addressed the audience, emphasizing that this long-standing program, run by the Brazilian government, enables international students from participating countries in the Americas, Africa, and Asia to earn their degrees at UFSC free of charge. “It is a form of cooperation and solidarity that Brazil maintains with countries facing similar socioeconomic challenges to ours,” explained the Secretary.

Following the ceremony, participants enjoyed a welcome coffee and two cultural performances: Angolan dances Kizomba and Semba, performed by members of ASSAF; and a percussion show by the student band Devassa, organized by members of the Medicine Student Athletic Association.

After the cultural performances, students who registered for integration activities took part in various experiences, including: a visit to the São José da Ponta Grossa Fortress; dance workshops with the Samba Manezinho Group and ASSAF; and a guided campus tour led by the SINTEGRA project, a partnership between SINTER and the Department of Psychology at UFSC.

Diversity among international students

This semester, UFSC is welcoming 88 undergraduate students from 15 countries through academic mobility programs. Among them, 69 students are part of the Incoming Program, coming from partner universities, primarily in France (24 students), Portugal (9) and Italy (7). Other students are part of the AUGM Escala Grado Program, coming from member universities of the Association of Montevideo Group Universities (AUGM), specifically in Argentina (6) and Uruguay (2).

Additionally, 15 international degree-seeking students were admitted through the PEC-G program. On the Florianópolis campus, eight students joined programs such as Chemical Engineering, Medicine, Administration and International Relations. Their countries of origin include Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Paraguay.

On the Joinville campus, four PEC-G students began their studies in Aerospace Engineering, Railway and Metro Engineering, and Naval Engineering, coming from Mozambique, Honduras, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. On the Araranguá campus, three PEC-G students enrolled in Computer Engineering, Energy Engineering, and Medicine, representing Angola, Mozambique and Equatorial Guinea.

Institutional Welcome and Support

The International Community Welcome Day was organized by SINTER, with support from the Institutional Program for Educational Support to Students (PIAPE) of the Prorectorate for Undergraduate Studies and Basic Education (PROGRAD); the Department of Culture, Art and Sports (SecArte); the SINTEGRA outreach project, which seeks to promote the integration of international students into campus life; ASSAF; and the Samba Manezinho dance group.

In addition to students in mobility programs, UFSC also welcomes international degree-seeking students admitted through external transfer or the university entrance exam, reinforcing its commitment to internationalization and academic diversity.

With the arrival of students from different countries and cultures, UFSC strengthens its mission to promote the internationalization of higher education. This diversity enriches academic and cultural experiences, fosters mutual learning and strengthens ties between nations.

For more information about mobility programs and support for international students, visit the SINTER website.

See more photos of the event on the UFSC Rectorate website.

Written by Rosiani Bion de Almeida, SECOM/UFSC, with information from SINTER.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC

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The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has been ranked among the top five best federal university in Brazil, according to the latest edition of the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities. Conducted by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) – Spain’s largest public research institution – the ranking evaluates approximately 32,000 higher education institutions worldwide, focusing on open access to the knowledge they produce.

UFSC secured 4^{th place} among Brazilian federal universities and 438^th in the overall ranking.

Below is the list of the top 10 federal universities in Brazil according to the ranking. The full list of Brazilian federal universities is available on the Ministry of Education’s website, and the Webometrics Ranking data can be accessed here.

About the Ranking

The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, also known as the Ranking Web of Universities, evaluates institutions from more than 200 countries based on bibliometric data from 2019 to 2023. Established in 2004, it is not a ranking of university websites but rather an institutional ranking, based on both webometric and bibliometric indicators. Its primary objective is to promote Open Access to academic knowledge. It assesses universities through three key indicators: visibility (web contents impact); excellence (top cited papers); and transparency or openness (top cited researchers).

