Office of International Relations

SINTER/UFSC receives recognition.

SINTER was recognized during the official launch of the BRIDGES Network, an initiative selected under CAPES Global.Edu – a national program aimed at strengthening the internationalization of Brazilian higher education.

As a member of the BRIDGES Network Steering Committee, SINTER received recognition for its contribution to the network’s governance. The recognition acknowledged the efforts behind the establishment of the BRIDGES Network, the result of the collaboration among administrators, researchers, and internationalization professionals who secured the initiative’s approval under the CAPES Global.Edu program.

SINTER was represented at the event by the Secretary for International Relations, Dr. Fernanda Leal, who attended the launch ceremony and received the recognition.

The BRIDGES –  Building Research and Innovation towards Development and Global Exchange for Sustainability – Network seeks to strengthen cooperation among Brazilian higher education institutions by promoting strategic internationalization initiatives, sharing best practices, and developing policies aimed at the international integration of universities.

UFSC was represented at the celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States, held on 16 June at Farol Santander in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. The Acting Director of International Relations (SINTER), Bruno Wanderley Farias, attended the event on behalf of the university.

Acting Director Bruno Farias attending the event.

Hosted by the U.S. Consulate General in Porto Alegre, the celebration was led by U.S. Consul General Jason Green and his husband, Lucilo Perondi Junior. The event was part of the commemorations for the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence and brought together university representatives, business leaders, political authorities, members of the Armed Forces from the southern states of Brazil, and consular officials. The evening featured presentations and opportunities for networking among the attendees.

Fernanda Leal presenting the lecture “Confrontando imaginários globais e habitando a fronteira: desafios para internacionalizar a educação superior a partir do sul global”. (“Confronting global imaginaries and inhabiting the border: challenges for internationalizing higher education from the Global South.”)

UFSC’s Secretary for International Relations, Fernanda Leal, represented Rector Irineu Manoel de Souza at the 89th Session of the Council of Rectors of the Association of Montevideo Group Universities (AUGM), held from 30 June to 2 July in Campinas, São Paulo. In addition to representing the Rector at the Council meetings, Fernanda Leal coordinated a session on internationalization and university cooperation, sharing experiences and discussing strategies to expand collaboration networks among AUGM member institutions.

The event brought together leaders from public universities in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, and Uruguay to discuss challenges related to academic cooperation, regional integration, and the defense of public higher education. The program also marked the 60th anniversary of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) and the 50th anniversary of the Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp).

The event featured debates and lectures on university cooperation (Photo by Antoninho Perri).

Throughout the event, participants discussed strategies to strengthen collaboration among Latin American institutions, expand research networks, encourage academic mobility, and boost the internationalization of students, faculty, and staff.

Established in 1991, AUGM brings together public universities across South America and promote academic, scientific, technological, and cultural cooperation. Its key initiatives include mobility programs, research networks, and actions aimed at strengthening the internationalization of higher education. UFSC’s participation in the meeting reinforces the university’s efforts to expand academic opportunities.

This post is available in Brazilian Portuguese only. | Esse post está disponível somente em português.

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has been officially approved to join the FAUBAI-BRaVE – Brazilian Virtual Exchange Program, an initiative of the Brazilian Association for International Education (FAUBAI) that promotes the internationalization of higher education through virtual academic experiences.

With this membership, UFSC becomes part of a national network that fosters the development of courses and activities with an international dimension, carried out in partnership with foreign institutions – without the need for physical mobility.

The FAUBAI-BRaVE Program seeks to expand access to academic exchange by enabling students and faculty to engage in multicultural, collaborative experiences in an online environment. It also contributes to strengthening international cooperation and advancing pedagogical innovation across Brazilian universities.

By joining the program, UFSC commits to training faculty for virtual exchange initiatives, maintaining designated institutional coordinators for this area, and ensuring the regular offering of courses in this format.

UFSC is now included in the official list of participating institutions, marking another important step in advancing the university’s internationalization strategies and broadening academic opportunities for its community.

This post is available in Brazilian Portuguese only. Please access the website in Portuguese to read it.

This post is available in Brazilian Portuguese only. Please access the website in Portuguese to read it.