The scientific community unites in favor of universities and research institutes in SP

São Paulo – A ceremony in the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (ALIS) relaunched, on Wednesday (26), the Defense Front for Public Universities and Research Institutes. Among the goals is to advocate for policies to strengthen universities and research institutes. Among them are financing and estimating professionals. Supporters believe that these institutions are the guarantors of development, sovereignty and democracy itself. But for that they depend on basic measures, such as student permanence, for example.

The event brought together representatives of the rectors of the state universities USP, Unicamp and Unesp, and the federal universities Unifesp (Federal University of São Paulo) and UFABC (Federal University of ABC), which have units in the state. Members of the Brazilian Association for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), teachers’ unions and others working in the sector, as well as students and researchers from various institutes, also participated.

“We’ll meet almost next week to put together a schedule of activities. Alesp’s frontline coordinator, Rep. Beth Shehu (PT) said.

Universities and Tarcisio Government profile

All this takes on even greater significance in the current state of affairs. Therefore, the front is a space in the face of the privacy policy of the government of Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans). Therefore, “there will be a lot of work,” said the parliamentarian.

And according to Beth Shehu, the packing should be permanent. Administrative reform comes from this terrible government that wants to reduce the size of the state even more. He stressed that our role is to fully mobilize to continue the struggle and advance the work.

“We want to expand and develop public institutions in the state of São Paulo. As well as to strengthen education and public education as a whole and to promote community participation. There is no university excellence without inclusion,” said Chief of Staff of the Rectory Daniel Pansarelli.

Research institutes are in the process of being destroyed

Michelle Schultz, from the board of directors of the USP Teachers’ Association (Adusp), said the front must act in the fight against obscurantism and denial, which is still present through the current São Paulo government. And also to defend the policy of funding universities and research institutes for their full functioning.

Scientific research has been destroyed in São Paulo in recent years. The governments of Joao Doria and Rodrigo García (PSDB, 2019-2022) abolished 13 public bodies, including the Forestry Institute, the Geological Institute and the Botany Institute. The three experienced an absurd “merger”, which resulted in Environmental Research Institute (IPA)which is being challenged in court.

In addition, Doria has accelerated the privatization of the Research Institute of Technology (IPT), through the “IPT Open” programme. In practice, the premises and equipment are assigned to the Inteli-IBTCC College, which is associated with BTG Pactual, Google and other companies. It also allowed the franchising of public parks to the private sector, with an emphasis on the Alto Ribeira State Tourist Park (Petar). Its biodiversity and caves are an invaluable wealth.

Copywriter: Seda de Oliveira