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MEC Announces Unprecedented Expansion of Technological Courses in Federal Universities with a Focus on Innovation, Sustainability, and New Labor Market Demands. The Vacancies Will Be Offered via Sisu and Based on the Enem 2025 Scores.
The Ministry of Education announced the creation of 5,000 vacancies in new undergraduate courses in the fields of biotechnology, engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence at federal universities and institutes.
The vacancies will be offered through Sisu, based on the scores from Enem 2025, and it is expected that the courses will start in the first semester of 2026.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana, at the opening of the 5th National Week of Professional and Technological Education (SNEPT), in Brasília.
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This measure is part of the Innovative and Sustainable Universities Program, developed in partnership with the Ministries of Finance, Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Environment.
Courses in Strategic Areas of Innovation
During the event, the minister highlighted that the initiative aims to align higher education with the transformations in the labor market.
According to him, the new degrees are designed to prepare students for high-tech sectors, focusing on STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“This is a time when the whole world is discussing the new world of work, new technologies, and artificial intelligence. Universities are now offering a new STEM program, in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with new courses in biotechnology, engineering, and robotics,” said Santana.
The MEC informed that each federal university and institute will define which courses will be opened and how many vacancies will be allocated to each campus, according to its structure and capacity.
Strengthening Innovation in Universities
In addition to the new vacancies, the ministry launched the announcement of the Acelera NIT Brazil Program, created to strengthen the Technological Innovation Centers (NITs) of federal universities.
The proposal aims to stimulate entrepreneurship, applied research, and sustainability in public higher education institutions.
The Acelera NIT Brazil will offer technical and financial support to the centers responsible for transforming research results into products, services, and technological solutions.
The expectation is that the program will accelerate the development of technology parks, academic startups, and innovation centers within universities.
Review of Support Foundation Regulations
Another measure announced by Santana was the creation of a working group with rectors and managers from federal institutions to review the rules governing the operations of the support foundations.
These entities are responsible for managing teaching, research, and extension projects, and, according to the minister, need to be “adapted to the new modernity” to provide more agility to university management.
The review aims to update the legislation to facilitate partnerships between universities, the productive sector, and public agencies, reducing administrative barriers and increasing autonomy in the execution of innovation projects.
Event Discusses Education and New Technologies
The SNEPT 2025, which takes place from October 7 to 9 in Brasília, brings together teachers, researchers, and industry representatives to discuss the future of professional and technological education in Brazil.
This year’s event happens alongside the Curicaca Festival, organized by the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development Industrial, reinforcing the integration between academia, government, and companies.
Panels, workshops, and technology showcases present experiences and innovation prototypes in the federal and state education networks, focusing on sustainability, automation, and artificial intelligence.
How to Enroll in the New Courses
Interested individuals must take the Enem 2025, scheduled for the second semester of next year, and use the obtained score to compete for vacancies through Sisu 2026, a system that unifies the selection process of public institutions.
The announcement with the schedule and participating courses will be published by the MEC at the end of 2025, when it will also be possible to consult the list of universities and the distribution of vacancies.
