Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

What Federal University of Rio de Janeiro does

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), founded in 1920, is one of Brazil's largest and most prestigious federal public universities, operating multiple campuses across Rio de Janeiro State under the administrative oversight of the Brazilian Ministry of Education. The university delivers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs in Portuguese across faculties spanning sciences, humanities, engineering, health, and arts, and serves both domestic students (admitted via the SIS national system) and international exchange students through agreements with over 200 partner institutions worldwide. UFRJ's core operations extend beyond teaching into large-scale research via specialized institutes — including COPPE for engineering research and a world-class ocean basin facility — plus cultural heritage (Museu Nacional, Museu da Computação), healthcare delivery through its university hospital complex integrated with the SUS public health system, and media services (Radio UFRJ, WebTV UFRJ, Gráfica UFRJ).

The institution is funded primarily through federal government budget allocations, supplemented by research grants from bodies such as CNPq and FAPERJ (e.g., R$1.7 million via the ALV 2025 program supporting 50 young doctorate projects), special legislative amendments (e.g., R$55 million for Museu Nacional reconstruction), consortium-backed infrastructure investments (e.g., R$200+ million for the Praia Vermelha complex), and technology transfer partnerships through Parque Tecnológico. UFRJ is governed by a Conselho Universitário (Consuni), led by Rector Roberto Medronho, and has been actively expanding its international footprint in 2025–2026 with partnerships across the UK (Queen Mary University of London, focused on responsible AI, genomics, and public health), Russia (Moscow State University, BRICS cooperation), and China (China University of Petroleum for engineering cotutelle, plus the China Book Centre with CIPG/Beihang). Recent regulatory milestones include ANVISA approval for a new clinical phase of UFRJ researcher Tatiana Coelho de Sampaio's polylaminin-based spinal cord injury therapy.

Name

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Legal name

Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Website

https://ufrj.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro is a Brazilian federal public university founded in 1920, offering tuition-free undergraduate to PhD programs across multiple Rio de Janeiro campuses, conducting research via institutes such as COPPE, and delivering healthcare, cultural, and media services to students, patients, and the broader public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI), Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships) (EDAIABAC), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Academic research programs
• University hospital services
• Graduate degree programs
• Scientific research infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio De Janeiro

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: As a federal public university in Brazil, UFRJ receives funding from the federal government budget allocation for public higher education institutions
2. Research Grants: Funding from CNPq, FAPERJ, and other research funding bodies for specific research projects, including recent R$1.7 million for ALV 2025 program supporting 50 young doctorate projects
3. International Partnerships: Cooperation with international institutions including UK's International Science Partnerships Fund for collaborative research initiatives
4. Technology Transfer: Research and innovation output through partnerships with companies and technology transfer activities, including Parque Tecnológico partnerships

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UFRJ is a Brazilian federal public university that delivers tuition-free higher education across undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels through multiple faculties and institutes. It conducts scientific research across disciplines (marine science, engineering, computing, health, social sciences) via dedicated institutes such as COPPE and the NCE, operates the Complexo Hospitalar da UFRJ providing healthcare integrated with SUS, and runs cultural heritage institutions including the Museu Nacional and Museu da Computação. Revenue is derived from federal government budget allocations, research grants, and institutional partnerships.

Product overview

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) is a public higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational, research, and cultural services. The university provides undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple faculties and institutes, complemented by world-class research facilities including COPPE (engineering research) and specialized research basins. UFRJ operates cultural heritage institutions including the Museu Nacional and Museu da Computação, media services such as Radio UFRJ and WebTV UFRJ, and institutional support services including Gráfica UFRJ printing services. The institution also maintains university hospitals and health services, and facilitates international exchange through partnerships with over 200 global institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Museu Nacional Vive: Campaign and initiative for the reconstruction of Museu Nacional after the 2018 fire, promoting social mobilization and partnership building for the museum's recovery.
• Gráfica UFRJ

