History
The Graduate Program in Communication and Territorialities (PósCom-UFES) stands out as the only graduate program in Communication in the state of Espírito Santo, a region marked by its rich cultural and territorial diversity. This strategic position allows the program not only to address a longstanding academic gap but also to lead cutting-edge discussions on communication and territorialities, linking local challenges to global trends in the field.
Approved by the CAPES Technical and Scientific Council (CTC) in December 2013, the program welcomed its first cohort in 2014. Since its inception, PósCom-UFES has operated as an academic program meeting a strong—and previously unmet—demand for graduate-level education in Communication in Espírito Santo. It has also attracted students from neighboring states (particularly Minas Gerais and Bahia), and more recently, from other regions of Brazil and abroad. This internationalization has been fostered by the program’s participation in academic mobility initiatives such as "Move la América" and "GCUB-Mob," aimed at building global academic experience.
Prior to PósCom, students interested in graduate studies in Communication had to travel at least 500 kilometers to neighboring states. The program's establishment aligned with the 2010–2014 Institutional Development Plan (PDI), which identified strategic objectives such as expanding and strengthening undergraduate and graduate education to ensure academic excellence and prepare citizens capable of addressing societal challenges.
The PDI emphasized the university's commitment to supporting the creation and consolidation of graduate programs across all fields, as a means to stimulate regional and national development, enhance scientific contributions, foster innovation, and promote technology transfer.
The launch of PósCom coincided with a period of academic growth at UFES and with the near 40-year anniversary of its undergraduate Communication program. This program had expanded to include Journalism (since 1975), Advertising and Publicity (since 1983), and Cinema and Audiovisual Studies (since 2010). The Department of Communication had already developed a strong tradition of teaching, research, and outreach, evidenced by the maturity of its faculty, active research groups, and increasing involvement in research activities—all of which underscored the urgency of creating a graduate program in Communication. This also occurred alongside the rapid expansion of private higher education institutions in the 1990s, when eight new institutions began offering Communication degrees in the state.
MISSION AND OBJECTIVES
Mission (updated in 2024): To train highly qualified professionals and researchers, generating scientific advancements through critical research, knowledge production, and dissemination, with impact at regional, national, and international levels.
General Objective: To prepare professionals with a critical and analytical perspective for academic and research careers, as well as for roles in the communication industry and related fields, contributing to the development and dissemination of critical scientific knowledge.
Specific Objectives:
- To serve as a hub for researchers, faculty, students, and professionals, fostering the exchange of knowledge through research groups, scientific events, and high-level academic production.
- To train human resources capable of understanding and proposing alternative solutions in the field of Communication, with a critical perspective on contemporary media practices and processes.
- To deepen research on communicational processes and practices in regional and national contexts, enhancing the training of researchers, educators, and professionals.
- To promote partnerships between the university, public and private institutions, and civil society, fostering the co-production and dissemination of communication knowledge.
- To strengthen undergraduate education by involving PósCom faculty and students in teaching and research activities, integrating undergraduates, master’s students, and alumni in research groups.
- To contribute to undergraduate education especially in Espírito Santo and neighboring regions (such as southern Bahia, northern Rio de Janeiro, and eastern Minas Gerais), through the qualification of faculty and researchers.
- To become a national reference in studies on Communication and Territorialities, with an emphasis on power, aesthetics, and communicational languages.
The mission of PósCom-UFES also reflects a strong commitment to democratizing knowledge and ensuring the social impact of its research. Over its ten years of existence, the program has become a space for training researchers with a transformative vision, encouraging studies that engage with regional, national, and global issues. This strategic role is sustained by a dynamic curriculum and the central role of its research lines in shaping the program’s academic identity.
Beyond meeting local demands, PósCom has expanded its national and regional reach by addressing contemporary issues in its curriculum and offering joint courses with other graduate programs. These efforts have attracted students from across Brazil and fostered partnerships with public and private institutions, reinforcing its contribution to scientific and cultural development in broader contexts, and aligning with UFES's institutional goals and CAPES evaluation criteria.
PósCom also strengthens its connection with undergraduate programs through shared courses, teaching internships, and extension projects involving students at multiple levels. The program is deeply committed to developing innovative pedagogical practices that promote student engagement and critical skill-building.
