Debora Albuquerque

UFOP - Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto

Tradition, modernity and innovation are characteristics in the identity of the Federal University of Ouro Preto (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP). It was the innovative spirit, present since the creation of the School of Pharmacy, in 1839, and the School of Mines, in 1876, that became the basis from which would be born, in 1969, the Federal University of Ouro Preto. Ten years later it had already incorporated the Institute of Human and Social Sciences (Instituto de Ciências Humanas e Sociais - ICHS). Driven towards the strengthening of teaching, research and extension, other academic unities were created: the Institute of Philosophy, Arts and Culture (Instituto de Filosofia, Artes e Cultura - IFAC); the Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences (Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas - ICEB); The School of Nutrition (Escola de Nutrição - ENUT); the Center of Open and Distance Education (Centro de Educação Aberta e a Distância - CEAD); the Institute of Exact and Applied Sciences (Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Aplicadas - ICEA) and the Institute of Applied Social Sciences (Instituto de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas - ICSA). Today, UFOP is a reference in Brazil among the important Federal Institutions of Higher Education (Instituições Federais de Ensino Superior - IFES) of the country. This projection is due to its singularity on the historical dimensions of education, research, innovation and community involvement and especially to the appreciation given to its human patrimony: students, faculty and administrative-staff members. With campuses in three different cities, Ouro Preto, Mariana and João Monlevade, the university is located in the mesoregion of Belo Horizonte, expanding itself as far as João Monlevade, and in the microregion of Ouro Preto. Currently, the university occupies an area of approximately 151,000 m² (about 180,000 yd2), with over 150 classrooms and 140 teaching and research labs.