Unicamp implements ethnic-racial quotas in postgraduate courses – 08/09/2023 – Education

Unicamp (State University of Campinas) approved the implementation of the ethnic-racial quota system also for admission to graduate courses. The decision of the 1st of August was taken unanimously by the 60 members of the Consu (University Council).

The university already reserves 25% of places in undergraduate courses for blacks and browns, in addition to applying the indigenous entrance exam.

According to the decision of the highest instance of the university, “all postgraduate programs are oriented to establish policies of affirmative actions in modalities of ethnic-racial quotas (black, brown, indigenous) in their selection processes of admission”, explains excerpt from the approved text.

A minimum of 25% of vacancies in each program must be allocated to the quota system. The amount can be increased until the goal of having the same percentage of self-declared black and brown people domiciled in the state of São Paulo is reached among new entrants. This index currently corresponds to 37.2%, as indicated by the PNAD (National Household Sample Survey), carried out by the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics).

Unicamp explains that the measure institutionalizes an initiative that first appeared at the university in 2015, when a policy of ethnic-racial quotas was approved for postgraduate courses at the IFCH (Institute of Philosophy and Human Sciences). Other units followed suit in the sequence.

“The approval of this measure to expand affirmative actions through ethnic-racial quotas in graduate programs is a fundamental step in Unicamp’s policy of inclusion”, said the Dean of Graduate Studies, Rachel Meneguello.

Each program will have its public notice, which must comply with the minimum established in the council’s deliberation.

According to the pro-rector, the university has responded to demands from society.

“This measure shows that Unicamp’s postgraduate system, recognized nationally and internationally for its quality and importance in scientific production and human resource training, considers inclusion as a condition for academic excellence and goes directly to meet the needs of the State of São Paulo and the country for its economic and technological development and for the reduction of historical inequalities”, says Meneguello.

Measure opens the possibility of quotas for other groups

The board members also approved an indication that opens up the possibility of adopting quotas in postgraduate programs for other social groups, such as transgender people, always considering those who are unable to compete on an equal basis in the selection processes due to factors historical and cultural.

“Within the WG, we try to equate something that we consider very important, which are the many segments that are also marginalized and that have had their emancipation processes controlled by the conservative Brazilian society itself”, emphasizes the pro-rector.

Quotas in the postdoc

The rector of Unicamp, professor Antonio José de Almeida Meirelles, announced, during the Consu voting process, the publication in the Official State Gazette of an announcement prepared by the university that provides for the reservation of ethnic-racial vacancies for postdoctoral researchers .

According to Meirelles, the changes crown the end of a first stage of inclusion. He recalled that the process began years ago with scores in the selection processes for graduation from broad competition, advanced with the definition of parameters, until reaching the selection of employees. Then, the norm for selection of professors was approved, until it reaches, now, the postdoc.

“We have several challenges ahead of us, but my feeling is that we have gone through a route that incorporates practically all the main sectors of the university”, he declared.