Foundation of Colégio Cruzeiro do Sul in São Miguel Paulista in the city of São Paulo by Professors Gilberto Padovese (*1937 +2011), Hermes Ferreira Figueiredo (*1938 +2021), and five other professors who withdrew from the partnership over time. It began its activities by offering preparatory courses for admission to public Junior High Schools at the time and then also started offering technical Junior High School courses.
Our History
Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional was built from the desire to offer quality education. Our history began in 1965 with Colégio Cruzeiro do Sul and, currently, with more than 50 years of activity, we are one of the largest education groups in Brazil, with 14 institutions of higher education and five of basic education.
We operate nationally through our brands, offering quality academic-professional education from elementary school to undergraduate, graduate, and extension courses in both on-site and distance learning modalities. Our greatest commitment is to prepare students capable of idealizing actions and carrying them out with creativity, leadership, empathy, autonomy, and social responsibility, aware that learning is continuous and needs to be constantly renewed, updated, and expanded.
Corporate Profile
We are a group formed by distinct brands and positioning, respecting the specificities of the region where they are located and always seeking to present the best academic quality indicators among Brazilian private educational institutions. Our services are aimed at those who believe that Education is the driving force of a country and are committed to investing effectively in its future.
Mission
Develop in synergy the teaching, research and extension triad of its institutions, so that they become relevant on the national scene, with recognized brands in their respective markets, forming citizens and professionals who effectively contribute to local and country development.
Vision
To establish itself as the best group of higher education in Brazil, with academically relevant institutions in the national scenario and brands recognized in their respective markets, bringing together the best evaluation indicators in teaching, research and extension.
Values
- Ethics;
- Transparency;
- Innovation;
- Respect for identity and diversity;
- Social Commitments
Cruzeiro do Sul Educational translated into figures
59
years
helping to build and transform our country’s future.
469
thousand of students
from early childhood to higher education, in on-site and distance-learning courses. 8
7
thousand of
employees, faculty and mentors.
80
%
of graduate courses ranked as excellent in the Course Concept (in-loco visit), according to MEC data.
Timeline
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1965
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70s
While Colégio Cruzeiro do Sul was growing rapidly with the opening of preschool and primary school courses, in 1972, higher education courses started with the creation of Faculdade São Miguel Paulista de Administração de Empresas e Ciências Contábeis (São Miguel Paulista College of Business Administration and Accounting). In 1976, with the consolidation of the College, the opening of 2 new courses (Foreign Trade and Hospital Administration) was requested from the Ministry of Education (MEC), at the same time that the construction of our second building began to accommodate the expansion that lay ahead, which was inaugurated in 1977.
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80s
With approximately 6,000 students and already consolidated as the largest educational institution in the region, 1984 was marked by the group’s first acquisition – Faculdade de Ciências e Letras Geraldo Rezende (Geraldo Rezende College of Sciences and Literature), in Suzano. On this occasion, courses in Pedagogy, Literature, and Social Studies were incorporated. With the Institution’s growth, our third school building was inaugurated in 1989.
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90s
In 1993, Cruzeiro do Sul achieved the highest degree among higher education institutions: the status of University. This decade also marked the implementation of the Institutional Program of Scientific Initiation Scholarships and the first research in Distance Learning, as well as the creation of the Distance Learning Center, currently Cruzeiro do Sul Virtual. By the end of this decade, we had already had 10,000 students in our classrooms.
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2000
Inauguration of the Anália Franco campus of Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul in São Paulo in 2001 and adoption of technological tools applied to education: the virtual learning environment. Beginning of operations of the Liberdade campus (downtown São Paulo) in 2004 and approval of the first two master’s degrees of Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul: Dentistry and Sciences and Mathematics Education.
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2007
With 25,000 students in its classrooms, the entrepreneurial spirit combined with a commitment to Brazilian education remained latent in our principles, leading us to another great step in our history, the acquisition of Centro Universitário Módulo, the largest and most traditional higher education institution on the Northern coast of São Paulo.