With information from the MEC Social Communication Office and the Higher Education Secretariat (Sesu)

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty Cultural Festival. (Photo by Ricardo Stuckert/PR)

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has become the first public educational institution to join the task force for the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, a key topic at the last G20 summit held in Brazil in November 2024. By signing the declaration of commitment, Rector Irineu Manoel de Souza formalized UFSC’s commitment to implementing domestic policies, fostering and supporting public policy development, and advancing knowledge, an area where the university excels.

Professor Cristiane Derani, from UFSC’s Department of Law, was invited by the Ministry of Social Development to contribute as an expert in a working group focused on food security and fighting global hunger. Renowned for her research in environmental, international and economic law, she played a key role in UFSC being invited to join the iniative, which recognizes the university’s expertise in agriculture, sustainability and biotechnology.

UFSC’s next steps within the alliance involve meetings with a group that includes Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG) and Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). As activities progress, participating researchers will engage with specialists from diverse fields. “The goal is to bring together experts from multiple disciplines to support the Global Alliance Against Hunger,” explains Professor Derani.

A leading voice in food security studies, Derani examines sustainable food production within a framework of ecological restoration and environmental conservation, emphasizing biodiversity protection and climate action. “The alliance signed by G20 countries is built on three pillars: financial, technical, and political. UFSC contributes to the technical pillar,” she states.

In her article Sustainable Global Food System, published by Springer Nature, Derani explores the United Nations’ goal of ending hunger by 2030. She argues that decisions on food production—what, where, how, and for whom—must align with ecological principles to ensure ecological justice, which she describes as the foundation of social, economic, and food justice.

The Task Force for the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty seeks to mobilize resources and knowledge for implementing public policies and social technologies aimed at reducing hunger and poverty worldwide. Membership in the alliance is open not only to G20 countries but to all nations willing to contribute to the cause.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has been ranked 5th among the most sustainable universities in Brazil in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025. The ranking, released on 10 December, evaluates higher education institutions worldwide based on three key categories: environmental impact, social impact, and governance.

UFSC excelled particularly in the Environmental Education and Environmental Research lenses, highlighting its dedication to sustainability and the preparation of professionals committed to environmental preservation. Additionally, the University performed notably in the Equality and Health and Wellbeing lenses, underscoring its commitment to fostering social values ​​through academic and institutional practices.

The 2025 rankings evaluated 1,744 universities, marking a 25% increase from the previous year’s 1,397 universities. Among Brazilian universities, participation grew by 23.5%, rising from 34 institutions in the previous year to 42 in 2025. The four best universities in Brazil are Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), and Universidade de Brasília (UnB).

While the methodology underwent minor adjustments in specific indicators, the performance lenses, indicators, and weightings remained consistent with the previous year.

The QS Sustainability Rankings are globally recognized for highlighting institutions that integrate sustainable practices into their activities and curricula. UFSC’s achievement reinforces its international relevance in higher education and its leadership in promoting a sustainable future.

To view the full ranking, visit the official QS page.

Get to know the UFSC Sustentável [Sustainable UFSC] program run by the Environmental Management office at UFSC.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC

Read the original article here: https://noticias.ufsc.br/2024/12/ufsc-esta-entre-as-5-universidades-mais-sustentaveis-do-brasil-no-qs-world-university-rankings-sustainability-2025/ 

Photo by Caetano Machado/Agecom/UFSC.

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) achieved the 4th position among the best universities in Brazil in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2025. The ranking, which is in its first edition, measures the contribution and commitment of global universities to interdisciplinary science.

The Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2025 evaluated 749 universities from 92 countries and is currently led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the overall ranking, UFSC is in the 136^th position. As for Brazil, the leading institution is the Universidade de São Paulo (USP).

The ranking is based on 11 indicators evaluating institutions in three main areas, each representing a stage in the life cycle of research projects: Inputs (funding); Process (measures of success, facilities, administrative support and promotion); and Outputs (publications, research quality and reputation). UFSC stood out in Inputs, with a grade of 57.5 (out of 100), behind only the Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), ranked 2^nd among Brazilian institutions, in this area.

