University of São Paulo: 2022 was marked by the return of coexistence on campuses and the meeting of three generations of students
The covid-19 pandemic directly affected people’s lives and this was no different in relation to academic activities. At USP, not only classes but also cultural and scientific activities had to adapt to the times of restriction, gaining online versions. With the advancement of vaccination, face-to-face activities gradually returned – always respecting safety protocols – and 2022 was marked by the return of coexistence in University spaces.
It was also the beginning of a new administration at USP, with the inauguration of the rector Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior and the vice-rector Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda, and the new pro-rectors of the University. One of the main concerns of the new leaders is focused on inclusion, diversity and innovation. Examples of this were the creation, in May of this year, of the Dean of Inclusion and Belonging (PRIP) and the reformulation of the Dean of Research with the incorporation of the Innovation area .
An important project launched this year was USP Diversa, a donation program for individuals and companies interested in funding scholarships for undergraduate students in socioeconomically vulnerable situations, which will have singer Marisa Monte as its first ambassador.
Another major milestone was USP’s protagonism in the defense of democracy, with the launch of the Letter to Brazilians and Brazilians in Defense of the Democratic State of Law! , written by a group of professors and former students of the USP Faculty of Law, which surpassed the mark of 1 million signatures. The document was read in a historic act that gathered thousands of people in the arcades of the college building.
In September, the reopening of the Museu do Ipiranga, during the bicentennial of the Independence of Brazil, brought back to the population an important historical and cultural collection.
And something unprecedented, the meeting of three generations of students, after two years of the pandemic, with the resumption of face-to-face classes, university extension activities, scientific initiation research and various coexistence initiatives on campuses: the sports competitions promoted by Student Athletics , as well as artistic and cultural presentations.