IMPA and Coppe/UFRJ sign agreement for computer training

IMPA and Coppe/UFRJ signed on Monday (8) an academic, scientific and cultural cooperation agreement that strengthens the integration between two institutions recognized for the quality of their scientific production and training. The agreement will allow students from IMPA Tech – the institute’s undergraduate program – to take courses, work in laboratories and take part in research projects at Coppe, expanding the link between undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Students on the bachelor’s degree in Mathematics of Technology and Innovation, with an emphasis on Computer Science, will be able to complete part of the six elective courses and 300 hours of supervised internship in Coppe programs, especially in the Systems and Computer Engineering Program (PESC). The first classes are expected to be in the halls of UFRJ’s engineering center from March 2026.

The cooperation is two-way: Coppe professors will be able to offer courses at IMPA Tech, and UFRJ undergraduate students linked to Coppe will have access to subjects offered by IMPA’s undergraduate program.

For IMPA’s director general, Marcelo Viana, the partnership consolidates a natural movement between institutions that share academic excellence and scientific impact. “IMPA opened an undergraduate program that attracts 100 of the best talents in the country every year. In computing, we looked for partnerships in Rio de Janeiro to enrich the academic proposal, and Coppe was an obvious choice. This collaboration benefits both sides: our students will have access to Coppe’s infrastructure and researchers, and Coppe’s postgraduate program will receive brilliant students from more than 20 Brazilian states,” said Viana.

Daniel Figueiredo, coordinator of PESC, pointed out that the agreement opens the door to even more ambitious advances, such as a possible integrated master’s degree model. In this format under study, the IMPA Tech student’s Final Course Work (TCC) would become the embryo of their future dissertation at Coppe, allowing them to complete their undergraduate and master’s degrees in one continuous and accelerated course. “This agreement is the result of almost two years of joint work. We are delighted to start it in 2026, welcoming the first IMPA Tech students to our laboratories and disciplines. This strengthens both institutions and contributes to the training of highly qualified people that the country so desperately needs,” said Daniel Figueiredo.

The partnership brings concrete benefits to students, researchers and the science and technology system in Brazil:

• For Coppe: attracting highly qualified students with a solid grounding in mathematics, scientific reasoning and programming, boosting the renewal of postgraduate studies.
• For IMPA Tech: expanding opportunities for practical and advanced training in computing and engineering, with access to Coppe’s infrastructure and laboratories.
• For the country: training talents capable of working at the frontier of innovation in computing, boosting national technological development.

The director of Coppe, Suzana Kahn, stressed the impact of the agreement on the training of new generations. “The development of new technologies requires integration and increasingly qualified training. This partnership strengthens both institutions, but above all it benefits the new generation, which needs to be prepared for an increasingly technological and sophisticated world. It’s a great pleasure to celebrate this union,” he said.

IMPA Tech’s course coordinator, Nara Bobko, points out that the agreement has a direct impact on the Computer Science training offered by the bachelor’s degree. “The agreement between IMPA Tech and Coppe will be very beneficial for both institutions. For us in particular, it opens up very relevant opportunities for students in the Computer Science emphasis of our Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics of Technology and Innovation.”

Every year, IMPA Tech selects 100 students from all over the country for its multidisciplinary bachelor’s degree in Mathematics for Technology and Innovation, offering student accommodation, a food allowance and financial aid. The selection process prioritizes performance in scientific olympiads and math scores in the Enem. The selection process for the class of 2026 is now open. Applications must be completed by December 23rd. Check out the announcement here.

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