Extension projects such as "Bandejão 104.7" (funded by FAPES) and the "Observatory of Capixaba Cinema and Audiovisual (OCAC)" illustrate PósCom’s role in expanding access to knowledge and developing communication-based solutions to regional challenges.
Bandejão 104.7 bridges the gap between academic research and civil society by broadcasting audio content developed from faculty research. It also supports undergraduate training in critical listening and contributes to the local cultural scene by promoting Vitória’s literary, audiovisual, and musical production through radio programming, a local festival, and a music album.
OCAC has gained national recognition through influential publications such as the "Propositional Guide of the Movement for Children and Audiovisual (MIA)," presented to Brazil’s Ministry of Culture and the Audiovisual Secretariat. It also published the book Economy and Politics of Audiovisual Media, in partnership with the UFES publishing office (PROEX), addressing challenges and perspectives for the Brazilian audiovisual sector, including economic, regulatory, and representational dimensions.
STUDENTS AND LEADERSHIP
Graduates and Enrolled Students: The program has awarded 114 Master’s degrees and currently has 35 students enrolled in the Master’s program.
Program Coordinators
2024–2026
Coordinator: Antônio Carlos Queiroz do O Filho
Deputy Coordinator: Arthur Felipe de Oliveira Fiel
2023–2024
Coordinator: Gabriela Santos Alves
Deputy Coordinator: Fábio Gomes Goveia
2023
Coordinator: Rafael da Silva Paes Henriques
Deputy Coordinator: Daniela Zanetti
2022
Coordinator: Rafael da Silva Paes Henriques
Deputy Coordinators: Edgard Rebouças / Flavia Mayer dos Santos Souza
2020–2022
Coordinator: Flavia Mayer dos Santos Souza
Deputy Coordinator: Rafael da Silva Paes Henriques
2018–2020
Coordinator: Edgard Rebouças
Deputy Coordinator: Flavia Mayer dos Santos Souza
2016–2018
Coordinator: Fabio Luiz Malini
Deputy Coordinator: Daniela Zanetti
2014–2016
Coordinator: Daniela Zanetti
Deputy Coordinator: José Antonio Martinuzzo
CAPES EVALUATION HISTORY
CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) is the agency of Brazil’s Ministry of Education responsible for evaluating graduate programs nationwide. Its systematic four-year evaluations assess curricular structure, intellectual output, student development, social impact, and academic quality. Programs are rated on a scale from 1 to 7, with a minimum of 3 required for maintaining academic master's programs.
PósCom-UFES was approved by CAPES in 2013 with a rating of 3, and the Master’s program began in 2014. Since then, the program has undergone continuous improvement, reflected in its evaluation outcomes.
In its first evaluation (2013–2016, published in 2017), the program retained its rating of 3. The evaluation committee called for greater clarity in the program’s proposal, noting weaknesses in its research lines and curriculum. While faculty and student performance were considered "good," intellectual production and social outreach were rated "fair," signaling the need for more consistent external impact.
In the next evaluation (2017–2020, released in 2021), the program showed significant progress and received a rating of 4. The committee highlighted the coherence among the program's area of concentration, research lines, and curriculum. Improvements in student training and academic output were noted, with the program rated as "very good" in areas such as structure, planning, self-assessment, faculty research, and thesis quality. Social and cultural impact were also positively evaluated, although internationalization remained a point for further development.
In 2024, based on this rating, the program obtained approval to launch its Doctoral degree, which requires a minimum rating of 4 for accreditation. The first doctoral cohort is expected to begin in 2025, expanding the program’s academic reach.
Currently, PósCom awaits the results of the 2021–2024 evaluation cycle, to be released in 2025. These results will offer new insights into the program's progress and future directions.
The CAPES evaluations not only assess quality but also guide the ongoing development of graduate programs. For PósCom, these evaluations have been instrumental in refining strategies, enhancing academic production, and consolidating research with social relevance. This trajectory reflects the program’s commitment to excellence in training both Master’s and, soon, Doctoral-level researchers in Communication, with a focus on territorialities and contemporary societal transformations.
For more details, see the official CAPES portal:
https://sucupira.capes.gov.br/programas?search=30001013057P7
