Pensar Journal achieves Qualis A2 in the latest CAPES evaluation and consolidates its editorial excellence

2026-01-16

Pensar – Journal of Legal Sciences, a scientific journal published by the University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), has been officially classified as Qualis A2 in the 2021–2024 CAPES Quadriennial Evaluation, according to the public consultation available on the Sucupira Platform. This result represents a significant advancement compared to the 2017–2020 Quadriennial, when the journal was ranked A3, consolidating its position among the leading legal journals in Brazil.

This recognition reflects a continuous process of editorial improvement, scientific transparency, and internationalization, carried out with institutional rigor and respect for the editorial policies historically established by the journal.

Since April 2025, the journal has been led by a new editorial team composed of Professors Katherinne de Macêdo Maciel Mihaliuc and Sidney Soares Filho, both faculty members at the University of Fortaleza. The new editorial leadership assumed responsibility for the journal in a context already marked by significant structural transformations implemented between 2021 and 2024, the period corresponding to the latest CAPES evaluation cycle, which proved decisive for the quality advancement now recognized.

Among the main editorial measures adopted during this period are:

  • Full translation of all articles into English, expanding the international circulation of scientific production

  • Public availability of peer reviewers’ reports, subject to due authorization, strengthening transparency in the peer-review process

  • Disclosure of originality reports for submitted manuscripts

  • Retraction of articles that did not comply with the journal’s editorial policies, with full respect for the editorial decisions in force at the time of their publication

  • Development of a specific visual identity and layout for annual issues, contributing to greater editorial professionalism and standardization

All these measures were implemented with full respect for the journal’s institutional history and previous editorial decisions, preserving the integrity of the archive and the commitment to scientific ethics.

For Editor-in-Chief Sidney Soares Filho, the result represents recognition of a collective and institutional effort:

“The classification of Pensar as Qualis A2 in the 2021–2024 CAPES Quadriennial is the result of a continuous effort toward editorial professionalization, commitment to open science, internationalization, and academic rigor. This achievement does not belong to a single editorial term, but to a trajectory built over recent years with seriousness, institutional respect, and dedication to Brazilian legal scholarship.”

Professor Katherinne de Macêdo Maciel Mihaliuc emphasizes that the journal’s new phase deepens this commitment to scientific excellence and international publishing standards:

“Our goal is to consolidate Pensar as a national and international reference journal, aligned with best editorial practices, open science guidelines, and the requirements of major indexing databases.”

Pensar – Journal of Legal Sciences thus reaffirms its institutional mission to disseminate high-quality scientific knowledge, promoting dialogue between Law and other applied social sciences, and strengthening Brazilian academic production at a global level.

Editors-in-Chief

Katherinne de Macêdo Maciel Mihaliuc
University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Lattes: http://lattes.cnpq.br/2960887302422849
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8375-6986
E-mail: katherinne@unifor.br

Sidney Soares Filho
University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Lattes: http://lattes.cnpq.br/9218335907593806
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4107-6290
E-mail: sidney@unifor.br