Lutheran University of Brazil

The Lutheran University of Brazil (Portuguese: Universidade Luterana do Brasil or ULBRA) is a university which covers several states throughout Brazil.

Lutheran University of Brazil

Universidade Luterana do Brasil
Other name	ULBRA
Former name	Canoas Colleges
Motto	Veritas vos Liberabit
Motto in English	"The truth will set you free."
Type	Private non-profit
Established	August 16, 1972 (1972-08-16) January 1988 (1988-01) (current name)
Accreditation	Ministry of Education (Brazil)
Affiliation	Council of Brazilian University Rectors
Religious affiliation	Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil
Rector	Marcos Fernando Ziemer
Academic staff	2,220
Students	60,000 (all campuses)
Address	Avenida Farroupilha, 8001 , Bairro São José, Canoas , RS , 92425-020 , Brazil 29.8872°S 51.1629°W / -29.8872; -51.1629
Campus	Rio Grande do Sul: Canoas (main campus/rectory) Cachoeira do Sul Carazinho Gravataí Guaíba Porto Alegre Santa Maria São Jerônimo Torres Rondônia: Porto Velho Ji-Paraná Amazonas: Manaus Tocantins: Palmas Goiás: Itumbiara Pará: Santarém São Paulo: Sertãozinho
Language	Portuguese
Colors	Blue, white and red
Website	www.ulbra.br

History

The university has its roots in the parish school of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Canoas (CELSP), in Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, founded in 1911. The first impulse towards the university was the creation of the Cristo Redentor College, in 1969 under the direction of Reverend Ruben Eugen Becker.

In March 1972, in an effort to expand its education in higher education, the Evangelical Lutheran Community of São Paulo founded an Administration College with fifty vacancies. In 1974, the Federal Council of Education authorized the operation of the Canoas Colleges.

In January 1988, the president of Brazil, José Sarney, allowed the creation of the Lutheran University of Brazil.

Campuses

The university's headquarters is located in the city of Canoas, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (the southernmost province of Brazil). Within this state, Ulbra also has campuses in the cities of Cachoeira do Sul, Carazinho, Gravataí, Guaíba, Porto Alegre, Santa Maria, São Jerônimo and Torres. Apart from these cities, the university also has campuses in the states of Amazonas (Manaus), Goiás (Itumbiara), Pará (Santarém), Rondônia (Ji-Paraná and Porto Velho), Tocantins (Palmas) and in the state of São Paulo.

Academics

ULBRA offers several majors, including medicine, which the university became entitled to offer after building its hospital, located within the university premises and currently serving the community of Canoas and neighbouring cities.

Athletics

The university has a football team that plays in the first division of the Campeonato Gaúcho, as well as having teams participate in many sports tournaments, including volleyball, basketball, judo and athletics. As of 2007, Sport Club Ulbra have contested the Campeonato Brasileiro Third Division for the fourth time in a row, but have not been successful in their attempts towards promotion.

Automobile museum

The school previously maintained a large museum of technology which had a collection of more than 200 vehicles from a Ford Model T to a 2000 Chevrolet Corvette and even the formula racing car driven by Emerson Fittipaldi when he won the Indianapolis 500 along with that race's pace car. In 2009, due to the institution's financial problems, the museum was closed and the collection auctioned. Currently, the Museum of Technology building houses the studios of Ulbra TV (a local educational TV station affiliated with TV Cultura), and Radio Mix FM 107.1.

External links

• Official Website (in Portuguese)