Secretaria de Relações Internacionais | Office of International Relations

Source: World Humanities Report

The article The Languages Without Borders Network in Brazil has been published in the World Humanities Report and is now available on the Andifes-IsF Network website. Written by Denise Abreu-e-Lima (Federal University of São Carlos) and Waldenor B. Moraes Filho (Federal University of Uberlândia), with contributions from the Andifes-IsF Network, the article offers an in-depth analysis of the program’s evolution, its connections to the former Science Without Borders initiative, its impact on Brazilian higher education, the network’s structure and management, and its transition from federal government administration to Andifes—the National Association of Directors/Presidents of Federal Higher Education Institutions. The publication is available in seven languages: German, Spanish, French, English, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese.

The World Humanities Report is a collaborative effort by the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes (CHCI) and the International Council for Philosophy and the Human Sciences (CIPSH).

The Languages Without Borders Network in Brazil

As the article explains, the Languages Without Borders Network emerged in Brazil as a political and regulatory strategy aligned with the internationalization efforts at universities in the Southern Hemisphere. One of the key initiatives in this context was the Science Without Borders (CsF) program, supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in Brazil. The program was criticized for prioritizing technology and innovation fields – such as Exact Sciences, Technology, and Medicine – while excluding the humanities and social sciences. The article highlights that “the program intended to internationalize Brazilian research, but it is impossible to address internationalization without considering language as the basis for communication among people and the central role of language education” (p. 4). In response to the academic community’s language proficiency needs for CsF scholarships, the Languages Without Borders (IsF) program was introduced as an alternative to supplement the teaching of foreign languages in Brazil.

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The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) occupies the 10th position in the Times Higher Education (THE) Latin America University Rankings 2024, moving up two positions from last year, when it was in the 12th position. With this new ranking, the institution is now one of the  top 10 universities in Latin America.

The achievement is registered as a milestone in UFSC´s ranking in higher education in Latin America.

The Latin America University Rankings evaluates the universities according to performance indicators that covers five areas:

• teaching  (learning environment); 

• research environment  (volume, income and reputation);  

• research quality  (research strength, research excellence and research influence);  

• international outlook  (staff, students and research); and

• industry  (income and patents).

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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.

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.