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2008
In 2008, Cruzeiro do Sul assumed the goal of becoming one of the largest education groups in Brazil. Proof of that was the acquisition of Centro Universitário do Distrito Federal (UDF), the first higher education institution in Brasília, founded in 1967, in addition to the inauguration of the new campus of Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul in Pinheiros (where the campus of UNICID’s Medicine course is currently located). By the end of this decade, we had 35,000 students.
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2012
Three major events occurred in this period: the acquisition of Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID), recognized for its tradition in the health area, the expansion of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional operations nationwide with the beginning of Distance Learning Education (EAD) programs and the entrance of Fundo de Investimentos Britânico Actis (British investment fund) in the company shareholders.
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2013
The company expanded operations to the city of Franca (SP), with the absorption of Colégio Alto Padrão and Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN), which has the best official quality indicators among Brazilian private universities and is recognized for its strong performance in research.
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2015
Acquisition of Faculdade Caraguá (FAC), Faculdade São Sebastião (FASS) and Colégio São Sebastião (downtown), expanding the group’s operations in the Northern coast of São Paulo.
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2016
Acquisition of Centro Universitário N. Sra. do Patrocínio (CEUNSP), with campus located in Itu and Salto, both in the interior of the São Paulo State, besides the two Colleges in the same cities.
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2017
Exit of Actis and entrance of Fundo Soberano de Cingapura (GIC) in the ownership structure of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional.
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2018
Consolidation of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional as one of the largest educational groups in Brazil through its arrival in the South and Northeast of Brazil, with the acquisition of Centro Universitário da Serra Gaúcha (FSG) (units in Caxias do Sul and Bento Gonçalves/RS), Centro Universitário de Cachoeirinha (Cesuca) in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre/RS, and Centro Universitário de João Pessoa (UNIPÊ), in Paraíba. In addition to the acquisitions, we inaugurated a new campus of Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul on Avenida Paulista, the heart of São Paulo, and a new UNICID campus in Pinheiros.
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2019
Cruzeiro do Sul Virtual, the group’s Distance Learning brand, reached the milestone of 1,000 EAD Centers throughout Brazil and 184,000 active students, consolidating itself as one of the main players in the digital education market. At the end of this decade, our in-person education had 147,000 students, totaling 331,000 students in our educational institutions spread throughout Brazil.
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2020
Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional continued its expansion strategy through the acquisition of Centro Universitário Braz Cubas in Mogi das Cruzes (SP) and Universidade Positivo in Curitiba and Londrina (PR). In the city of São Paulo, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul also continues to grow, inaugurating its 5th campus, in Santo Amaro.
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2021
Initial public offering of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional’s shares, which began trading on B3, the Brazilian securities exchange, in the Novo Mercado segment. Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul expanded its services with the inaugurations of the Guarulhos (SP) and Villa-Lobos (western zone of São Paulo) campuses, totaling seven campuses of the Institution in the São Paulo area. The first Annual Sustainability Report (ESG) (relating to 2020) was also published that year, demonstrating a complete focus on good social and sustainable management practices.
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2023
Recognized academic quality: Five of our Institutions achieved concept 5 (maximum score) in the on-site evaluation report of the MEC re-accreditation process: Braz Cubas, FSG, UNICID, UDF and CEUNSP. The Institutions met with excellence the analyzed items: Institutional Planning and Evaluation, Academic Policies, Institutional Development, Management Policies and Infrastructure.
Book: A Origem das Estrelas (The Origin of the Stars –free translation)
The book gathers stories and memories from more than half a century and shares memories and emotions of many of those who helped build what we are today, one of the largest Education groups in the country. Its chapters address themes such as its origin in the 1960s, expansion, and commitment to higher education, as well as an exclusive interview with Professor Hermes Ferreira Figueiredo, one of the founders of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional. Only available in Portuguese.
Learn more at