Developed by Vale in partnership with the Institute for Society, Population and Nature (ISPN), experts in Indigenous higher education and representatives of the Indigenous social movement, the Indigenous University Student Retention and Opportunity Program (PIPOU) aims to promote the autonomy and empowerment of Brazil’s Indigenous Peoples in higher education. The program is aligned with the objectives of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly Article 14, which affirms the right to access education without discrimination, as well as the right to establish and control educational systems and institutions that provide instruction in Indigenous languages while respecting Indigenous cultural methods of teaching and learning.

The program provides monthly scholarships and a laptop, along with academic support, including academic writing workshops to help students prepare and revise coursework, including final degree projects, as well as tutoring in subjects where they may need additional assistance. This academic support is particularly important for students whose first language is not Portuguese.

PIPOU also offers extracurricular activities, primarily through discussion circles and monthly debates with Indigenous leaders, former scholarship recipients and other stakeholders who share their experiences and perspectives on Indigenous rights and advocacy. These discussions are intended to encourage reflection on rights from the perspective of Indigenous Peoples’ lived realities while fostering the exchange of knowledge and experiences.
The program’s activities are overseen by an advisory group comprising Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts, Indigenous leaders, current and former scholarship recipients, and representatives of Vale and ISPN.

In its fifth year in 2026, PIPOU is open to students from Indigenous Peoples throughout Brazil. Selection is based on each applicant’s life journey and commitment to both their undergraduate studies and their people and territory. Scholarships are awarded for one year and may be renewed upon demonstration of satisfactory academic performance.

The program has successfully supported scholarship recipients through to graduation, helping them not only remain at university but also complete this important stage in the lives of Indigenous students and their communities.

As of March 2026, PIPOU supported 119 scholarship recipients from 51 Indigenous Peoples originating from 59 Indigenous Lands. Of the active scholarship recipients, 72 (60.5%) are women and 35 belong to Indigenous Peoples that have a relationship with Vale, particularly the Gavião of the Mãe Maria Indigenous Land (13 students) and the Tupiniquim and Guarani of the Tupiniquim and Comboios Indigenous Lands (10 students). Scholarship recipients are enrolled at 24 higher education institutions across the country, with the largest numbers attending the Federal University of Southern and Southeastern Pará, Maranhão State University and the University of Brasília. The most popular fields of study include medicine, law, the social sciences and nursing. 

Since PIPOU was launched in 2021, 34 students have graduated from 16 different degree programs. Most graduates belonged to Indigenous Peoples that have a relationship with Vale, including 18 Guajajara students from the Rio Pindaré Indigenous Land and seven Gavião students from the Mãe Maria Indigenous Land. Of all the graduates, 28 (82.4%) were women representing eight Indigenous Peoples.

Note: The figures above were current as of March 2026. PIPOU’s data is dynamic, as students have a period after completing their studies to report their graduation. Scholarship recipients may also have their scholarships temporarily suspended for justified reasons or leave the program, either because they no longer meet the program’s eligibility requirements or because they withdraw from their degree program.