According to the Office of International Relations (SINTER) at UFSC, the interdisciplinary approach evaluated by the ranking is a growing trend, seen as a solution to complex problems that require the integration of different academic perspectives. Learn more about the methodology here.

Visit the THE website to find out more about the ranking and the position of the participating universities.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here: https://noticias.ufsc.br/2024/11/ufsc-e-a-quarta-melhor-universidade-do-brasil-em-ranking-de-ciencia-interdisciplinar/

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) received from the Ministry of Education (MEC) the maximum grade in its institutional reaccreditation process, recently completed. The final grade for UFSC was in the range of 5, and the final continuous grade was 4.96. With this result, the University is among the institutions with level of excellence in the evaluation of the Anísio Teixeira National Institute for Educational Studies and Research (Inep). The last UFSC reaccreditation process was carried out in 2013.

The reaccreditation evaluation process began in September 2024, with the constitution of a committee of three evaluators appointed by Inep. From then on, UFSC began to file a series of documents in the e-MEC system, including the Institutional Development Plan (PDI), Risk Management Plan, evaluation reports, ordinances, resolutions, regulations, reports and institutional policies.

Between 11 and 13 November, members of the committee carried out an on-site visit to the University – in fact, a virtual visit. On the first day of the visit, the committee was welcomed by the rector Irineu Manoel de Souza, the vice-rector Joana Célia dos Passos, pro-rectors, secretaries, the Institutional Attorney of UFSC and president of the Institutional Evaluation Commission (CPA), in addition to other university leaders. Subsequently, the committee virtually visited part of the premises of UFSC campus in Florianópolis. The visit lasted four hours and presented the University Library, the Culture and Events Center and their living areas, areas for sports such as gymnasium and swimming pool, Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (Marque), University Restaurant, practical class environments, classrooms, laboratories and living places of the School of Health Sciences (CCS), School of Biological Sciences (CCB), School of Technology (CTC), School of Sports (CDS); School of Education (CED) and School of Philosophy and Human Sciences (CFH). Other Education Centers that didn’t receive the virtual tour sent in videos, including the Student Housing and the Planetarium.

The committee also had access to institutional videos and held meetings with faculty, students, technical-administrative staff (TAEs) and the Institutional Evaluation Commission itself. In these meetings with members of the categories, there was representation of the entire UFSC community.

The institutional evaluation for reaccreditation took into account aspects such as accessibility, position and career plans for faculty and TAEs, Faculty Qualification Index (IQCD), degree, number of foreign faculty and students and socio-environmental sustainability, among others.

In the report prepared by the committee, UFSC scored 5 in all items of Axis 1 – Institutional Planning and Evaluation; in all items of Axis 2 – Institutional Development; Axis 3 – Academic Policies; and Axis 4 – Management Policies. In Axis 5 – Infrastructure, the grade was 4.88, with grade 4 in only two out of 17 items evaluated (Sanitary facilities and Technological infrastructure). In the qualitative analysis of Axis 5, however, the committee stated that “the University’s infrastructure is robust and up to date, fully meeting institutional needs”.

Rector Irineu Manoel de Souza stated that the maximum grade obtained by UFSC in the institutional reaccreditation process is a collective achievement of the university community. He highlighted the maximum grades obtained in the dimensions of planning, evaluation and institutional development, in addition to academic and management policies. “We would like thank everyone who was involved in this process, especially the School Deans and everyone who contributed showing our facilities to the MEC evaluation committee”.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) occupies the 10th position in the Times Higher Education (THE) Latin America University Rankings 2024, moving up two positions from last year, when it was in the 12th position. With this new ranking, the institution is now one of the top 10 universities in Latin America – the only institution from Santa Catarina in the position and the third federal institution in the country.