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs (Graduação) Bachelor's degree programs offered tuition-free across UFRJ's multiple faculties and institutes covering sciences, humanities, engineering, health, and arts. Admission is through the SIS (Sistema de Seleção Unificada) Brazilian national admission system.
• Graduate Programs (Pós-Graduação) Master's (mestrado) and doctoral (doutorado) degree programs offered tuition-free across UFRJ's various academic units, including research-intensive programs at COPPE and other dedicated institutes.
• COPPE - Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute of Graduate Studies and Research in Engineering One of Latin America's largest and most prestigious engineering research centers, focusing on offshore oil exploitation and operating the third-largest ocean basin in the world for research purposes.
• Museu Nacional (National Museum) Brazil's oldest scientific institution operating under UFRJ, dedicated to preserving natural history, anthropology, and cultural heritage collections. Undergoing reconstruction following the devastating September 2018 fire, with UNESCO and Instituto Cultural Vale supporting the ongoing Projeto Museu Nacional Vive initiative.
• Museu da Computação (Computing Museum) Museum operated within UFRJ that preserves the history of Brazilian computing and UFRJ's contribution to national technological development, featuring artifacts from the 1970s to early 2000s including equipment, prototypes, documents and systems developed at the university.
• University Hospitals and Health Services (Complexo Hospitalar da UFRJ) Hospital complex including the Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital (HUCFF) and six specialized institutes (Psiquiatria, Ginecologia, HESFA, Doenças do Tórax, Neurologia, Coração) providing healthcare, medical training, and clinical research integrated with the SUS public health system.
• International Exchange Program (Mobilidade Internacional) International student exchange programs offered through formal agreements with over 200 partner higher education institutions worldwide. Incoming students must apply via their home institution's international office (no free movers), with A1 Portuguese proficiency accepted at most schools and institutes. Free Portuguese conversation classes are provided, and intensive Portuguese courses are offered through the CLAC language school.
• Rádio UFRJ University radio station broadcasting educational, cultural, and institutional programming to the broader community.
• WebTV UFRJ University web television platform producing and broadcasting audiovisual content including documentaries, event coverage, and institutional programming.
• Gráfica UFRJ (UFRJ Printing Services) University printing facility providing industrial-quality digital and offset printing services, including creation, editing, offset printing, digital printing, and large format printing for the university community at production cost.
• Science and Culture Spaces (Espaços de Ciência e Cultura) Network of museums, libraries, and cultural spaces operated by UFRJ that extend educational and scientific resources to the broader public as part of the university's community extension mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• R$ 9 million Ministry of Health investment in hospital complex serving SUS patients
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Consulado-Geral da Federação da Rússia no Rio de JaneirocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Discussion on opportunities to strengthen academic exchange, research partnerships between Brazilian and Russian universities, and scientific collaboration in strategic areas including health, climate change, and cultural heritage preservation.
• Centro Brasil-Rússia InnopraktikaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Partnership for promoting cooperation between Brazilian and Russian innovation ecosystems, particularly in biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors.
• Universidade de BeihangminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026Research collaboration in climate crisis and global scenario through 6th Annual International Encounter promoted by Centro de Ciências da Saúde.
• Queen Mary University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Academic delegation from Queen Mary University of London visited Brazil to explore research collaboration opportunities, focusing on responsible AI, genomics, public health, sensing technologies, sustainable development, and social inclusion. Visit supported by UK's International Science Partnerships Fund, exploring partnerships with FAPESP, FINEP, British Council, and UK Science and Innovation Network.
• Grupo de Publicações Internacionais da China (CIPG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Establishment of China Book Centre at UFRJ Faculty of Letters through cooperation with CIPG, China International Book Trading (CIBTC), and Beihang Innovation Institute Brazil. Includes Memorandum of Understanding for ongoing collaboration.
• Universidade Estatal de Moscou LomonosovcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Strengthening of academic cooperation between UFRJ and Moscow State University in BRICS context. Meeting focused on creating joint work groups and collaborative research projects. Prior collaboration established through UFRJ delegation visit to Moscow's Marine Research Center in October 2024 for deepwater oil and environmental monitoring research.
• Ministry of Health of BrazilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026R$9 million investment through PRHOSUS program for six university hospital institutes (Psiquiatria, Ginecologia, São Francisco de Assis, Doenças do Tórax, Neurologia, Coração) to strengthen SUS services, expand capacity, and boost scientific production.
• Prefeitura Municipal de PorciúnculaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2026Technical partnership through UFRJ's Escola Politécnica for urban flood modeling study, developing hydrological and hydrodynamic models to simulate flooding and test intervention scenarios for the municipality.
• Universidade de Petróleo da China (CUP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2025China-Brazil Engineering Education Forum hosted at UFRJ for deepening cotutelle agreements between engineering graduate programs. Focus on energy transition, digitalization, environment, and industrial innovation through joint research and faculty exchange.
• National and Multinational EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUFRJ maintains partnerships with several national and multinational enterprises, some with facilities on campus. Follows global trend of creating cooperative relationships with institutions worldwide.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO cooperation for Museu Nacional reconstruction project following 2018 fire, part of broader Projeto Museu Nacional Vive initiative.
• Instituto Cultural ValecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Museu Nacional reconstruction project, contributing to preservation of cultural and scientific heritage.
• FiocruzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Fiocruz for creation of health startup hub at UFRJ Technology Park, promoting biotech and pharmaceutical innovation collaboration.

