Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina

Project Description: The Universidade do Sul do Santa Catarina (UNISUL) is a university in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, which offers a wide range of courses (including engineering, economics and business, agronomy, biological and health sciences, law). The project will enable UNISUL to maintain its rapid expansion momentum (from 3,000 students in 1990 to over 20,000 at present) and to develop new and innovative teaching methods to improve its competitive position in the private education market in southern Brazil. The proposed US$45.0 million project will allow UNISUL to do the following:

• 
  build the second phase of the new Pedra Branca campus in the greater Florianópolis area (state capital), which will increase this campus' enrollment from 4,000 to 9,500 students by 2006;
  
• expand (adding equipment and laboratories) and rehabilitating the existing campuses at Tubarão in order to increase enrollment (from 9,400 to 14,200 students by 2004),
  
• acquire land for a new campus in Florianópolis including the construction of a primary school;
  
• update the university's communications and management information systems;
  
  
• increase the faculty training and expand its research facilities;
  
  
• increase the student loan programs;
  
  
• refinance some expensive short term debt;
  
• finance working capital requirements and interest during construction; and
  
  
• increase the number and quality of its community assistance programs.
  
  
• The IIC would participate in the project with a loan of up to US$6 million for ten years, including a 3-year grace period.