The 20th anniversary celebration of the Unicamp Open Doors Program, UPA 2025, was a success, packed with artistic and cultural activities; visits to colleges, institutes, and research centers; lectures and conversations between professors, researchers, and students; and a rich exchange of knowledge and experiences. The estimated attendance exceeded the 45 expected for this edition of the event. According to a survey conducted by Unicamp's Transportation Engineering program, which is responsible for the UPA 2025 logistics plan, 3.321 vehicles, including cars, vans, and buses, passed through the Barão Geraldo campus in Campinas.
"UPA 2025 was a success. It was a smooth, all-day event, with people having the opportunity to visit all of our facilities, and we achieved all of our objectives," said Fernando Coelho, Unicamp's general coordinator. "I'm certain we left a very positive impression on everyone who came through. We received reports from visitors who left the University delighted with everything they saw."
The opening ceremony, held in the Arena Theater, was a moment for Unicamp's leaders to welcome visitors and outline the institution's future: a public, open, and tuition-free university that offers opportunities to even more students. With the theme "UPA 20 Years and COP30 in Brazil: Change Has Already Begun," the UPA also provided an opportunity for Unicamp to renew its commitment to teaching and scientific research focused on mitigating the effects of climate change, social justice, and sustainability.
After the ceremony, the audience was divided among the various activities offered by the colleges and institutes. Students were able to experience a glimpse into university life and learn about the experiences of undergraduate students.
"You can see how much planning the students put into presenting the courses, to provide this introduction for us, our first-time visitors," commented Maria Clara Pereira, from Ourinhos. She visited the campus with her boyfriend, Theo Mathias, and was very pleased with the facilities at the Schools of Chemical Engineering (FEQ), Electrical and Computer Engineering (FEEC), and the Institute of Computing (IC). "Now that I've seen the campus, I want to take the entrance exam," she said.
Most of the young people who visited the UPA came seeking greater clarity when choosing a career. "I really like electrical and computer science, so here I can get a better idea of the areas I can work in," said Cauã Amparo, from Praia Grande, during a visit to Feec. Together with her friend Ana Elise Silva, they toured laboratories and projects focused on automation and energy efficiency. "I'm not sure yet what I want for the future, but I think I'll choose medicine," the girl shared, indicating the duo's next destination during their visit.
While the UPA makes choosing a program easier for some, it can be more complicated for others. "I think it's even harder to choose after the visit, because there are so many cool programs! It's really interesting to see everything up close," confessed Giovana Hidalgo, from Campinas. She and her friends Vicente Ávila and Ana Clara Rodrigues are students in a technical program in Chemistry, so they visited facilities like the Institute of Chemistry (IQ) and the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCF). But it was at the Institute of Philosophy and Human Sciences (IFCH) that they dedicated part of their time to activities discussing philosophy and politics. The group also planned to visit the Institute of Arts (IA) and learn about the program structure. "I'm interested in Chemistry and Music. They have nothing to do with each other, but I really like both," said Vicente, happy to participate in such different activities at the same event.
Closest
The UPA was also an opportunity for members of the university community to learn more about Unicamp. Natália Francisco is a Physical Education student and brought her children Zoe (5) and João Pedro (10) to see the place where she spends much of her time. "They always ask me what happens at the other faculties, so I took the opportunity to bring them today to see it." According to the student, it's common for students to get focused on their daily activities and neglect to check out what's happening just a few blocks away. "Unicamp is so big that we often don't get to know the other units. We just stay at our faculties and don't get to know the rest." João Pedro liked everything he saw and, even though he's still young, he's already realized that Unicamp is much bigger than he imagined. "I'd like to see everything, but I don't know if I'll be able to," he joked.
Professors and students from institutions such as the Colleges of Applied Sciences (FCA) and Technology (FT) in Limeira, and the Piracicaba School of Dentistry (FOP) were also present, showcasing their projects and infrastructure. "It's important to have a space to promote our colleges and programs," commented Pedro Henrique Santos, a fourth-year Transportation Engineering student. "We're a new program; the first classes have just graduated. Many people who apply for our program aren't familiar with the colleges in Limeira; sometimes they find out about them when they're accepted," he said.
At the headquarters of the Permanent Commission for Unicamp Entrance Exams (Comvest), the attention was undivided during the lectures and guidance on the Unicamp Entrance Exam. In addition to tips on how to prepare for the selection process, visitors were able to take home exam papers from previous years, editions of the Journal of Unicamp with important topics covered in the exam, in addition to informative materials on the different types of admission, the services offered by the Executive Board of Student Support and Retention (Deape) and learning about the Higher Interdisciplinary Training Program (Profis).
"Every college entrance exam candidate wants to try a little bit of everything. Here we attend lectures, talk to Unicamp students, and get exam papers from previous years. It's a unique experience," said Mariane Alves, from São José dos Campos. Along with her friends Marina Andrade, Eloah Fernandes, Rafaela Zanca, and Letícia Batista, she took the opportunity to gather as much information as possible to help her performance on the entrance exam. "I think it's an incredible opportunity to learn everything about Unicamp, both from the outside and from the experience of the students who are already here," commented Eloah Fernandes.
Art and adrenaline
Spaces like the Cesar Lattes Central Library (BCCL) and the Arena Theater were packed all day with various activities exploring the cultural and recreational aspects of university life. Friends Luiz Henrique Acras, Thiago Maciel, and Gabriel Pinheiro, from São João da Boa Vista, took the opportunity to have their images captured in caricatures created by artists at the BCCL. "I think they appreciated me! (laughs) They're very professional," joked Acras. The young people are interested in exact and technological sciences programs, especially at the Institute of Computing (IC). But they were also open to new experiences at the UPA. "Everything we visit will be perfect, because there's always something new to discover," said Maciel.
At the Faculty of Physical Education (FEF), the young people took on the challenge of scaling the campus's climbing wall. Gabriela Henrique, from Artur Nogueira, demonstrated skill and strength. "It was my first time. It's great, but quite tiring. My arm hurts a lot," she commented. When asked if it's more difficult than the marathon of entrance exams and choosing a career, she didn't hesitate: "The entrance exam is definitely harder! I've already mastered climbing (laughs)."
After approximately five months of organization and eight hours of activities spread throughout the campus, UPA 2025 brought visitors a glimpse of the joy of life at Unicamp and fulfilled the University's mission of always keeping its doors open to everyone. "I'm certain that UPA was a success. We demonstrated the potential of a public university like ours and all the possibilities it can offer to young people seeking qualifications and better living conditions," celebrated Fernando Coelho.
Read more:
UPA celebrates 20 years with music and Unicamp makes growth plans
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