The Instituition

    The Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte UFRN - founded in Natal in 1958, had its origin in the five former faculties of higher education: Pharmacy and Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Philosophy, Sciences and Letters, and Engineering. It became a Federal Institution by a governmental act (Law 3.849) in 1960 when it reached its present denomination.

    Since 1968, with the university reform in Brazil, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) has undergone a process of reorganization that has determined the end former faculties which have been grouped into Academic Departments and Centers.

    UFRN's Central Campus started to be built in the 70's in an area of 123ha. Until today, its building constitute a daring architetural complex. Tha Campus is bordered on the east side by extensive coastal dunes, and on the west side by the main access routes to the central park of the city of Natal.

    Besides the several classroom buildings and laboratories distributed according to the different areas of scientific knowledge, the Central Campus houses a ' Convenience Center ' which offers restaurant services, bank offices, book stores, an art gallery, cinema rooms, a theater, and a post-office.