Project to create the Federal University Portal do Sertão advances in the study phase

According to Jacson Machado Nunes, director of the Center for Science and Technology in Energy and Sustainability (Cetens) and member of the project's coordination, more than 40 representatives from different institutions participate in the discussions.

A study was prepared with data on the need to expand the public offer of higher education in the region. According to the survey, around 86% of the vacancies currently available are offered by private institutions, while the number of face-to-face courses in public institutions is smaller.

The name designed for the institution was also chosen by popular vote. The title "Federal University Portal do Sertão" received 66% of the 2,647 votes registered in a consultation carried out in August 2026 through the social network linked to the project.

The proposal is based on the existing university structure in Feira de Santana, where the Cetens campus of the Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia (UFRB) operates. According to Jacson, this structure is considered a technical-economic feasibility requirement observed by the Ministry of Education (MEC).

Despite local mobilization, the creation of a federal university cannot be done solely on the initiative of the municipality or institutions in the region. The measure depends on the federal government and must be forwarded by the Presidency of the Republic, through the Ministry of Education, for subsequent legal processing.

At this moment, therefore, the project is still in a pre-legislative stage, which involves studies, institutional coordination and society participation.

To date, there is no approved budget for the construction of buildings or works related to the future university. These decisions must be taken in the next stages, based on feasibility studies, the existing university structure and the needs of the municipalities that can be served by the institution. Only with the advancement of processes and validation from the federal government will the project be made viable.