Address: Campus Universitário – Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Engineering, Computer Vision, Ecology and Sustainability
UFSC, founded in 1960, is a strong education and research center focusing on engineering, computer science, and environmental sciences.
UFSC, the Federal University of Santa Catarina, is based in Florianópolis, a city on an island in the south of Brazil. It has about 26,000 students and 9,000 staff, and it was founded in 1960. The main Trindade campus is in the centre of the island, and additional campuses in Joinville, Araranguá, Blumenau and Curitibanos extend the university across the state.
Engineering is the best-known side. Mechanical engineering has a long relationship with the compressor and appliance industry of Santa Catarina through the POLO research laboratories for refrigeration and thermal sciences, and control and automation, electrical, production and chemical engineering are well developed. Computer science and software engineering are strong, helped by the technology cluster that has grown in Florianópolis around start-ups, software companies and incubators.
Research focuses on environmental sustainability, software engineering, energy and marine sciences, with oceanography and coastal studies benefiting from the location. Partnerships with UFRJ, Embrapa and foreign institutions support graduate exchange and joint projects. Companies in the state regularly sponsor laboratories at the engineering campuses and recruit directly from them.
Tuition is free. Admission is through the national ENEM and SiSU system, with places for public school graduates and quota groups. Courses are in Portuguese. Housing is a real constraint, because Florianópolis is a popular destination and rents on the island are high, so students should look for accommodation well before term.
The island has dozens of beaches, a mild climate and a quality of life that regularly appears at the top of Brazilian city lists, which attracts both students and technology workers. About 90,000 people have graduated from UFSC, and its alumni are visible among entrepreneurs in the regional software sector. Many students live near the Trindade campus, within cycling distance, because traffic on the few bridges that link the island to the mainland is slow at peak hours.
Domains taught:
Computer Vision, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Partnerships with UFRJ, EMBRAPA, and foreign institutions
Research:
Research in environmental sustainability, software engineering
Santa Catarina State University offers a comparable education in ecology and sustainability and engineering: it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Both schools build their programmes around computer vision, ecology and sustainability and engineering, and Federal Institute of Pará is the one to compare first within the country, since it also offers diploma programmes, and is smaller, enrolling about 14,000 students against roughly 26,000 here.
A good alternative in the same country is Federal Institute of Tocantins, which likewise covers computer vision, ecology and sustainability and engineering; it is also a public institution and also offers diploma programmes.
Think of Federal Institute of Santa Catarina when computer vision and engineering is the priority: it also offers diploma programmes and covers automation as well.
For students who like the ecology and sustainability and engineering focus of this institution but want another option nearby, Federal University of Sergipe fits well: it covers life sciences as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 14,000 students against roughly 26,000 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on computer vision and engineering is Hanyang University in South Korea, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers mechanical engineering as well.
University of California, Santa Barbara offers an international parallel to this university, with ecology and sustainability and engineering as common ground; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
For ecology and sustainability and engineering outside the home country, University College Cork in Ireland is a natural reference; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers food science and microbiology and genetics as well.
For computer vision, ecology and sustainability and engineering outside the home country, Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain is a natural reference; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine in Ukraine pursues a similar profile in ecology and sustainability and engineering, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers agriculture and food science as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is UFSC?
The main Trindade campus is in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Other campuses are in Joinville, Araranguá, Blumenau and Curitibanos.
How large is UFSC?
About 26,000 students and 9,000 staff.
Is UFSC free?
Yes. It is a federal university and undergraduate study is free of tuition.
How do you apply?
Through the national ENEM and SiSU system, with seats reserved for public school graduates and quota groups.
What language is used for teaching?
Portuguese.
What is UFSC strong in?
Engineering, computer science, software engineering, environmental sciences and marine sciences.
What are the POLO laboratories?
They are research laboratories at UFSC for refrigeration and thermal sciences, with a long record of cooperation with the compressor and appliance industry.
Does Florianópolis have a technology sector?
Yes, the city hosts a growing cluster of software companies, start-ups and incubators that cooperate with UFSC.
Is housing expensive?
Rents on the island are high because demand is strong, so students are advised to look for accommodation early.
Does UFSC have international partners?
Yes, including Brazilian institutions such as UFRJ and Embrapa and universities abroad, supporting exchange and research.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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