The smallest unit of the research structures of PUCRS, and therefore an element that is part of all the other structures, is the Research Group. Researchers from the Institutions of Higher Education, undergraduate and graduate students, and external researchers interact with Research Groups, which are organized around research lines and a leadership. The formation of Research Groups, which are registered in the Directory of Research Groups of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), represents the search for shared experiences and the commitment to regular and quality scientific, technological, and artistic production.
The qualification and variety of the Research Groups of PUCRS has ensured the institution has received first place among private universities during the last five censuses (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2014) in the Directory of Research Groups of CNPq.
