Bringing Science Beyond Campus Walls
In Brazil’s dynamic higher-education landscape, universities are increasingly recognizing that groundbreaking research loses its impact if it remains confined to academic journals and conference halls. The discipline known as Ciência Fora dos Muros – Prática em Divulgação Científica, offered by the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), exemplifies this shift. Launched in 2023 by Professor Fernanda Bered, the course trains postgraduate students to translate complex scientific findings into accessible formats for the general public, directly addressing the surge in disinformation that has challenged public trust in science across the country.
Participants learn practical skills in video production, social-media content creation, and clear written communication. The initiative has drawn students not only from genetics and molecular biology but also from pharmaceutical sciences, cellular and molecular biology, veterinary sciences, and agricultural microbiology. By equipping future researchers with these tools, the program strengthens the bridge between universities and society while countering the spread of misleading information on platforms where Brazilians increasingly seek answers.
The Growing Challenge of Disinformation in Brazilian Society
Brazil has faced significant hurdles with scientific misinformation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and in electoral periods. False claims about treatments, vaccines, and voting systems have circulated widely on WhatsApp and other social networks, eroding confidence in established institutions. Government bodies such as the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) have responded with permanent programs to counter electoral disinformation, while independent fact-checking organizations including Lupa, Aos Fatos, and Estadão Verifica have expanded their reach.
Universities play a distinctive role in this ecosystem. Unlike purely journalistic efforts, academic outreach programs leverage the credibility of peer-reviewed research and the expertise of active scientists. Ciência Fora dos Muros stands out because it integrates communication training directly into postgraduate curricula, ensuring that the next generation of Brazilian researchers emerges ready to engage the public proactively.
Inside the UFRGS Initiative: Structure and Objectives
The course runs as a regular discipline within the PPGBM at UFRGS. Students develop projects that include short explanatory videos, social-media threads, and public presentations designed for non-specialist audiences. Emphasis is placed on accuracy, clarity, and ethical responsibility—key elements when addressing topics prone to distortion such as health, genetics, and environmental science.
Professor Bered has noted that the program responds to a clear societal need: science must occupy the same digital spaces where people encounter unverified claims. Content produced by participants is shared on personal profiles and official PPGBM channels, creating a multiplier effect that extends the university’s reach far beyond Porto Alegre.
Photo by Luan de Oliveira Silva on Unsplash
Broader University Efforts Across Brazil
While UFRGS leads with this dedicated discipline, similar science-communication initiatives are emerging at other federal and state institutions. Events such as Pint of Science have taken root in dozens of Brazilian cities, bringing researchers into bars and public venues for informal talks. Universities including the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) have expanded extension programs that emphasize public engagement.
These efforts align with national priorities articulated by the Ministry of Education and research funding agencies such as CAPES and CNPq, which increasingly value outreach alongside traditional academic outputs. The result is a growing culture of “ciência fora dos muros” that positions Brazilian higher education as both a producer and a communicator of reliable knowledge.
Measuring Impact: From Classroom to Community
Early outcomes of the UFRGS program are encouraging. In 2025 the PPGBM launched its first video contest, PPGITO; the top two entries came from students who had completed Ciência Fora dos Muros. Participants report greater confidence in explaining their research to family members and non-experts, and some have seen their content reach thousands of viewers on Instagram and YouTube.
Longer-term benefits include improved public understanding of topics such as genetic testing, vaccine development, and biodiversity conservation—areas where disinformation has been particularly damaging in Brazil. By training researchers who can speak plainly without sacrificing accuracy, the program contributes to a more informed citizenry.
Challenges and Future Directions
Scaling such initiatives nationwide faces obstacles. Not every postgraduate program has faculty with communication expertise, and time constraints in research-intensive degrees can limit participation. Funding for equipment and platform promotion remains modest compared with laboratory grants.
Nevertheless, momentum is building. Discussions at national forums organized by the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) and partnerships with media literacy organizations point toward wider adoption. Future iterations of the UFRGS course may incorporate artificial-intelligence tools for content creation while maintaining strict standards of factual integrity.
Photo by Matheus Câmara da Silva on Unsplash
Implications for Brazilian Higher Education Policy
The success of Ciência Fora dos Muros suggests that communication training should become a standard component of doctoral and master’s programs. Regulatory bodies such as CAPES could incentivize such modules through evaluation criteria that reward societal impact. At the same time, collaboration between universities, fact-checking networks, and platforms like Meta and Google could amplify reach while preserving academic independence.
International observers have noted Brazil’s pioneering efforts in electoral disinformation management; extending that leadership to scientific communication would further enhance the country’s global reputation in higher education.
Looking Ahead: A More Connected Scientific Community
As Brazil prepares for upcoming electoral cycles and continues to navigate complex public-health and environmental debates, initiatives like Ciência Fora dos Muros offer a sustainable model. By embedding public engagement in researcher training, universities ensure that the knowledge generated within their walls reaches the communities that ultimately fund and benefit from it.
The walls around Brazilian academia are coming down—one clear explanation, one engaging video, and one informed conversation at a time.