Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
Encyclopedia
The Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, often abbreviated as PUC-Rio) is a private and non-profit Catholic university, located in Rio de Janeiro
, the second largest city of Brazil
. It is maintained by the Catholic
Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro and the Society of Jesus.
The Brazilian Ministry of Education
(MEC) ranked PUC-Rio as the best private
university
in the country in 2009. In 2010, PUC-Rio ranked second amongst all universities in the country (behind only the University of São Paulo
) in the triennial research assessment exercise conducted by The CAPES Foundation, of MEC.
in order to develop knowledge based on humanistic values. With approximately 12,000 undergraduate students, 2,500 postgraduate students and 4,000 extension
students, PUC-Rio is consistently recognized as one of the top universities in Brazil
. In 2009, it outperformed all other private Brazilian universities in ENADE, an important benchmarking exercise of the Brazil
ian Ministry
of Education
. One can fully appreciate the scale of this in noting that, by 2008, Brazil had 2,252 higher education
institutions.
PUC-Rio is widely acclaimed for its excellence in Law
, Engineering
, Computer science
, Psychology
, Economics
, Business
and International Relations
. The University is also known for its free cultural aspect. It has always tried to bring in the broadest types of students in order to foster and develop diversity amongst its student body. PUC-Rio has been responsible for the formation and education of many professionals who have become influential and important characters of Brazil
ian society
.
In the past few years PUC-Rio has been developing International
Exchange
Program
s with universities all over the world. Universities such as Harvard
, Notre Dame
, UCLA
, Brown University
and many other Europe
an centers have participated in the program, which is responsible for the exchange of hundreds of students every year.
(Google maps), a neighborhood located in the south zone of the Brazil
ian city of Rio de Janeiro
. It sits right at the edge of the Tijuca Forest
(a national forest), with a river extending from the forest through the entrance of PUC-Rio. Tree-covered mountains make up the north view of the campus.
A large number of city bus lines have stops at the entrance of University. It is close to Leblon
, Ipanema
, Jardim Botânico
and Lagoa
, which are some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Rio. The subway authority (Metrô
) has planned expanding its line to a station at the entrance of PUC-Rio, however, while the Gávea
station is not built, Metrô
-branded buses connect the University to the General Osório station (located in Ipanema
) and to Botafogo station (on Botafogo
beach).
during President John Kennedy
's administration, which was thanked by the erection of a bust of Kennedy and by the naming of a building after the president within the PUC campus.
The campus is located in a place which used to be a coffee farm long ago. A river divides the university campus in two, and there are three small bridges to connect these halves.
There are four libraries on campus: the Central Library, located on the third floor of the Frings building, and one specialized library per center.
Rio Datacentro (RDC) is the computer center. The first Internet provider in the country, RDC has a state-of-the-art multiprocessor computer and a graphics-computing center, among other equipment and programs. It also provides free access to the Internet to all PUC-Rio students, who can use the terminals located in various microcomputer laboratories on campus or their own portable wireless devices.
Solar Grandjean de Montigny, PUC-Rio's Cultural Center, has displays of visual arts exhibitions all year round. At the Pilotis (Kennedy building's ground floor), many cultural events take place, like political debates, shows and fairs. The "Festa Junina" is a traditional folkloric festivity with a country-life ambiance. Typical food, costumes and dances bring alive an old way of living in Brazil. It takes place every June.
On PUC-Rio's campus there are also three restaurants, 5 coffee-shops, 1 pizza-parlor; a bookstore and an office supply store; many copy centers; branches of two banks, (Itaú
and Banco Santander Brasil
); a post office
; a newsstand and automated teller machine
s. Close to the campus there are a great number of shops, banks, the Planetarium, specialized bookstores, restaurants and even a mall. The Botanical Gardens and Leblon
beach are within walking distance.
, Luiz Henrique de Figueiredo, and Waldemar Celes, members of the Computer Graphics Technology Group (Tecgraf), at PUC-Rio beginning in 1993.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, the second largest city of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is maintained by the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro and the Society of Jesus.
The Brazilian Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education (Brazil)
The Ministry of Education , MEC, is a Brazilian government ministry.Functions of this ministry: national education policy, early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, higher education, youth and adult education, among other teachings Taking their proper decisions so that...
(MEC) ranked PUC-Rio as the best private
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in the country in 2009. In 2010, PUC-Rio ranked second amongst all universities in the country (behind only the University of São Paulo
University of São Paulo
Universidade de São Paulo is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian university and one of the country's most prestigious...
) in the triennial research assessment exercise conducted by The CAPES Foundation, of MEC.
History
The University was created in 1941 by the Society of JesusSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in order to develop knowledge based on humanistic values. With approximately 12,000 undergraduate students, 2,500 postgraduate students and 4,000 extension
Continuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
students, PUC-Rio is consistently recognized as one of the top universities in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. In 2009, it outperformed all other private Brazilian universities in ENADE, an important benchmarking exercise of the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Ministry
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
of Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. One can fully appreciate the scale of this in noting that, by 2008, Brazil had 2,252 higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
institutions.
