The Nursing Academic Center May 12, whose name is a reference to World Nurses Day and in honor of the birth of Florence Nightingale, was founded in 1981 and contributed to the recognition of the nursing course and the articulation with the National Executive of Nursing Students.

It emerged with ideals of struggle, inclusion and with a lot of engagement and social mobilization despite the initial lack of knowledge of what an “academic center” is. However, in its first year of foundation it became institutionally present at the Federal University of Alagoas - UFAL and was also able to organize and articulate itself statewide and nationally, executing demands that came directly from its base.

The initial focus of CAEnf May 12 was to maintain its communication channel between teachers and students in various ways, whether incorporating student participation and rapprochement through information and debates or through events, principles that remain to this day.