Timeline

• 60s

  In 1965, a group of educators, led by Professors Gilberto Padovese (1937–2011) and Hermes Ferreira Figueiredo (1938–2021), launched an educational project by offering a preparatory course aimed at admission to the highly competitive public middle school system. The resources obtained through this initiative enabled the construction of the first four classrooms—a physical and symbolic milestone marking the beginning of a journey committed to education.

  With the structure completed, Colégio Cruzeiro do Sul began its activities in 1966, initially offering middle school education for children and adolescents. Over the years, the institution expanded its scope, incorporating elementary and high school courses, establishing itself as an educational reference in the region and laying the foundation for what would become, decades later, one of the largest educational groups in the country.

  

• 70s

  With the rapid growth of Colégio Cruzeiro do Sul, the 1970s marked a new and important chapter in the institution’s journey. In 1972, the foundations of higher education were laid with the establishment of the São Miguel Paulista College of Accounting and Administrative Sciences, significantly expanding the scope of its educational activities.

  The consolidation of the college led, in 1976, to a request submitted to the Ministry of Education (MEC) for the opening of two new undergraduate programs: Foreign Trade and Hospital Administration—strategic areas aligned with the emerging demands of the national market. At the same time, construction began on a new building designed to meet the growing demand, which was inaugurated in 1977.

  

• 80s

  With approximately 6,000 students and already established as the leading educational institution in the region, the year 1984 marked the group’s first acquisition: the Geraldo Rezende College of Sciences and Humanities, located in Suzano (SP). This incorporation expanded the academic portfolio with the addition of programs in Pedagogy, Literature, and Social Studies. In 1985, the founders established the Santos Dumont College of Exact and Human Sciences, and in 1988, another acquisition—the Paulista College of Arts—further broadened the range of knowledge areas offered.

  In response to the growing demand for infrastructure, the institution inaugurated its third building in 1989, now known as Block B of the São Miguel campus, reaffirming the group’s commitment to educational quality and the continuous evolution of its physical and pedagogical structure.

  

• 90s

  In 1993, Cruzeiro do Sul reached a historic milestone in its journey by achieving the highest status among higher education institutions: the title of university. During that decade, the institution also strengthened its commitment to innovation and research through the implementation of the Institutional Scientific Initiation Scholarship Program, and established the Distance Education Center, which later evolved into what is now Cruzeiro do Sul Virtual.

  By the late 1990s, the university had already reached around 10,000 students, reflecting the continuous growth in academic demand. To support this expansion, the fourth building of the institution—Block C of the São Miguel campus—was inaugurated, further enhancing the infrastructure and reaffirming the commitment to excellence in education and student development.

  

• 2000

  This decade was marked by a significant expansion of Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul beyond the São Miguel Paulista neighborhood, increasing its presence both within and outside the city of São Paulo. In 2001, the university inaugurated its second campus, located in the Jardim Anália Franco neighborhood, followed in 2004 by the opening of a third campus in the heart of the Liberdade district.

  The institution’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to democratizing access to quality education drove further expansion of its infrastructure, eventually reaching seven campuses, including one outside the capital city, in Guarulhos. By the end of the decade, Colégio and Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul had surpassed the 20,000-student mark, solidifying their position as one of the largest educational networks in the region.

  

• 2007

  The year 2007 marked a significant milestone in the history of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional, represented by the acquisition of Centro Universitário Módulo, located in Caraguatatuba (SP). Recognized as the largest and most traditional educational institution on the northern coast of São Paulo state, this acquisition was the group’s first strategic step toward expanding its presence in higher education through the operation of well-established regional brands across various parts of Brazil.

  With this initiative, the group began operating as an integrated educational platform, capable of incorporating other institutions into its academic and administrative model, enhancing synergies and expanding its results in a sustainable and scalable way.

  

• 2008

  Confident in the growth strategy through the acquisition of well-established regional brands, we incorporated Centro Universitário do Distrito Federal (UDF) into our group—the first private higher education institution in the Federal District. Founded to meet the city’s demand for evening courses, this acquisition added approximately 5,000 students to our educational portfolio at the time.

  Aligned with our entrepreneurial DNA and strategic planning focused on sustainable expansion, UDF has since become the largest higher education institution in the Federal District, surpassing 17,000 students in 2025 and reinforcing our commitment to academic excellence and the democratization of access to higher education.

  

• 2012

  We began this decade with over 35,000 students enrolled in our institutions. In 2012, we incorporated Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (Unicid), a highly respected institution located in the Tatuapé neighborhood of São Paulo (SP). This acquisition added around 12,000 students to Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional’s portfolio and was the first to significantly expand our presence in distance learning, with approximately 5,000 students joining through this modality.

  Thanks to continuous investment and dedication, Unicid has become one of the institutions with the best educational indicators in the country, reaching nearly 30,000 on-campus students by 2025 and reaffirming its prominent role in the city of São Paulo.

  

• 2013

  In 2013, Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional incorporated Universidade de Franca (Unifran), recognized as the largest and most prominent educational institution in the region. Unifran stands out for having one of the top five Medicine programs in the country, with an academic profile focused on research, offering various master’s and doctoral programs, as well as an extensive collection of published studies.

