Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil

The Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo (EPUSP), or just POLI, as it is known since its early days, is one of the oldest and more prestigious engineering schools in Brazil. Since its foundation it has been among the top engineering schools nationwide, considering research & development activities, as well as teaching providing under-graduation, graduation and extension courses. In 2003 POLI celebrated its 110th anniversary. During these more than one hundred years of continuous activities, its students’ and professors’ contributions were decisive in São Paulo state to be transformed into the industrial core of Latin America, as well as for making its capital an important location for the whole of the southern hemisphere economy. POLI has a very strong reputation in industry as well as in almost all economic areas  of activity in São Paulo, and among its former students are many heads of companies nowadays.

Escola Politécnica is part of Universidade de São Paulo, which is a public university, dependent on the São Paulo state government. It is one of the largest Brazilian universities, and most productive ones, leading research, and personal formation in our country. POLI is located in São Paulo city, the capital of the São Paulo state, and one of the main cities in Brazil, with around ten million inhabitants in a metropolitan area with 18 million inhabitants. It occupies part of the Cidade Universitária, a ten Km² university campus, and a “city” populated daily by around 100,000 people, including students, faculty members, technical and administrative support staff, and visitors. The POLI buildings occupy about 7 percent of the total campus area, with nine buildings spread over 140,000 m², including classrooms, specialized libraries, academic and research laboratories, besides administrative sectors.

POLI has approximately 500 professors (including full, associate and assistant professors), over 5,000 undergraduate students and other 5,000 grad students. Furthermore other 8,000 students take specialized courses in continued education programs every year, in one of the over 200 programs offered. The school is organized in 15 departments in four main areas: Civil (civil construction, hydraulic and sanitation, transport, and structures and foundations), mechanical (mechatronics and mechanical systems, mechanical, industrial, and naval), electrical (electronic systems, computer and digital systems, telecommunications and control, and energy and automation) and chemical (chemical, mines and petroleum, and metallurgical and materials). The undergraduate students can conduct their courses in accordance with one of ten regular programs or three cooperative ones, distributed over 18 specialties. The graduation courses are organized in 30 areas, covering master and doctor programs.

POLI also has intensive contact with overseas universities, from all around the world, but particularly from the USA and Europe. Many of the most prestigious universities from these countries are our partners or have some academic agreement with us. Recently POLI jointed the TIME group of top European universities as one of the few universities outside Europe belonging to this team. Currently we have 31 international academic agreements with 27 countries, including those of double degree, and 323 agreements and contracts with the productive sector.

Its leading condition in the engineering ambit is unquestionable. Nevertheless, its projection by far exceeds the technical environment boundaries, as a significant number of egresses have been performing important activities all along its existence. It is, therefore, one of the major leader makers, not only concerning the technical sector, but also in companies, public positions and the most important governing posts, be it regionally or even concerning the development of the nation.

Finally, the school vision can be resumed by two statements:

“POLI will be a national and international reference in university teaching, research and extension. There will be a compromise with sustainable development in the social, economic and environmental spheres. Its administration will be flexible and integrated.”

“The POLI engineer will count on a comprehensive, systemic and analytical background, founded on solid knowledge of the basic Engineering sciences, with an ever-learning attitude. This engineer will be competent in both human relations and communication, besides counting on an ethic posture, culturally and socially compromised with Brazil.”

For further information visit:
http://www2.usp.br/publishing/insite.cgi?template=index_en