STJ reinstates sanctions on 107 medical programs in Brazil

The Superior Tribunal de Justiça (STJ) has reinstated precautionary measures imposed by the Ministry of Education (MEC) against 107 higher education institutions. This decision overturns a previous injunction by the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF1).

The sanctions target institutions that received insufficient scores (grades 1 and 2) in the 2025 National Medical Education Assessment (Enamed), conducted by Inep. The penalties include the suspension of new student slots linked to the Student Financing Fund (Fies) and the Prouni program, restrictions on new entrance exams and selection processes, and a reduction in the number of authorized vacancies.

The MEC stated that these supervisory actions aim to improve the quality of medical courses and ensure excellence in professional training. In Mato Grosso, the decision specifically affects the Universidade de Cuiabá (Unic) and the Centro Universitário Estácio do Pantanal (Unipantanal). The Associação Brasileira de Mantenedoras de Ensino Superior (ABMES) is currently reviewing the decision through its legal counsel.