Consu approves 2026 budget

The Budgetary Distribution Proposal (PDO) for Unicamp for 2026 was approved at the 4th Extraordinary Session of the University Council (Consu) this Tuesday, December 9th. The proposal, presented by the Pro-Rector of University Development (PRDU), Fernando Sarti, was prepared by the Economics and Planning Advisory Office (Aeplan) and projects total revenues of R$5,2 billion for the next fiscal year, including the use of R$890,8 million from the strategic reserve.

Sarti highlighted that the main source of funding for São Paulo's state universities, the Tax on the Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS), is expected to yield R$251,4 billion to the state in 2026, according to the Budget Bill (PLO) sent to the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo (Alesp). “The portion allocated to universities is calculated based on the net ICMS, estimated at R$187,1 billion. For Unicamp, this represents R$4,108 billion, an increase of only 2,87% compared to what was projected for 2025, which did not materialize,” he explained.

"The ICMS (Value-Added Tax) revenue in São Paulo has grown less than expected and has remained below national performance. The year 2026 will be critical and will require careful monitoring of revenues and expenses. The forecast must be realistic," added Sarti, who stressed that the expansion of tax exemptions in the state and the proposed changes in the tax reform, which may alter the calculation basis of future revenue, generate uncertainty.

In addition to state transfers, Unicamp anticipates R$205,3 million in its own revenue. “Total revenue does not cover projected expenses [estimated at R$4,86 billion for the fiscal year and R$5,20 billion when including balances from previous years], and the University will draw on R$890,8 million from its strategic reserve. This amount will be used both to finance expenses for 2026 and to cover commitments approved in previous fiscal years,” it highlighted.

“Our budget needs to be realistic and carefully considered. The histories of São Paulo's universities are not the same; USP [University of São Paulo], for example, has a very different payroll from ours after making the historic decision not to have any tenured civil servants,” commented the rector, Paulo Cesar Montagner. 

According to Unicamp's general coordinator, Fernando Coelho, it is important to highlight that, even with the reduction in resources, there has been no regression at the University. "There is a crisis that we cannot control; it's not the first time, nor will it be the last. The important thing is that the student support programs have been maintained, the only one, in fact, that has seen an increase," he emphasized.

Destination and programs
Mandatory expenses dominate the budget. In terms of resource allocation, R$4 billion is used for the payment of retirees and pensioners (R$813,9 million), for the hiring of teachers and new Paepe employees (R$109,7 million), and for the payment of labor charges resulting from court decisions (R$174,8 million).

The student support and assistance programs will have a budget of R$211 million, corresponding to 24,5% of the operating budget. This amount covers social scholarships, adjusted by 5,5%, in addition to the expansion of housing and social assistance scholarships and the maintenance of transportation assistance, for example.

The document also allocates R$977,9 million to healthcare, which accounts for almost a quarter of the University's resources; R$134,7 million for special projects, including postdoctoral fellowships, research programs, infrastructure works and maintenance; and R$291 million in service contracts.

Modernization of the "Little Pins"
During the meeting, the University Council also approved the allocation of R$44,7 million for the structural modernization project of its modular buildings, known as "Pinotinhos". This second phase will involve replacing the roofs.

In the first phase, completed in 2022, 42 sets of roofs were replaced. The next step is to replace another 42 sets – totaling 84 wings – distributed across 74 buildings in various institutes and teaching, assistance, and research units, such as the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FEM) and the Library of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM).

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