The Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA) was founded in 1966 and is located in the northeastern state of Maranhão, Brazil.
The university is spread across Maranhão with campuses in nine of its cities. These include Bacabal, Chapadinha, Codó, Ferry, Grajaú, Imperatriz, Pinheiro, São Bernardo, and São Luís, where you will find UFMA’s main campus.
Academically the university is divided into six centres, which specialise in different sciences. These include agricultural and environmental sciences, biological and health sciences, exact sciences and technology, human sciences, social sciences, and health and technology. Within each centre are a range of courses that students can study, at both undergraduate and graduate level.
The Internationalisation Directorate is the university’s advisory body for developing relations with higher education institutions around the world. UFMA is committed to the internationalisation of its teaching and research. It has created an academic exchange programme, which welcomes international students to the university while its students study abroad at one of its partner institutions.
In 2020 the Directorate of Research and Technological Innovation was established. This organisation is committed to developing the state of Maranhão through cutting-edge research produced by the university’s staff and students.
Maranhão boasts a range of natural beauty from dense Amazon rainforest to picturesque beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. The state’s capital, São Luís is a half-decayed, half-restored colonial city and a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. Maranhão is best known for its Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses, which is home to tall, white sand dunes and seasonal rainwater lagoons.