  Unifran also brought approximately 7,000 students in the Distance Education (EAD) modality to the group. This base, combined with students from Cruzeiro do Sul and Unicid, was fundamental for the launch of Cruzeiro do Sul Virtual in the same year—our national brand dedicated to distance learning—solidifying the group’s presence throughout Brazil.

  

• 2015

  In 2015, we expanded our presence along the coast of São Paulo state through the acquisition of key educational institutions: Faculdade de Caraguatatuba (FAC), Faculdade de São Sebastião (FASS), and Colégio São Sebastião.

  A few years after these acquisitions, the institutions were integrated into Centro Universitário Módulo, significantly increasing the group’s presence and relevance in the northern coastal region of São Paulo. This strengthened our educational offerings and consolidated our regional operations.

  

• 2016

  The Centro Universitário Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio became part of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional. It was the first higher education institution in the city of Itu and remains the largest and most prominent in the region. Expanding its operations in the late 1990s, it inaugurated a new campus in the neighboring city of Salto, now housed in a historic building of great importance to the municipality. In the past century, this site was home to the Brasital textile factory, one of the key drivers of economic and social development in the Salto and Itu region.

  

• 2018

  Consolidating its position as one of the largest educational groups in Brazil, Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional expanded its operations to the Northeast region through the acquisition of Centro Universitário de João Pessoa (Unipê), the largest and most important educational institution in the state of Paraíba.

  At the same time, the group strengthened its presence in the South region of the country by incorporating Centro Universitário da Serra Gaúcha (FSG), with campuses in Caxias do Sul and Bento Gonçalves, as well as Centro Universitário de Cachoeirinha (Cesuca), located in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre (RS). These acquisitions reinforce Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional’s commitment to providing quality education across various regions of Brazil, consolidating its position as a national reference in the educational sector.

  

• 2019

  In that year, Cruzeiro do Sul Virtual—the group’s distance education brand—reached a major milestone by establishing 1,000 EAD (Distance Learning) hubs across Brazil, with 184,000 active students, consolidating its position as one of the leading players in the distance education market.

  Currently, seven of our higher education institutions serve as certifying entities for Cruzeiro do Sul Virtual, which has already surpassed 400,000 enrolled students across undergraduate, graduate, technical, and professional programs, reaffirming the group’s commitment to democratizing access to quality education.

  

• 2020

  In 2020, two important institutions joined the Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional constellation, further strengthening our presence on the national stage. In Mogi das Cruzes (SP), Centro Universitário Braz Cubas—the largest and most traditional higher education institution in the Alto Tietê region—became part of our group. Simultaneously, in Curitiba (PR), we incorporated Universidade Positivo, recognized as the largest and most prominent private university in Paraná and a benchmark for academic quality in the state.

  Undoubtedly, 2020 was marked by major achievements that significantly expanded our reach and reinforced our commitment to excellence in higher education in Brazil.

  

• 2021

  On February 9, Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional S.A. made its debut on B3, the São Paulo Stock Exchange, launching its first Initial Public Offering (IPO). The shares were listed in the Novo Mercado segment, the highest level of corporate governance practices in Brazil.

  In the same year, the institution published its first Annual Sustainability Report (ESG), referring to the year 2020, demonstrating its commitment to best practices in social, environmental, and governance management, and aligning itself with the principles of sustainable development and corporate responsibility.

  

• 2023

  The academic excellence of the Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional group is increasingly recognized, reflected in the highest rating—score 5—awarded by the Ministry of Education (MEC) to several institutions within the group. Among them are Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, Centro Universitário do Distrito Federal (UDF), Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (Unicid), Universidade de Franca (Unifran), Centro Universitário Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio (Ceunsp), Centro Universitário da Serra Gaúcha (FSG), Centro Universitário Cesuca, and Centro Universitário Braz Cubas—all acknowledged for their high standards in the evaluated criteria: institutional planning and assessment; academic policies; institutional development; management policies; and infrastructure.

  Through dedicated work and a deep respect for education, we have established ourselves as the highest-quality higher education group in the country, committed to excellence in academic training and continuous development.

  

• 2024

  The acquisition of Centro Universitário de Pinhais (Fapi), located in the thriving metropolitan region of Curitiba (PR), represents an important addition to our educational group. This institution brings with it a distinguished medical school, strengthening our presence in the healthcare field in the state of Paraná.

  The year was also marked by the opening of medical schools at Centro Universitário Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio (Ceunsp), Centro Universitário Cesuca, and Centro Universitário da Serra Gaúcha (FSG), further consolidating Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional’s presence in the healthcare segment and expanding its offering of high-quality academic programs.

  

• 2025

  In 2025, we proudly celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional. As we reflect on our journey, we are pleased to see that we have overcome challenges along the way. Despite our significant growth, we have maintained some of the highest educational indicators in the country, solidifying our prominent position among Brazil’s leading educational groups.

  We express our deep gratitude to all the students, staff, and partners who, over these six decades, have believed in the transformative power of education and trusted in the mission of Cruzeiro do Sul Educacional. With pride and renewed commitment, we continue building a future of excellence and innovation.

  Congratulations to everyone who is part of this story!