University of Fortaleza (Universidade de Fortaleza) (UNIFOR)

A genuinely Cearense institution, the Edson Queiroz Foundation is proud to promote for decades the social, educational and cultural development of the State and the Northeast region. Born in the 1970s, in a local context marked by a profound deficit of schooling and an embarrassing regional backwardness that motivated its creation on March 26, 1971, the Foundation was one of the ways found by industrialist Edson Queiroz to give back, in a way of social responsibility, all that his land had ever granted him. The largest of the social projects launched by the Foundation materialized at the University of Fortaleza, Unifor. A university of excellence is born Given the low offer of opportunities in Higher Education, then summarized by the few course options concentrated in only two public institutions, the university project sought to reflect Edson Queiroz's vision of excellence, this time in the Education segment. Always mindful of numbers and with singular intuition, Edson Queiroz knew what the statistics revealed, locally and regionally: the constant evasion of thousands of young people in search of more advanced studies and the lack of trained staff to meet the demand needed for our progress. region. That was when the industrialist presented to family and friends the idea of ​​expanding educational availability in Ceará. In a short time, under his presidency, the Curator and Director Councils of the Foundation were formed, maintainer of the University of Fortaleza, of which Edson Queiroz would be its first chancellor. With the creation of the new university, access to higher education was expanded, guaranteeing the training of human resources and qualification of skilled labor for regional development. Inaugurated in 1973, the university has been investing since its earliest days daily in education, art, culture and sports. In 1982, Chancellor Edson Queiroz died of a plane crash in Serra da Aratanha, Pacatuba, Ceará. His eldest son, Airton Queiroz, takes over the presidency of the Edson Queiroz Foundation and the chancellery of the University of Fortaleza. Innovation and modernity mark the new administration, from when the university enters a phase of significant expansion of undergraduate education, consolidation of postgraduate programs, expansion of extension projects, and stand out as a reference for institutions higher education in the country. In 2017, with the death of Airton Queiroz, his son Edson Queiroz Neto takes over as chancellor. The Foundation's presidency passes to Ms. Lenise Queiroz Rocha, also daughter of industrialist Edson Queiroz, with the vice-presidency in charge of Ms. Manoela Queiroz Bacelar.