The University of Campinas: social inclusion at a research-intensive Brazilian university
This webinar is a part of an Innovative Universities Global Webinar Series.
The University of Campinas (Unicamp) is a young and dynamic institution that has achieved remarkable academic excellence and social impact in less than 60 years of existence. In this seminar, we will explore one of its most innovative initiatives: the ProFIS, a program of interdisciplinary higher education that combines social inclusion with general education.
The ProFIS offers a two-year course that covers the basic concepts and methods of different fields of knowledge, preparing students for a variety of undergraduate programs at Unicamp. The program also aims to promote the access and retention of students from public schools and low-income backgrounds, fostering diversity and social justice in higher education.
This innovation is not well known in the world, however it could be very useful and effective for those hundreds of universities that want to combine equality and excellence.
Prof. Dr. Marcelo Knobel
- He was the Rector of the University of Campinas (Unicamp) in Brazil from 2017 to 2021, where he is a Full Professor of Physics.
- He held other leadership roles, including: Executive Director of the Unicamp Exploratory Science Museum, Vice-Rector for Undergraduate Programs, Vice-President of the Brazilian Physics Society, President of Insper and Executive Director of the Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano).
- Knobel has already published more than 300 scientific papers, in addition to numerous opinion pieces in both national and international newspapers and magazines. He is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (Elsevier).
- Knobel is an Eisenhower Fellow (2007), Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (2009) and Lemann Fellow (2015). He is a Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Member (elect) of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) and Member (elect) of the Governing Council of the Magna Charta Observatory.