Scale indicators10 records

Broad incumbents

• University of Buenos Aires (UBA): Argentina's flagship public university with parallel public-funding model, hospital network, and research output. Comparable in scale and Latin American ranking tier to UFRJ.
• National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM): Largest public university in Latin America with similar federal public structure, museum networks, and research scale. Frequently co-ranked with UFRJ in regional QS rankings and operates as a broader incumbent in the same peer set.

Regional players

• Fluminense Federal University (UFF): Federal university also based in Rio de Janeiro state, with overlapping research areas and shared metropolitan student catchment. Operates as a regional complement/competitor to UFRJ in the same geography.
• Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio): Private Rio de Janeiro-based research university competing directly with UFRJ for students, faculty, and corporate research partnerships in the same metropolitan market. Comparable in academic quality but tuition-funded.

Direct peers

• Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC): Brazilian federal research university with strong engineering and graduate programs. Comparable federal structure, multi-campus operations, and ranking profile within Brazil.
• Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG): One of Brazil's largest federal universities with comprehensive undergraduate, graduate, and hospital operations. Mirrors UFRJ's federal public structure, multi-campus footprint, and ranking-tier profile in Latin America.
• State University of Campinas (UNICAMP): Top-tier Brazilian public research university with strong STEM and engineering graduate programs. Comparable to UFRJ as a leading Latin American research institution with significant industry partnerships and technology-park spinout activity.
• Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS): Major Brazilian federal research university in southern Brazil with comprehensive graduate programs and hospital complex. Comparable scale, federal funding model, and ranking-tier to UFRJ.
• University of São Paulo (USP): Brazil's largest public research university, ranked #1 in Brazil and a top Latin American institution. Directly comparable to UFRJ as a São Paulo-state federal-style research university with comparable graduate programs, hospital complexes, and international exchange footprint.

Others

• Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation): Brazilian federal health research institution partnering with UFRJ on the Technology Park health startup hub. Comparable as a federally funded research and graduate-training organization with hospital operations, but focused exclusively on public health rather than broad postsecondary education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ufrj
• YouTubeyoutube.com/webtvufrj
• Facebookfacebook.com/PortalUFRJ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ufrj
• Instagraminstagram.com/ufrj.oficial

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Federal University of Rio de Janeiro