Secretaria de Relações Internacionais | Office of International Relations

Rectors of universities from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay meet in Mendoza, Argentina (Photos: Universidad Nacional de Cuyo)

The Rector of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Professor Irineu Manoel de Souza, participated in the Council of Rectors meeting of the Association of Montevideo Group Universities (AUGM), which was held at the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), in Mendoza, Argentina. A key topic on the agenda was the network’s institutional growth, with the incorporation of new member universities.

At the session’s opening, the host Rector, Esther Sánchez, welcomed the representatives from universities across Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, participating both in person and remotely. After her remarks, the Rector of the Universidad de la República and President of AUGM, Rodrigo Arim, together with the network’s Executive Secretary, Alvaro Rico, took the floor to address the attendees.

The rectors present welcomed the newest members of the network: Universidade Federal da Integração Latinoamericana (UNILA); Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel); Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN); Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), from Brazil; and Universidad Nacional de Pilar (UNP), from Paraguay.

Leaders discussed the network’s institutional growth, with the incorporation of new member universities.

Starting 1 January 2025, AUGM will welcome other four full members: Universidad Nacional de Hurlingham (UNAHUR); Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM); Universidad Nacional de San Antonio de Areco (UNSAdA) and Universidad Nacional de Catamarca (UNCA), from Argentina.

The meeting also addressed the institutional, academic and work agreements with the Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes). This discussion focused on evaluating the first call for funding for academic mobility based on research projects conducted in 2024.

Internationalization
AUGM is a network of public universities from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, dedicated to fostering cooperation since 1991. UFSC has been a member of AUGM almost since its inception (1992), actively contributing to numerous initiatives. The network plays a vital role in advancing UFSC’s regional integration and contributes to the development of the University’s internationalization process from a less hegemonic perspective.

UFSC is represented at AUGM by the Rector Professor Irineu Manoel de Souza, the advisory delegate Prof. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho, Secretary for International Relations, and the alternate advisory delegate, Fernanda Leal, Director of International Relations.

Rector of UFSC, Professor Irineu Manoel de Souza.

UFSC actively participates in several AUGM activities, including the reciprocal international mobility programs: Escala Estudiantes de Grado (for undergraduate students), Escala Estudiantes de Posgrado (for graduate students), Escala Docente (for faculty members), and Escala Gestores y Administradores (for staff members).

The University is also involved in the Jornadas de Jóvenes Investigadores, an annual scientific dissemination event. In 2024, the event was hosted by UDELAR in Uruguay in November. Joining forces with other university units (PROPESQ, PROEX and PROPG), SINTER sent twenty undergraduate, graduate and outreach students to participate in the event. A UFSC student was awarded the best paper in her category.

UFSC is represented in various AUGM chairs, academic committees, discipline groups and permanent committees (https://sinter.ufsc.br/asociacion-de-universidades-grupo-montevideo-augm/), including the Chair for Human Rights, the Permanent Committee for Science, Technology and Innovation, the Permanent Committee for Graduate Studies, the Permanent Committee for Outreach, and the Permanent Committee for Artistic and Cultural Production.

This article was written by the Rector’s Office press service, with information from UNCuyo, AUGM Communication and SINTER/UFSC. Read the original article here.