The THE ranking, published on 12 November, evaluates academic institutions based on criteria such as Research Quality, Industry and Research Environment. UFSC stood out in two of these areas: Industry, which was ranked among the six (6) best universities, and Research Environment, placed among the eight (8) best universities.

The industry score, which went up more than two points compared to last year, assesses a university’s ability to help industry with innovations, inventions and consultancy, seeking to capture knowledge transfer and observing partnerships in relation to the number of researchers. “The metric suggests the extent to which companies are willing to pay for research and a university’s ability to draw funding from the commercial market – useful indicators of institutional quality,” reports THE. The data for this indicator is provided by Elsevier and refers to patents published between 2019 and 2023.

The progress of UFSC in the ranking reflects the university’s performance in teaching, research and student education. The achievement is registered by the university community as a milestone in UFSC´s ranking in higher education in Latin America. According to THE’s methodology, the institution from Santa Catarina went up in the following indicators: teaching, research environment, industry and internationalization.

Access the THE Latin America University Rankings complete results here.

Read the methodology of the Latin America University Rankings 2024.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here.

Opening ceremony of the I UFSC International Week in the CCS Auditorium. Photo: Andrey Santiago/Agecom/UFSC

The first edition of UFSC International Week began on Monday, 21 October, with the debate on topics related to the internationalization of higher education and the need to strengthen academic partnerships. It was organized by the Prorectorate for Graduate Studies (PROPG), the Office of International Relations (Sinter) and the Prorectorate for Research and Innovation (Propesq). The event offered a program made up of panels, conferences, round tables and other activities aimed at sharing internationalization experiences.

The planned activities began in the morning, and the opening ceremony was held on Monday night, in the School of Health Sciences (CCS) Auditorium, on the Trindade Campus, in Florianópolis. The ceremony was attended by the Rector of UFSC, Irineu Manoel de Souza; the Prorector for Graduate Studies, Werner Kraus Jr.; the Secretary for International Relations, Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho; the Prorector for Research and Innovation, Jacques Mick; the Director of International Relations of the Fundação Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes) [Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel], Rui Vicente Oppermann; and the Prorector for Research and Graduate Studies of the Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (Udesc), Sérgio Henrique Pezzin.

>Watch the opening ceremony of the International Week

Coordinator of the UFSC I International Week, Professor Werner Kraus, highlighted the “intense schedule of activities” of the five-day event. In addition to holding a conference and three main panels, the prorector highlighted the number of works registered for the parallel sessions (about 50 presentations, most of them linked to the Capes-PrInt Program). “It will be a very fruitful week. I am sure that we will all be very pleased with what will be discussed and with the prospects that lie ahead of us, “said Werner.

In turn, Prof. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho stated that the implementation of UFSC’s internationalization policy has been built on basic principles, such as reciprocity, academic excellence, solidarity and diversity. In his speech, he also stressed that this process should involve the entire university community, including professors, students, and technical-administrative staff (TAEs).

Professor Sérgio Pezzin, who represented the Udesc Rectorate at the time, defended a closer action between both universities, with the objective of expanding academic partnerships and strengthening relations between the institutions. “UFSC is a very important partner for Udesc, just as Udesc is for UFSC. We have many complementary areas in which we can, together, be stronger, strengthening our work and working as a network, “he said.

The Rector of UFSC, Irineu Manoel de Souza, reinforced that the internationalization of the University must occur in a comprehensive way, involving undergraduate and graduate programs, research and outreach. “I am sure that the Week will pave the way for important discussions for our University. Despite the financial difficulties, we have the prospect of new moments, dialog, expanding knowledge and making the University really the motivating factor of a new society, nationally and internationally, “said Irineu.

Shortly after the session, Capes’ Director of International Relations, Rui Oppermann, gave a presentation on the activities of the foundations. He highlighted that “internationalization is in the DNA of CAPES”, since the first activities developed there were faculty development programs in countries such as France, the United States and England. Opperman also presented a panorama of stricto sensu Graduate Studies in Brazil. According to data from 2022, the country today has 4,592 graduate programs, with 7,027 courses, distributed in 425 institutions, 49% of them public and 33% belonging to the federal network.

