Secretaria de Relações Internacionais | Office of International Relations

On 19 June, the Univesidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) welcomed a delegation from Nankai University, China, for the signing ceremony of a new cooperation agreement between the two institutions.

The event was attended by UFSC’s Director of International Relations, Fernanda Leal; the Prorector for Research and Innovation, Prof. Jacques Mick, the Coordinator of the Institute for Studies on China at UFSC (ICHIN), Prof. Raúl Burgos; the Deputy Coordinator of ICHIN, Prof. Daniel Martins; undergraduate students Letícia Renata de Carvalho (Mechanical Engineering) and Tobias Barcellos (Social Sciences, and Student Affairs Coordinator at ICHIN); and doctoral student Rita Coitinho (Sociology and Political Science). Representing Nankai University were the Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, Prof. Yan Guodong, and the Head of the Department of Portuguese Language, Prof. Hu Jing (Helena).

According to Fernanda Leal, Director of International Relations, strengthening ties with BRICS countries—particularly China—diversifies and reinforces UFSC’s internationalization process, which has, as one of its priorities, the strengthening of relations with the Global South. “The agreement signed with Nankai University is part of a series of initiatives developed in recent years by SINTER, in partnership with ICHIN. UFSC and Nankai University are committed to building strong cooperation in various fields, including in the area of Portuguese as a Foreign Language.”

With the formalization of this agreement, UFSC expands its network of partnerships in Asia, now totaling 15 cooperation agreements with Chinese higher education institutions. The goal is to foster academic, scientific and cultural collaboration, promote student and faculty exchanges, and support the development of joint projects.

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.

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

On 16 October 2024, the Forum of Rectors of Brazil, Russia and Belarus was held at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), the oldest and most prestigious Russian university, founded in 1755. The event was attended by delegations from various universities in the three countries, including UFSC, represented by the Secretary for International Relations, Prof. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho, UDESC, represented by its Rector José Fernando Fragalli and its secretary for international cooperation, Júlia Vieira Rodrigues, and many other federal and state universities from São Paulo.

BRazilian delegation in front of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU).

The opening ceremony was conducted by Viktor Sadovnichy, rector of MSU and president of the Russian Union of Rectors, which consists of 693 higher education institutions. Konstantin Mogilevsky, deputy minister of Education and Science for the Russian Federation, was present as well as Vadim Bogush, Rector of the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, who represented the Belarusian universities. Sandra Regina Goulart Almeida, rector of UFMG, represented the Brazilian institutions.

The highlight of the Forum was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the creation of the League of Universities of Russia, Brazil and Belarus. Prof. José Daniel Diniz Melo, president of ANDIFES, symbolically signed on behalf of the universities. Afterwards, each institution signed the MoU, including UFSC. The MoU defines the League as “a non-profit, informal and voluntary association of academic and scientific institutions from Belarus, Brazil and Russia”.

The League has a rotating presidency with annual meetings, which will be hosted consecutively by an institution from Russia, Brazil and Belarus. In 2025, Brazil will chair the League and host the meeting. Prof. Daniel, president of ANDIFES, invited the institutions for the next meeting to be held in Brazil, in 2025, with public universities (federal, state and municipal). It is important to highlight that the Russian and Belarusian universities are public and free of charge.

The League´s main body for discussion, planning and decision-making is the Forum, which is held annually, either in person or online. The rules for conducting the Forum will be decided on the basis of consensus between all parties. The League will initially operate through 12 thematic cooperation groups (sectorial clusters) detailed in the list below. The number of clusters may be expanded at the discretion of the institutions.

Preliminary list of thematic cooperation groups (sectorial clusters)

1. Exact Sciences;
2. Environment;

III. Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economy;

1. Future Technologies and Digital Life;
2. Earth Sciences, Energy and Geology;
3. Language, Culture and Literature;

VII. Life and biological sciences;

VIII. Space and aerospace technologies and their applications:

1. Portuguese/ Russian as a Foreign Language;
2. International Relations and International Law;
3. Nuclear Sciences and Technologies and their applications;

XII. Education and Pedagogical Sciences.

Professors and researchers interested in collaborating with institutions in Russia and Belarus should register their interest in the following spreadsheet, indicating name, department, email address, preferred thematic cluster and, if possible, the institution and contact person.

Arrival of the Brazilian delegation in East Timor. From right to left: Regina Grando, Samuel Penteado, Irlan von Linsingen, Elison Paim, Camila Barros, Patrícia Giraldi, Suzani Cassiani and Renata Anunciação.

On 19 January, a Brazilian faculty delegation arrived in East Timor to initiate the first regular master’s degree program in Education at the Faculty of Education, Arts, and Humanities (FEAH) of the National University of East Timor (UNTL). This milestone follows the signing of a cooperation agreement between UNTL and the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) on 18 August 2023.

The agreement facilitates a four-year collaboration, enabling faculty from UFSC and other Brazilian public institutions to contribute to the academic and research environment at UNTL. Activities include teaching, launching a scientific journal, forming research groups, organizing libraries, and more. The agreement also anticipates the arrival of Timorese professors in Brazil, promoting mutual academic exchange. These initiatives are funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Brazilian Cooperation Agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE). Currently, 21 faculty members from Brazilian universities are supervising 33 master’s students at UNTL.

 “A 15-year dream has finally come true, thanks to the efforts of many hands, hearts, and minds!” says UFSC professor Suzani Cassiani.

Professor Cassiani is the coordinator of the Cooperation Agreement between UFSC and UNTL, leader of the study and research group, and UFSC Internationalization Agent. “This is a dream of South-South cooperation that has fostered horizontal, decolonial dialogue and solidarity between our nations.”

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Last Friday, 9 November, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) and the Université de Kamina (UNIKAM) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed a cooperation agreement, this being the first agreement between UFSC and an institution in Congo. The cooperation between the two universities comes from the desire to expand their academic relations and stimulate the exchange of knowledge between UFSC and UNIKAM.

The agreement was signed by the Secretary for International Relations at UFSC, Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho and the Rector of UNIKAM, Paulin Banza Lenge Kikwike. The coordinator of the agreement at UFSC is Professor Marie Helene Catherine Torres from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

Among the objectives of the cooperation are:

• academic mobility of students, faculty, researchers and staff between the universities;
• joint research, teaching, outreach and university management projects and activities;
• collaboration and participation in seminars, lectures, symposiums and academic meetings;
• undergraduate and graduate teaching programs;
• double degree programs; and
• co-supervision agreements.

The signing of the first agreement with a university in the Democratic Republic of Congo is an important milestone that supports the objectives of UFSC’s internationalization policies.