This year, 2023, has been a fruitful one, with the winds blowing in a favorable direction for higher education. In yet another significant victory for the sector, for representative organizations, and, above all, for Brazilian society, the Ministry of Education (MEC) authorized, through Seres Ordinance No. 144 of June 14, 2023, an increase in the number of annual spots offered in law and medicine programs under the University for All Program (ProUni).

This was a long-standing demand, given students’ high interest in these two fields. It is no secret that medicine and law are always among the most competitive programs for those seeking to enroll in an undergraduate program to pursue a professional career, and the restrictions in place until mid-month ran counter to this demand.

ProUni is currently the leading initiative promoting inclusion in higher education. With the recent reforms to the Student Financing Fund (FIES) and the removal of the program’s social focus, ProUni has assumed this role in recent years. Hundreds of thousands of students are able to attend college or have graduated solely because they received scholarships through this initiative.

In fact, another challenge we have taken on this year is to expand and strengthen ProUni so that it can continue to transform lives. In this process, we advocate that all students currently enrolled in FIES who meet the eligibility criteria for ProUni be admitted to the scholarship program, which would reduce dropout rates and ensure equal opportunities for all.

For now, however, it is worth celebrating yet another great achievement and noting that none of this would have been possible without the collaboration of an army of people who dedicated their time and talent to making this happen. In particular, I would like to thank the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana, and his entire team, who have been great partners on this journey toward a more just and inclusive education. I would also like to thank ABMES’s sister organizations, the National Association of Catholic Education in Brazil (ANEC) and the Brazilian Association of Evangelical Educational Institutions (ABIEE), for standing with us throughout this journey.

Ensuring that all Brazilians have their constitutional right to education respected must be a priority in this country. And we’re not talking about just any kind of education, but a quality education that prepares them for professional life and also enables them to exercise their citizenship fully and conscientiously. This is the kind of education we believe in, and this is what we work toward. That is why we wish ProUni a long life and hope the winds continue to blow in its favor—and in favor of Brazilian education.

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Article originally published on the ABMES website.

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