STEM education development in Brazil

Recent developments in Brazil highlight efforts to strengthen STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education through both research and targeted initiatives.

A study titled ‘Panorama da Educação STEM no Brasil’ indicates that effective STEM instruction requires continuous professional development for educators rather than just infrastructure investment. The research, conducted by Fundação Carlos Chagas and the British Council, notes that training must be integrated into professional routines to address challenges such as excessive workloads, teacher resistance to technology, and regional inequalities in technical support and internet access.

Complementing these findings, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) has launched the ‘Futuras Cientistas Program’. As part of this initiative, the ‘Imersão Científica 2027’ project has opened applications for 470 free spots for female students from public state schools and female teachers to visit major research and technological development centers across Brazil.

To promote gender equity, the program utilizes specific affirmative action quotas: 30% for Black, mixed-race, Indigenous, or Quilombola candidates, 5% for people with disabilities, and 5% for transgender, travesti, and intersex women. The immersion is scheduled to take place from January 4 to January 29, 2027, consisting of 80 hours of activities over 20 working days. Applications are being accepted through October 26 via the internet.