Academic and scientific recognition in Bahia

In October 2026, several universities in the state of Bahia, Brazil, received recognition in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027. The Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) led the state in the 1401–1600 band, while the State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), the State University of Santa Cruz (UESC), and the State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS) also appeared in the rankings.

Later in the month, a separate study published in the journal PLOS Biology, led by Professor John Ioannidis in partnership with Stanford University, identified nineteen scientists associated with institutions in Bahia as some of the most influential researchers globally. The group of researchers, spanning fields such as health, engineering, chemistry, biology, and dentistry, included seventeen individuals linked to universities within Bahia and two associated with the University of International Integration of the Afro-Brazilian Lusophony (Unilab) and the Federal University of the São Francisco Valley (Univasf).