Capes is the main distributor of scholarships in Brazil, responsible for financing 79% of the total. Currently, the Coordination maintains 47,187 master’s scholarships and 52,895 doctoral scholarships. Next, it is the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), with only 8% of the total: 4,310 master’s scholarships and 6,097 doctoral scholarships.

Afterwards, Professor André Brasil, from the University of Leiden, in the Netherlands, spoke about the evaluation methods in the context of internationalization. Also affiliated with Capes, André is a researcher at the Center for Science and Technology Studies (CSTs) and a member of the UNESCO Chair on Diversity and Inclusion in Global Science. His research focuses on national evaluation systems, scientometrics, academic publishing, open science, responsible research and innovation (RRI), and diversity in science, especially with regard to multilingualism and geographic inclusion.

Throughout the week, the program was full of additional activities — proposed by the UFSC community itself — and lectures on internationalization in Higher Education, with the participation of UFSC authorities and professors, as well as guests from institutions abroad and professionals related to Internationalization.

The UFSC I International Week closes this Friday (25 October).

> Watch the event on UFSC Internacional YouTube channel

For more information access: sinter.ufsc.br/semanainternacional.

Reproduced by the UFSC Communication Agency, with additions by the Office of International Relations (SINTER/UFSC).

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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Photo by Caetano Machado/Agecom/UFSC.

The QS World University Rankings: Latin America & The Caribbean 2025, released on Thursday, 3 October, ranked the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) as the 21st best universities in Latin America, and 18th best in South America. The institution was also ranked 8th among Brazilian universities (and 4th among the federal universities).

UFSC achieved a final score of 76.6 (on a scale from 1 to 100). This places it among the 5% of the best universities in Latin America and the Caribbean.  The 2025 score surpasses the 68.7 score it received last year, when it was ranked 23rd in Latin America. This marks a significant improvement in the university’s performance.

The ranking

The QS Rankings are produced annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British company specialized in education. The ranking evaluated 437 institutions across 24 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Leading the ranking this year is the Universidade de São Paulo (USP).

Universities are evaluated based on eight indicators, each with weighted differently: academic reputation (30%); employer reputation (20%); faculty student ratio (10%); staff with PhD (10%); international research network (10%); citations per paper (10%); papers per faculty (5%) and web impact (5%). In this edition, UFSC excelled particularly in web impact (99.4), staff with PhD (99.1 score), and paper per faculty (98.5 score).

According to UFSC’s Director of International Relations, Dr. Fernanda Leal, the results reflect the university’s strong reputation, a criterion that accounts for 50% of the overall score. She notes that UFSC’s position also highlights its role as one of the leading research universities in Latin America. However, Dr. Leal emphasizes the limitations of relying on rankings for decision-making and formulating institutional internationalization policies, particularly due to their competitive nature and the lack of consideration for key factors that shape Brazilian public universities, such as outreach and community engagement.

A fundamental aspect in evaluating universities’ performance, especially public ones, is their impact on society, says the Secretary for International Relations, Prof. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho. “This aspect has been addressed by university rankings, but still in an indirect way. The evaluations primarily reflect the academic work of universities, focusing on teaching, research and innovation. Faculty, staff and students engaged in academic work should therefore be congratulated, but those who work in the intermediary activities, which support these efforts, should also be recognized”, he states. The Secretary for International Relations aadded that the QS rakings assigned a 15% weight to the “global engagement” lens and that UFSC’s position in the ranking also reflects an internationalization effort by the entire academic community.

Regarding UFSC’s articles and external citations from 2018 and 2023, the primary focus was on research in the subjects of Life Sciences & Medicine.

Check out the complete ranking results on the QS website.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here.