Ceramics is a vibrant field in Brazil, a country with high market growth rate, a solid educational system and an internationally recognized reputation in research and development. In this paper, we review aspects of these areas and show how they have become increasingly overarching. The ceramics market is briefly described, highlighting the major areas in which Brazil plays a global role. Recent changes to the educational system in the fields of materials engineering and ceramics are explained, including their impact on technical schools and undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The research and development activities (research groups, meetings, fairs, associations, journals and other publications) established in the past 20 years are described. Finally, a list of useful Internet links for institutions, meetings, universities and research centers is provided.