Unesc programs lead in Santa Catarina and advance in the national scenario in RUF 2026

Of the 29 undergraduate programs at Unesc analyzed by the Folha University Ranking (RUF) 2026, 20 are among the top three ranked in Santa Catarina among non-state community universities. Released this week, the RUF highlights Unesc's programs across various fields, positions the University among the best in the country in institutional criteria, and reveals progress compared to 2025 in 17 programs, both nationally and statewide.

Regarding undergraduate programs, on a national scale, 14 of them appear among the top 15 in the country in this same category. In addition to the overall ranking, the RUF analyzes each program based on specific indicators. The Quality of Education considers the qualifications and dedication of the faculty, student performance in official assessments, and the perceptions of higher education professors. Meanwhile, the Market Evaluation measures the recognition of programs by companies and professionals responsible for hiring. In both assessments, Unesc also remains among the best in Santa Catarina.

According to the acting rector of Unesc, Gisele Silveira Coelho Lopes, the performance of the undergraduate programs reaffirms that academic excellence is within reach of the regional community. "The results of our programs show that it is no longer necessary to leave the region and invest in long distances to access an excellent education. We have, close to home, a university created by the community itself, with programs recognized among the best in the country and in Santa Catarina," she emphasizes.

Excellence that reaches the country

In the national ranking of non-state community universities, Visual Arts ranks 4th and Biomedicine follows closely in 5th place. Biological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, and Geography share 9th place, while Environmental Engineering reaches 10th position. Psychology and Chemistry are in 13th, Business Administration, Chemical Engineering, History, and Dentistry appear in 14th, and Languages and Mathematics complete the group of the top 15 in Brazil.

A reference in Santa Catarina

In the state, seven programs from Unesc lead the overall ranking among non-state community universities: Visual Arts, Biomedicine, Biological Sciences, Geography, History, Psychology, and Chemistry. In second place are Business Administration, Architecture and Urbanism, Economics, Mechanical Engineering, Physical Therapy, Languages, Mathematics, and Nutrition. Accounting, Computer Science, Physical Education, Environmental Engineering, and Civil Engineering occupy the third place in this group statewide.

For Gisele, part of this performance comes from programs with a long history in the region. "We are talking about programs with a consolidated history, such as Business Administration, which has been around for 50 years, and Architecture and Urbanism, which has been around for 23 years. These programs have accompanied the development of Southern Santa Catarina for decades and continue to evolve, which shows how distinctive we are," she states.

A year of achievements

Compared to 2025, 17 programs have risen in the national ranking of non-state community universities. Biomedicine made the largest leap, moving from 18th to 5th place, an advancement of 13 positions. Mechanical Engineering followed closely, rising from 21st to 9th place. Civil Engineering and Physical Therapy each gained ten spots, both moving from 27th to 17th place, while Accounting moved from 30th to 21st, and Nutrition from 27th to 18th, advancing nine positions.

Physical Education rose seven places, from 23rd to 16th, and Chemical Engineering, six, from 20th to 14th. Languages and Mathematics improved five positions each, both moving from 20th to 15th. Business Administration moved from 18th to 14th and Computer Science from 27th to 23rd, with four spots of advancement. History advanced three, from 17th to 14th, Geography and Chemistry, two, reaching 9th and 13th respectively, and Production Engineering and Psychology, one, reaching 18th and 13th.

The trend is also reflected in 17 programs in the state ranking. Accounting had the greatest improvement, moving from eighth to third place. Civil Engineering, from 7th to 3rd, and Mechanical Engineering, from 6th to 2nd, each rose four positions, and Physical Education advanced three, from sixth to third place. Biomedicine, History, Psychology, and Chemistry gained two spots and achieved state leadership, just like Visual Arts and Geography, which moved from second to first place. Computer Science, from 4th to 3rd, Law, from 6th to 5th, Chemical Engineering, from 5th to 4th, as well as Physical Therapy, Languages, Mathematics, and Nutrition, all from 3rd to 2nd, also improved.

Education that makes a difference

In the Quality of Education indicator, 19 of the 29 programs are among the top three in Santa Catarina in the group of non-state community universities, about 65.5% of the total. Six of them hold state leadership: Visual Arts, Biomedicine, Biological Sciences, History, Psychology, and Chemistry. Biomedicine stands out for achieving first place among all universities in Santa Catarina, regardless of administrative category, and Visual Arts ranks second in this broad comparison. Considering all institutions in the state, Biological Sciences and Psychology are in 3rd, History in 5th, and Chemistry in 7th.

The second position among non-state community universities includes eight undergraduate programs: Economics, Physical Education, Physiotherapy, Geography, Language Studies, Mathematics, Nutrition, and Pedagogy. Among all universities in Santa Catarina, Language Studies ranks 4th, Physical Education and Geography 5th, Economics and Nutrition 6th, Mathematics 7th, Physiotherapy 8th, and Pedagogy 9th. Business Administration, Nursing, Environmental Engineering, Production Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering complete the top three, ranking 6th, 7th, 8th, 8th, and 10th respectively among all institutions in the state.

Recognition from employers

It is in the Market Evaluation that Unesc records its most comprehensive performance. Out of 28 programs with available rankings, 27 are among the top three in Santa Catarina among non-state community universities, equivalent to approximately 96.4%. Thirteen lead the indicator in this group: Business Administration, Economics, Law, Physical Education, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physiotherapy, Geography, History, Language Studies, Nutrition, Dentistry, and Chemistry.

Law, Language Studies, Nutrition, and Dentistry go further and achieve the second position among all universities in the state, regardless of administrative category. In this broad comparison, Economics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physiotherapy, Geography, History, and Chemistry appear in 3rd place, while Business Administration and Physical Education rank 4th.

Another 12 programs hold the second position among non-state community universities: Architecture and Urbanism, Visual Arts, Biological Sciences, Biomedicine, Accounting, Computer Science, Nursing, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Pharmacy, Mathematics, and Psychology. Among all universities in Santa Catarina, Visual Arts, Biological Sciences, Biomedicine, Nursing, and Environmental Engineering rank 3rd, Architecture and Urbanism, Civil Engineering, Pharmacy, and Psychology 4th, Computer Science and Mathematics 6th, and Accounting 7th. Production Engineering and Medicine complete the list in the third position of the group, occupying 7th and 6th places respectively in the overall state ranking.

“Our students graduate from Unesc with employability not only in the Extreme South but throughout Brazil. We train professionals that large companies want to hire because our commitment is to deliver value and excellence in education to every person who comes through here,” emphasizes Gisele.

A achievement that belongs to the community

According to the State Secretary of Education and licensed rector of Unesc, Luciane Bisognin Ceretta, the results reflect the model of a Community University, which reinvests its results entirely into its own operations.

“The institutional environment and established policies are important, but it is the quality of the professors and researchers that brings Unesc to this level. We feel very satisfied and fulfilled to see a university created in 1968 to contribute to regional development reach its 58th year with programs among the best in the country. This achievement belongs to the entire community and is made by many hands, day by day,” she highlights.

The ranking

Prepared by the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, the RUF evaluated 205 Brazilian universities in 2026. In addition to the institutional classification, the ranking analyzes undergraduate programs individually, allowing for comparison of performance in different administrative and geographical contexts.