247 - The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) is undergoing a phase of restructuring and strategic repositioning after years of underfunding and the impacts of the pandemic. In an interview with TV 247, conducted by journalist Leonardo Attuch, Rector Roberto Medronho stated that "investing in universities is investing in sovereignty" and detailed how the institution has been articulating policies for student retention, innovation, and international cooperation to boost science, technology, and innovation in the country.

Right at the beginning, Medronho described the legacy of budget cuts, intensified after the coup against Dilma Rousseff, and highlighted the recovery under the current government. "Fortunately, we had the beginning of budgetary recovery during Lula's government," he said. According to him, the UFRJ's operational budget today is around R$ 406–411 million, but the minimum adequate level would be "at least R$ 780 million".

Student retention and transformative inclusion

Medronho emphasized that affirmative action and the expansion of places have changed the profile of the university, making it similar to that of Brazilian society. "Affirmative action was one of the greatest social inclusion policies I have ever known," he said. To sustain this inclusion, UFRJ expanded its assistance: "We spend 40 million on food... many pay nothing and the rest pay R$ 2," he reported, mentioning the implementation of breakfast to prevent dropout. "Once you enter this university, you will only leave with a diploma in hand."

Without abandoning its educational mission, UFRJ seeks greater integration with the productive sector. “The first and greatest mission [of the university] is to educate citizens… But we need to have a national development model with the productive sector,” he stated. He cited cutting-edge research with disruptive potential, such as polylaminin, studied by Professor Tatiana Sampaio in partnership with national industry: “If this molecule is successful… it’s Nobel Prize worthy.”

Petrobras, Equatorial Margin and Energy Transition

The historic partnership with Petrobras was presented as an example of technological sovereignty: “Thanks to the interaction between Petrobras' research center and our researchers… today Brazil is wonderful in deep and ultra-deep waters.” Regarding the Equatorial Margin, Medronho highlighted the modeling studies carried out by COPPE/UFRJ and the state-owned company's safety culture: “Petrobras has expertise… in doing things very safely.” For him, exploration, done rigorously, can finance the energy transition: “Without money, we can't make the energy transition.”

Recalling the race for ventilators, Medronho recounted a missed opportunity: “The Northeast consortium bought 600 ventilators from China… the President of the United States, Donald Trump, said: 'Whoa, this isn't going to Brazil, it's a matter of national security,' [and] confiscated them.” UFRJ even developed a national prototype that passed initial tests, but “at that moment there wasn't a single company that wanted to invest.”

Artificial intelligence is already impacting education and research, requiring its own policies and local infrastructure. "AI today is an imperative of national sovereignty," he said, defending cloud computing and data in Brazil. He warned, however, of a side effect: "My fear is that people will stop thinking... A well-formulated question is already a large part of the thesis." When discussing international hacking competitions, he pointed to the potential for entrepreneurship in cybersecurity: "These kids could start a cybersecurity company and it would be a huge success."

International cooperation: BRICS and the Global South

UFRJ has strengthened ties with Africa and BRICS. “We created the BRICS Rectors' Forum… we signed 300 cooperation agreements,” he said. A new trilateral master's program in digital economy, with Peking University and Moscow State University, is being developed: “The student will spend one year here, one year in China, and one year in Russia.” Medronho also cited UFRJ's role as an “embassy for education and science” for the Association of African Universities in Latin America.

Regarding Chinese universities, the rector was emphatic: "They are all absolutely fantastic... they operate practically 24/7." For him, the connection between the state, academia, and companies explains the rapid progress: "The universities are linked to all the Chinese companies that are booming today."

Private investments, technology park and new partnerships

Medronho reported on the attraction of foreign R&D centers to the UFRJ Technological Park. “CNOOC will implement an innovation area for offshore wind energy… PetroChina is already there funding cutting-edge research.” He advocated overcoming prejudices between the public and private sectors: “When you combine the productive sectors with the intelligence of universities, it explodes.”

To accelerate academic and laboratory construction, UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) has structured, with BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank), the sale of 11 floors in the Ventura building, in downtown Rio, in exchange for direct investments in university infrastructure. "They won't pay in cash, they'll pay in construction... academic buildings, state-of-the-art laboratories, fantastic classrooms for our students." According to the rector, this bypasses bidding bottlenecks and budgetary constraints, guaranteeing speed and legal security.

Teacher appreciation: pride in being a teacher.

The university president praised the recent agenda to value the teaching profession: "Now teachers will have a teacher's ID card... I am proud to be a teacher." He also celebrated initiatives such as housing for teachers in the "Minha Casa, Minha Vida" (My House, My Life) program and the "Mais Professores" (More Teachers) program.

Responding to a request from President Lula for universities to present projects, Medronho outlined two initiatives. The first, "Cities of Knowledge," envisions student housing on Ilha do Fundão, with funding guaranteed by reallocating housing allowances: "It's a true university city." The second seeks to allocate a portion of a future pre-salt auction to the restoration of UFRJ's physical assets: "Investing in the university that helped create the pre-salt reserves."

Beyond the budget, the goal is to expand social, scientific, and economic impact: "The university is one of the main places for social transformation, for social ascension." In summary, Medronho reaffirmed: "Sovereignty in today's world is science, technology, and innovation... As long as we are dependent on what is produced abroad, we will never be a fully sovereign country." Watch: