RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil’s largest university, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), may be forced to temporarily close its doors due to a lack of budget. Its rector, Denise Carvalho, warned on Wednesday, June 15.
At a press conference, Carvalho explained that with the recent cuts announced by the government, the university would not be able to pay for water, electricity, cleaning, and security services “as of October” and will therefore be forced to close, according to the G1 portal.
“The cuts are very serious; what has been done puts the future of the next generations at risk; these actions will have an impact on our children and grandchildren,” the rector added.
Brazil’s Ministry of Education recently announced a 14.5% cut in the budget of Brazilian federal universities.
According to UFRJ, the minimum budget for this year should be around R$400 million (US$79 million), but with the announced cuts, it may receive R$305 million.
UFRJ is the oldest university in Brazil, founded as a Royal Academy in 1792, even though it would not become a federal university until 1920. It is the largest university center in the country, with more than 9,100 professors and almost 70,000 students.