State University of Rio de Janeiro

The history of the State University of Rio de Janeiro begins on December 4, 1950, with the promulgation of municipal law nº 547. Over these decades, Uerj grew and established itself as one of the main universities in the country. Its importance in the Brazilian academic space can be attested to by the quality of the higher education it offers, the value of its scientific production, the hundreds of extension projects under development, the promotion of culture and the countless services provided to the population. Its concern with serving the public and constantly improving its services made the University a pioneer in creating its own Ombudsman's Office: it was the first public university in the state of Rio de Janeiro to create this instance for exercising citizenship. A public institution, its mission is based on principles of equality and plurality: it was also a pioneer in the implementation of the system for reserving places for entry via the entrance exam. The initial name was Universidade do Distrito Federal (UDF). But, unlike the homonymous institution, founded in 1935 and extinguished in 1939, the new University gained strength and became a reference in higher education, research and extension in the Southeast Region. Along the way, the institution saw its name change, following the political transformations that were taking place. In 1958, UDF was renamed the University of Rio de Janeiro (URJ). In 1961, after the transfer of the Federal District to the recently opened Brasília, it was renamed the University of the State of Guanabara (UEG). Finally, in 1975, it gained the definitive name of Rio de Janeiro State University. Created from the merger of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of Rio de Janeiro, the Faculty of Law of Rio de Janeiro, the Faculty of Philosophy of the La-Fayette Institute and the Faculty of Medical Sciences, the University grew, incorporating and creating new units with the years go by. The founding faculties were joined by institutions such as the Higher School of Industrial Design (Esdi), the Pedro Ernesto General Hospital, the Raquel Haddock Lobo School of Nursing, among others. Furthermore, new units were created to meet the demands of the University and the community, such as the Application Institute. Over these seven decades of history, the University has grown in size, structure and importance on the regional and national scene.