Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul

What Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul does

UERGS (Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul) is a public state university (autarquia estatal) established in 2000 by the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, under Lei nº 11.646/2001, and headquartered in Porto Alegre. The university operates a distributed campus network of 23 units across the state, delivering higher education and serving students across Rio Grande do Sul with a particular emphasis on rural and underserved municipalities. Its core portfolio comprises in-person undergraduate programs (including Administration, Agronomy, Agroecology, Computer Engineering, Environmental Management, Pedagogy, Biological Sciences, Arts, and Music), graduate programs (master's and doctoral degrees), and distance learning (EAD) programs coordinated through the NEAD (Núcleo de Educação a Distância) and UAB (Universidade Aberta do Brasil) poles in Nonoai, Passo Fundo, and Porto Alegre.

The university's underlying technology infrastructure includes the UAB/UERGS EAD platform, an institutional repository for academic publications, a digital library system with Capes periodicals access, and the UERGS Digital transformation initiative aimed at modernizing administrative and academic processes. IT services are operated by PROCERGS, the state government's technology arm. Extension activities are tracked through Power BI dashboards documenting community engagement projects since 2011.

UERGS is a tuition-free institution funded entirely by the State of Rio Grande do Sul through the Secretaria de Inovação, Ciência e Tecnologia, with no commercial revenue model. Its governance structure comprises a rector (Reitor), the Conselho Superior (Consun), and other collegiate bodies, currently undergoing a democratic Estatuinte process to revise its 2004 Statute. The university is also a member of ABRUEM (the Brazilian Association of State and Community Universities) and maintains a media partnership with TVE/RS for broadcasting extension projects.

Name

Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul

Legal name

Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul

Website

https://uergs.edu.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

UERGS is a tuition-free public state university of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, operating 23 campuses across the state to deliver undergraduate, graduate, EAD, and extension programs, funded by the state government and serving students in rural and underserved regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Porto Alegre

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UERGS is a tuition-free public state university in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, providing higher education across 23 campus units. It offers in-person and distance learning (EAD) undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as Administration, Agronomy, Engineering, Sciences, Arts, and Humanities, along with research activities, community extension services, and library resources.

Product overview

UERGS is a public state university in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, offering a multi-modal educational portfolio consisting of in-person undergraduate and graduate programs across 23 geographic units, distance learning (EaD) programs coordinated through NEAD and UAB poles, and research-focused master's and doctoral programs. The university also provides extension services, library resources through its institutional repository and virtual library, and strategic digital modernization through the UERGS Digital initiative. The institution celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UERGS - Educação Presencial (In-Person Education) In-person undergraduate and graduate academic programs offered across 23 university units throughout Rio Grande do Sul, including degrees in Administration, Agronomy, Engineering, Sciences, Arts, and Humanities. Targets prospective higher education students across the state.
• UERGS - Pós-Graduação (Graduate Programs) Master's and doctoral programs, specializations, and continuing education courses, including academic programs in Education, Biological Systematics and Conservation, and other research-focused graduate offerings. Targets students who have completed undergraduate studies and seek advanced qualifications.
• UERGS - Educação a Distância (EaD)
• Atividades de Extensão (Extension Activities)
• Bibliotecas e Repositório Institucional (Library and Institutional Repository)

Quantifiable outcome

• Currently offering first undergraduate EAD degree program (Administration) at UAB poles in Nonoai, Passo Fundo, and Porto Alegre
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TVE/RS (Televisão Educativa do Rio Grande do Sul)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between UERGS and TVE/RS for broadcasting the 'Conhecendo a Uergs' segment, featuring extension projects and community outreach initiatives. Multiple extension projects have been showcased through this collaboration.
• ABRUEM (Associação Brasileira das Universidades Estaduais e Comunitárias)minorOthersMember of ABRUEM, the Brazilian Association of State and Community Universities, which provides networking and collaboration opportunities among Brazilian public universities.
• Secretaria de Inovação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do SulcoreOthersThe university is under the supervision of the State Secretariat of Innovation, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul, which oversees its operations and funding.
• PROCERGS (Centro de Tecnologia da Informação e Comunicação do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul)coreTechnology or IntegrationPROCERGS serves as the technology and communication operator for the university, providing IT infrastructure, digital services, and website hosting under the Government of Rio Grande do Sul.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS): Private Jesuit university in São Leopoldo (RS metropolitan region) with a strong emphasis on research, graduate programs, and distance learning. Comparable to UERGS as a multi-campus higher-education provider in Rio Grande do Sul with a similar mix of in-person and online programs.
• Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS): Established private Catholic university based in Porto Alegre with a comprehensive multi-campus footprint and strong graduate/research profile. Comparable to UERGS in academic portfolio breadth but competes from a higher brand and resource base.

Direct peers

• Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS): Federal public university headquartered in Porto Alegre, the same city as UERGS. It is the most prominent higher-education institution in Rio Grande do Sul, directly competing for students, faculty, and research funding, and operating a similar mix of undergraduate, graduate, and extension programs.
• Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG): State public university in Paraná, also an ABRUEM member, with a similar profile to UERGS: tuition-free public education, multi-campus presence, and combined undergraduate/graduate/extension offerings funded by state appropriations.
• Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM): Brazilian state public university (autarquia estadual) in Paraná, member of ABRUEM alongside UERGS. Comparable in governance structure, state funding model, and multi-campus regional development mission.

Regional players

• Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC): State public university of Santa Catarina, ABRUEM member, operating across multiple campuses in southern Brazil. Comparable to UERGS in state-level public higher-education mission, regional focus, and distributed campus structure.
• Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS): Private community-based university in Caxias do Sul (RS) with multiple campuses and a strong regional focus. Comparable to UERGS as a multi-campus institution serving the same state and competing for students in similar fields including engineering, administration, and education.
• Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel): Federal public university in southern Rio Grande do Sul offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple campuses. Comparable to UERGS as a regional public university serving smaller cities and competing for the same student pool.
• Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM): Federal public university serving the central region of Rio Grande do Sul with a multi-campus structure. Comparable to UERGS in its state-level public mission, regional development focus, and broad portfolio of undergraduate and graduate programs.

Emerging players

• Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS): Federal network of technical and higher-education institutes across Rio Grande do Sul with multi-campus presence. Comparable to UERGS for undergraduate-level technical and applied programs targeting similar regional student populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/uergsinstitucional
• Facebookfacebook.com/Uergs
• Instagraminstagram.com/uergs
• Xx.com/uergs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidade-estadual-do-rio-grande-do-sul

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul