Unicamp achieved first place among Brazilian universities with more than 50 graduate programs in the panel of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes). The results of the 2021-2024 Quadrennial Evaluation show that 81% of the University's programs received scores of 5, 6, or 7, the highest scores in the national graduate evaluation system.
The results also indicate that 60% of doctoral programs reached international levels of excellence, corresponding to grades 6 and 7. Another noteworthy indicator is that 90% of students who graduated during the evaluated period were affiliated with programs rated 5, 6, or 7.
The survey used by Capes to compare the institutions considers 79 programs specific to the University, not including courses offered in partnership with other institutions. Considering all 84 graduate programs at Unicamp, including those offered online, 43 received scores of 6 or 7, classified by CAPES as being at an international level of excellence. In total, 18 programs improved their ratings, 16 academic and two professional master's programs.
According to Vice-Rector Cláudia Morelli, Unicamp's performance reflects a continuous process of institutional maturation and program improvement. “The University's postgraduate programs have reached a very important level of maturity. There has been a joint effort by coordinators, faculty, students, and technical teams to better understand the evaluation processes and continuously strengthen the programs,” she states. “The diversity of areas and stages of maturity of the programs is one of the characteristics of Unicamp's postgraduate programs, and the continuous strengthening of all of them is part of the University's institutional strategy.”
According to Morelli, the evolution of the indicators is associated with a greater alignment between the programs and the criteria established by Capes. "The agency has been promoting ongoing discussions about evaluation instruments, and this allows programs to better understand their objectives, consolidate their identity, and direct their actions in a more consistent way.", Explica.
The Vice-Rector emphasizes that the results reflect not only the academic recognition of the University, but also the quality of the education offered to students.
The new four-year evaluation by CAPES is already underway and will cover the period from 2025 to 2028. Beyond scientific output, other aspects should gain relevance, such as the social impact of the programs, the training of human resources, and the contribution of research to the territories and to society.
The CAPES Evaluation System monitors academic and professional master's and doctoral programs over four years, considering both admission, retention, and program performance. The evaluation follows pre-established criteria and requirements and covers 50 areas of knowledge.
Higher education institutions submit their information annually, which is analyzed by committees of experts who prepare reports and assign grades to each course. In a later stage, rapporteurs evaluate the issued opinions and define the course recommendations and the final grade, which is forwarded to the Ministry of Education for approval and renewal of recognition.
According to Morelli, PRPG will continue working in partnership with the programs to expand their quality indicators and strengthen their academic vocations. “Our goal is to continue supporting the programs so that they can grow and develop. The excellence of postgraduate studies is the result of collective work, built daily by professors, students, researchers, and technical teams,” he concludes.
Postgraduate studies at Unicamp in numbers (EDAT data)
1st place among universities with more than 50 graduate programs (Capes panel)
81 % of the programs with scores of 5, 6 and 7
60 % of doctoral programs at an international level of excellence (grades 6 and 7)
90 % of those with degrees linked to programs with grades 5, 6 and 7
43 programs rated 6 and 7
5 Professional master's programs ranked 51st among universities with more than 50 graduate programs (Capes panel).
81 % of the programs with scores of 5, 6 and 7
60% of doctoral programs at an international level of excellence (grades 6 and 7)
90 % of those with degrees linked to programs with grades 5, 6 and 7
43 programs rated 6 and 7
5 professional master's programs with grades of 5
