Affirmative actions and student retention at the Instituto de Biodiversidade e Florestas of UFOPA

Abstract

This article analyzes affirmative action policies based on a case study conducted in the undergraduate programs of the Instituto de Biodiversidade e Florestas at the Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará (UFOPA), focusing on the retention and graduation of Indigenous, Quilombola communities, and students with specific educational needs who entered the university between 2012 and 2021. Based on institutional data analysis and consolidated theoretical frameworks, the study identifies advances in access to higher education through special admission processes, while challenges related to student retention persist. Approximately 29% of students who enrolled up to 2021 have pending completion of more than 50% of their required coursework, and in the Interdisciplinary Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Sciences, there are no projected graduates among those who entered in 2021 and 2022. In other programs, the graduation rate is only 27%. The study highlights the need for intersectional policies, strengthened student support services, and curricular review to ensure equity and academic success. It concludes that although affirmative action policies expand access, their effectiveness depends on integrated institutional strategies that guarantee retention and degree completion within the Amazonian context.