Secretaria de Relações Internacionais | Office of International Relations

On Wednesday, 3 December 2025, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) welcomed five representatives from the Chinese university Shanghai University of Electric Power (SUEP) for the signing of a broad cooperation agreement.

The SUEP delegation  included: Mr. Gu Chunhua, President of SUEP; Ms. Zeng, International Special-term Researcher & Advisor, Higher Education Development Strategy Research Center; Ms. Chen Jing, Deputy Director of the Graduate Student Affairs Office; Mr. Zhang Chuanlin, Vice-Dean for Industry-Academia Partnership; and Mr. Ma Jing, Dean of Faculty of Electrical Engineering.

At UFSC, the visitors were welcomed by the Secretary for International Relations, Dr. Fernanda Leal; the Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator of the Institute for Studies on China (ICHIN), Prof. Raul Burgos and Prof. Daniel Martins; the ICHIN intern, Tobias Compan Barcellos; the coordinator of the agreement at UFSC, Prof. Kátia Campos de Almeida (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering); and the SINTER staff members Bruno Wanderley Farias and Paula Eduarda Michels.

Students from UFSC’s Undergraduate Program in Electrical Engineering, Fernanda Paiva and Lucas Ferreira – selected through Call for Applications No. 1/2025/SINTER-ICHIN to participate in the 2025 Shanghai Summer School—were also present. Two other selected students, Guilherme Peixer (Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering) and Guilherme Breda Fatalla (Undergraduate Program in Materials Engineering), sent video testimonials celebrating the signing of the agreement.

In the morning, the visit began at the Institutional Center for Languages ​​and Translation (NILT/SINTER/UFSC), where the delegation was introduced to UFSC and the SINTER team. SUEP representatives also shared their experiences and presented the structure, programs, and activities of their university.

Next, the visitors proceeded to the Rector’s Office, where they were welcomed by the Pro-Rector for Research and Innovation, Prof. Werner Kraus Junior. On this occasion, Prof. Zeng and Prof. Ma Jing signed the agreement on behalf of SUEP; while Prof.  Kraus Junior and Dr. Leal signed on behalf of UFSC.

The general Cooperation Agreement between the universities provides for the development of joint activities in areas of common interest, including:

• mobility of undergraduate and graduate students, professors, researchers and technical-administrative staff;
• research, teaching, outreach and university management projects and activities;
• collaboration and participation in seminars, lectures, symposiums and academic meetings;
• short-term special academic programs, such as the 2025 Shangai Summer School;
• undergraduate and graduate education programs, including doctoral programs;
• double degrees;
• co-supervision.

The agreement also provides additional benefits, such as the exemption of tuition fees for students, faculty, researchers, and administrative staff participating in mobility programs. Any applicable fees for non-curricular activities must be confirmed directly with the host university.

In the afternoon, the visit continued at the School of Technology (CTC), where the SUEP representatives visited several laboratories, accompanied by the School Dean, Prof. Sérgio Peters, and Prof. Kátia Campos de Almeida.

During the meeting, representatives from both institutions expressed positive expectations regarding the implementation of the initiatives outlined in the Cooperation Agreement, recalling achievements already attained – such as the participation of UFSC students in the Shangai Summer School – and emphasizing the prospect of further expanding academic mobility projects and actions.

See also the news article published by Agecom/UFSC:

UFSC firma convênio com universidade de Shangai para intercâmbios e pesquisas