PUC-Rio is widely acclaimed for its excellence in Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, Computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, Business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
. The University is also known for its free cultural aspect. It has always tried to bring in the broadest types of students in order to foster and develop diversity amongst its student body. PUC-Rio has been responsible for the formation and education of many professionals who have become influential and important characters of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
.
In the past few years PUC-Rio has been developing International
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
Exchange
Student exchange program
A student exchange program generally could be defined as a program where students from secondary school or university choose to study abroad in partner institutions...
Program
Program
Program may refer to:* Computer program* Program , those executed by machines that are not computers* A synonym for patch, a synthesizer setting stored in memory.* The trade name for lufenuron, a veterinary flea control medication...
s with universities all over the world. Universities such as Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
and many other Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an centers have participated in the program, which is responsible for the exchange of hundreds of students every year.
Location
The University is located in GáveaGávea
Gávea is an affluent residential neighborhood located in the Southern Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro. It borders the São Conrado, Leblon, Lagoa and Jardim Botânico neighborhoods and is famous for its high concentration of artists and intellectuals. PUC-Rio, one of the most important...
(Google maps), a neighborhood located in the south zone of the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian city of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. It sits right at the edge of the Tijuca Forest
Tijuca Forest
The Tijuca Forest is a mountainous hand-planted rainforest in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the world's largest urban forest, covering some 32 km²...
(a national forest), with a river extending from the forest through the entrance of PUC-Rio. Tree-covered mountains make up the north view of the campus.
A large number of city bus lines have stops at the entrance of University. It is close to Leblon
Leblon
Leblon is an affluent neighbourhood and a beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It's a neighbourhood of upper class people in the southern zone of the city...
, Ipanema
Ipanema
For other uses, see Ipanema . For the British rock band, see Ipanema .Ipanema is a neighborhood located in the southern region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between Leblon and Arpoador...
, Jardim Botânico
Jardim Botânico
Jardim Botânico is a residential neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, located north of Ipanema and Leblon, just across Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas and east of Gávea. Jardim Botânico lies in the affluent "Zona Sul" of Rio de Janeiro....
and Lagoa
Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro
Lagoa is an affluent residential neighbourhood located around the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. It borders the neighbourhoods of Ipanema, Leblon, Copacabana, Gávea and Jardim Botânico and Humaitá....
, which are some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Rio. The subway authority (Metrô
Rio de Janeiro Metro
The Rio de Janeiro Metro is a mass-transit underground railway network that serves the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Founded in 1979 with five stations operating on one line, it now covers 47 km divided into two lines and 35 stations...
) has planned expanding its line to a station at the entrance of PUC-Rio, however, while the Gávea
Gávea
Gávea is an affluent residential neighborhood located in the Southern Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro. It borders the São Conrado, Leblon, Lagoa and Jardim Botânico neighborhoods and is famous for its high concentration of artists and intellectuals. PUC-Rio, one of the most important...
station is not built, Metrô
Rio de Janeiro Metro
The Rio de Janeiro Metro is a mass-transit underground railway network that serves the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Founded in 1979 with five stations operating on one line, it now covers 47 km divided into two lines and 35 stations...
-branded buses connect the University to the General Osório station (located in Ipanema
Ipanema
For other uses, see Ipanema . For the British rock band, see Ipanema .Ipanema is a neighborhood located in the southern region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between Leblon and Arpoador...
) and to Botafogo station (on Botafogo
Botafogo
Botafogo is a beachfront neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a mostly middle class and small commerce community, and is located between the hills of Mundo Novo, Dona Marta and São João .- History :Botafogo was named after João Pereira de Sousa Botafogo, who was responsible for the...
beach).
Campus
The campus was built with donations from many institutions and foundations in the early 1940s. A special donation was given by the USAUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during President John Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's administration, which was thanked by the erection of a bust of Kennedy and by the naming of a building after the president within the PUC campus.
The campus is located in a place which used to be a coffee farm long ago. A river divides the university campus in two, and there are three small bridges to connect these halves.
There are four libraries on campus: the Central Library, located on the third floor of the Frings building, and one specialized library per center.
Rio Datacentro (RDC) is the computer center. The first Internet provider in the country, RDC has a state-of-the-art multiprocessor computer and a graphics-computing center, among other equipment and programs. It also provides free access to the Internet to all PUC-Rio students, who can use the terminals located in various microcomputer laboratories on campus or their own portable wireless devices.
Solar Grandjean de Montigny, PUC-Rio's Cultural Center, has displays of visual arts exhibitions all year round. At the Pilotis (Kennedy building's ground floor), many cultural events take place, like political debates, shows and fairs. The "Festa Junina" is a traditional folkloric festivity with a country-life ambiance. Typical food, costumes and dances bring alive an old way of living in Brazil. It takes place every June.
