The rector of Unicamp, Professor Paulo Cesar Montagner, participated this Monday morning (2) in the inauguration ceremony of Professor Victor de Barros Deantoni as the new rector of PUC-Campinas. Master and doctor in civil engineering from Unicamp, Deantoni, 36 years old, was sworn into office by the metropolitan archbishop of Campinas and grand chancellor of PUC-Campinas, Dom João Inácio Müller. He will hold the position from 2026 to 2030.
Deantoni replaces Professor Germano Rigacci Júnior, who led the University's administration for two consecutive terms, since 2018. Professor Ricardo Luís de Freitas, who coordinated the Strategy and Performance Unit, took office as vice-rector.
At the inauguration ceremony, held in the Auditorium of Campus 1 of PUC-Campinas, Montagner recalled the long history of partnership that unites Unicamp and PUC-Campinas. “For me, it is an honor to be here representing Unicamp. These are two partner institutions of many years that have contributed strongly to the development of the region,” said the rector of Unicamp. Montagner mentioned, for example, the implementation project of the HIDS (International Hub for Sustainable Development), which involves the participation of both institutions.
"We also came here to wish the new rector success and to thank him for the great collaboration built during Professor Germano's administration," added Montagner.
Victor de Barros Deantoni was the Pro-Rector of Human Resources and Shared Services at PUC-Campinas from 2022. He also served as director of the Faculty of Civil Engineering between 2018 and 2021 and was an undergraduate academic coordinator between 2016 and 2017. A professor in the course since 2014, he has been a member of the CREA-SP council since 2020.
Deantoni said he was proud of the choice and promised to work together with the academic community. “Our goal is to use education as a bridge that brings dignity to the entire community. That is our mission, and it is for that that I count on each and every one of you,” he stated.
In his farewell speech, Rigacci Júnior said he believed he had worked under a guideline defined eight years earlier. "Back then, when I took office, right here in this auditorium, the motto was 'may it shine through faith and science'," he recalled. Rigacci highlighted five key areas that, according to him, marked his administration: innovation and entrepreneurship, economic and environmental sustainability, aging/longevity, internationalization, and more affectionate human relationships.
Present at the ceremony, the mayor of Campinas, Dario Saadi, emphasized the importance of the partnership between the Municipal Administration and the University, especially in the area of health. "Without PUC, our maternal and child health care area would be facing serious problems," said the mayor.
In addition to the rector and vice-rector, the new pro-rectors, deans of the schools, unit directors, and undergraduate and graduate program coordinators also took office.
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