Background
In 2004, the University of São Paulo submitted the project of a new unit to the Government of the State of São Paulo that was part of the plan to expand vacancies in public universities of the Council of Chancellors of the State Universities of São Paulo. The project suggested the implementation of a new unit in the vicinities of the Tietê Ecological Park, in the neighborhood of Ermelino Matarazzo.
The School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH) graduate courses contemplate emerging fields of knowledge and careers considered promising in the 21st century, guided by interdisciplinary approaches and meeting socioeconomic requirements of the country in general and the labor market in particular.
The sustainability Graduate Program amalgamates teachers of the courses of Environmental Management, Natural Sciences, and Marketing. The interdisciplinary approach in the analyzed objects and action fields stands out in the faculty group. Teachers from other units of USP also participate in the program.
In addition to pursuing USP’s level of excellence in teaching and research, EACH’s guiding principle is the integration between university and community, through extension programs and encouragement of research on local problems. Another distinguishing feature of the School is the absence of departments, following the logic of promoting integration between courses, their teachers, research and extension projects, and optimizing resources through the space and equipment sharing.
Another innovative aspect within USP is that the unit has not had departments since its inception, which has resulted in innovation in encouraging the coexistence of teachers with different backgrounds and students with varied interests. As a consequence, initiatives have taken place to form research groups that bring together researchers from different areas of knowledge to develop innovative lines of research in the field of sustainability.
The School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH) was, as of 2005, the newest academic unit of the University of São Paulo. It presents as mission innovation and academic excellence in teaching, research and extension, while maintaining the tradition of USP.