On PUC-Rio's campus there are also three restaurants, 5 coffee-shops, 1 pizza-parlor; a bookstore and an office supply store; many copy centers; branches of two banks, (Itaú
Banco Itaú
Itaú Unibanco is a publicly quoted bank with headquarters in São Paulo, Brazil. The bank is the result of the merger of Banco Itaú and Unibanco, which occurred on November 4, 2008 to form Itaú Unibanco Holding S.A, the largest financial conglomerate in the Southern Hemisphere and is the 10th...
and Banco Santander Brasil
Banco Santander Brasil
Banco Santander Brasil is a subsidiary of Banco Santander in Brazil, its largest division in Latin America and one of the world's most important, accounting for 25% of the total profit of the group...
); a post office
Correios
Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telégrafos , also known as Correios, is one of the largest state-owned companies in latin america and is responsible for the national postal service of Brazil, with a high level of reliability in Brazil...
; a newsstand and automated teller machine
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
s. Close to the campus there are a great number of shops, banks, the Planetarium, specialized bookstores, restaurants and even a mall. The Botanical Gardens and Leblon
Leblon
Leblon is an affluent neighbourhood and a beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It's a neighbourhood of upper class people in the southern zone of the city...
beach are within walking distance.
Research
The Lua programming language was developed by Roberto IerusalimschyRoberto Ierusalimschy
Roberto Ierusalimschy is an associate professor of informatics at PUC-Rio . He is the leading architect of the Lua programming language and the author of Programming in Lua and Programming in Lua, Second Edition...
, Luiz Henrique de Figueiredo, and Waldemar Celes, members of the Computer Graphics Technology Group (Tecgraf), at PUC-Rio beginning in 1993.
Famous alumni
- Arminio FragaArminio FragaArminio Fraga is a Brazilian economist who was president of the Central Bank of Brazil from 1999 to 2002. He is also a former associate of George Soros and his Quantum Fund...
- Arnaldo JaborArnaldo JaborArnaldo Jabor is a Brazilian film director, screenwriter and producer. He directed nine films between 1965 and 1990. His 1973 film Toda Nudez Será Castigada won the Silver Bear at the 23rd Berlin International Film Festival....
- Carlos Alberto Menezes DireitoCarlos Alberto Menezes DireitoCarlos Alberto Menezes Direito was a Brazilian judge who sat on the Supreme Federal Court, the highest court of law in Brazil, from his appointment in 2007 until his death in 2009....
- Fernanda AbreuFernanda Abreu-Biography:Fernanda was born and raised in a middle-class family of the South Zone, a neighborhood of Rio. Her first notable public appearance was the backing vocal of the band Blitz until 1986...
- Gustavo FrancoGustavo FrancoGustavo Franco is a Brazilian economist, born April 10, 1956 in Rio de Janeiro.-Career:Son of Maria Isabel Barbosa de Barroso Franco and Guilherme Arinos Lima Verde de Barroso Franco, who was a friend and assistant of President Getúlio Vargas, and also a member of the first board of Directors of...
- João Clemente Baena SoaresJoão Clemente Baena SoaresJoão Clemente Baena Soares is a Brazilian diplomat.Soares was born in Belém. He working at the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations for 31 years before being elected to serve as Secretary General of the Organization of American States from 1984 to 1994.Between 1997 and 2006, he was a member of...
- Marcelo GleiserMarcelo GleiserMarcelo Gleiser is a Brazilian physicist and astronomer.-Biography:Gleiser received his bachelor's degree in 1981 from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, his M.Sc. degree in 1982 from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, and his Ph.D. in 1986 from King's College London...
- Pedro MalanPedro MalanPedro Sampaio Malan , is a Brazilian economist and former Minister of Finance for Brazil.-Early life:Pedro Sampaio Malan was born in 1943 in Petropolis, a town in honor of Dom Pedro II to the north of Rio de Janeiro...
- Rodrigo SantoroRodrigo SantoroRodrigo Junqueira dos Reis Santoro is a Brazilian actor.-Life and career:Santoro was born in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro. He is of half Brazilian and half Italian descent. In 1993, as Santoro was studying Journalism at PUC-Rio, he entered the Actor's Workshop of Rede Globo...
- Walter SallesWalter SallesWalter Moreira Salles, Jr. is a Brazilian filmmaker and film producer of international prominence.-Life and career:Salles was born in Rio de Janeiro. He is the son of Elizinha Goncalves and Walter Moreira Salles, a Brazilian banker and ambassador, and the brother of João Moreira Salles, also a...
- Pedro BialPedro BialPedro Bial is a Brazilian producer, director, writer, journalist and a celebrity TV presenter, best known for hosting the Variety Show Fantástico, and the Reality Show Big Brother Brasil, -Career:Bial graduated in journalism from PUC-RJ. His career, as a reporter, began at Rede Globo in 1981...