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.
(more…)

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

Group who attended the meeting between University of Arizona (USA) and UFSC. Photo: Maria Fernanda Honório/SINTER

On Tuesday, 5 November, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) welcomed the visit of Prof. Dr. Dean Alain-Philippe Durand, Dean of the College of Humanities at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, USA. The meeting, held by the Office of International Relations (SINTER), aimed at discussing the reestablishment of the bilateral cooperation agreement between the institutions which expired this year.

The meeting was also attended by the Secretary for International Relations at UFSC, Prof. Dr. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho, and Prof. Dr. Ronaldo Lima, from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures (DLLE/CCE), who is the coordinator of the agreement at UFSC. During the visit, they discussed possibilities for academic collaboration and exchange between students and faculty, strengthening UFSC´s international partnership and promoting new opportunities for research and educational development.

From left to right: Prof. Dr. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho; Prof. Dr. Dean Alain-Philippe Durand. Photo: Maria Fernanda Honório/SINTER

The reestablishment of the agreement is intended to expand exchange of knowledge and experiences between universities, contributing to the field of humanities and strengthening UFSC’s international relations.

Opening ceremony of the I UFSC International Week in the CCS Auditorium. Photo: Andrey Santiago/Agecom/UFSC

The first edition of UFSC International Week began on Monday, 21 October, with the debate on topics related to the internationalization of higher education and the need to strengthen academic partnerships. It was organized by the Prorectorate for Graduate Studies (PROPG), the Office of International Relations (Sinter) and the Prorectorate for Research and Innovation (Propesq). The event offers a program made up of panels, conferences, round tables and other activities aimed at sharing internationalization experiences.

The planned activities began in the morning, and the opening ceremony was held on Monday night, in the School of Health Sciences (CCS) Auditorium, on the Trindade Campus, in Florianópolis. The ceremony was attended by the Rector of UFSC, Irineu Manoel de Souza; the Prorector for Graduate Studies, Werner Kraus Jr.; the Secretary for International Relations, Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho; the Prorector for Research and Innovation, Jacques Mick; the Director of International Relations of the Fundação Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes) [Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel], Rui Vicente Oppermann; and the Prorector for Research and Graduate Studies of the Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (Udesc), Sérgio Henrique Pezzin.

>Watch the opening ceremony of the Week

Coordinator of the UFSC I International Week, Professor Werner Kraus, highlighted the “intense schedule of activities” of the five-day event. In addition to holding a conference and three main panels, the prorector highlighted the number of works registered for the parallel sessions (about 50 presentations, most of them linked to the Capes-PrInt Program). “It will be a very fruitful week. I am sure that we will all be very pleased with what will be discussed and with the prospects that lie ahead of us, “said Werner.

In turn, Prof. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho stated that the implementation of UFSC’s internationalization policy has been built on basic principles, such as reciprocity, academic excellence, solidarity and diversity. In his speech, he also stressed that this process should involve the entire university community, including professors, students, and technical-administrative staff (TAEs).

Professor Sérgio Pezzin, who represented the Udesc Rectorate at the time, defended a closer action between both universities, with the objective of expanding academic partnerships and strengthening relations between the institutions. “UFSC is a very important partner for Udesc, just as Udesc is for UFSC. We have many complementary areas in which we can, together, be stronger, strengthening our work and working as a network, “he said.

The Rector of UFSC, Irineu Manoel de Souza, reinforced that the internationalization of the University must occur in a comprehensive way, involving undergraduate and graduate programs, research and outreach. “I am sure that the Week will pave the way for important discussions for our University. Despite the financial difficulties, we have the prospect of new moments, dialog, expanding knowledge and making the University really the motivating factor of a new society, nationally and internationally, “said Irineu.

Shortly after the session, Capes’ Director of International Relations, Rui Oppermann, gave a presentation on the activities of the Foundations. He highlighted that “internationalization is in the DNA of CAPES”, since the first activities developed there were faculty development programs in countries such as France, the United States and England. Opperman also presented a panorama of stricto sensu Graduate Studies in Brazil. According to data from 2022, the country today has 4,592 graduate programs, with 7,027 courses, distributed in 425 institutions, 49% of them public and 33% belonging to the federal network.

Capes is the main distributor of scholarships in Brazil, responsible for financing 79% of the total. Currently, the Coordination maintains 47,187 master’s scholarships and 52,895 doctoral scholarships. Next, it is the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), with only 8% of the total: 4,310 master’s scholarships and 6,097 doctoral scholarships.

Afterwards, Professor André Brasil, from the University of Leiden, in the Netherlands, spoke about the evaluation methods in the context of internationalization. Also affiliated with Capes, André is a researcher at the Center for Science and Technology Studies (CSTs) and a member of the UNESCO Chair on Diversity and Inclusion in Global Science. His research focuses on national evaluation systems, scientometrics, academic publishing, open science, responsible research and innovation (RRI), and diversity in science, especially with regard to multilingualism and geographic inclusion.

Throughout the week, the program was full of additional activities — proposed by the UFSC community itself — and lectures on internationalization in Higher Education, with the participation of UFSC authorities and professors, as well as guests from institutions abroad and professionals related to Internationalization.

The UFSC I International Week closes this Friday (25 October).

> Watch the event on UFSC Internacional YouTube channel

For more information access: sinter.ufsc.br/semanainternacional.

Reproduced by the UFSC Communication Agency, with additions by the Office of International Relations (SINTER/UFSC).

Between 21 and 25 October 2024, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina will held the I UFSC International Week, an event that will bring together experts, scholars and the university community to discuss issues related to the internationalization of higher education. The event organized by the Office of International Relations (SINTER), the Prorectorate for Graduate Studies (PROPG) and the Prorectorate for Research and Innovation (PROPESQ) will offer panels, conferences, round tables and other activities aimed at sharing internationalization experiences.

The official opening of the event is scheduled for 21 October 2024, at 6:30 p.m., in the Auditorium of the School of Health Sciences (CCS). The keynote will be delivered by Professor André Brasil from the University of Leiden, in the Netherlands. Throughout the week, participants can look forward to thematic panels exploring key topics such as internationalization of scientific research and graduate programs, as well as future opportunities for the international collaboration at UFSC. Notable participants include Hans de Wit, professor emeritus at the International Higher Education, Boston College, in the United States, and Rui Oppermann, director of International Relations at Capes.

In addition to the panels, the Week will include activities related to UFSC’s subprojects within Capes’ Institutional Internationalization Program (Capes-PrInt), as well as other internationalization initiatives proposed by the university community.

The I UFSC International Week is expected to be a significant milestone for the university, enhancing international cooperation networks and reaffirming its commitment to academic excellence and global solidarity.

(more…)

Brazilian participants in the 34th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the European Association for International Education (EAIE).

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) is participating in the 34th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the European Association for International Education (EAIE), which began this Tuesday (17 September) in Toulouse, France, and will continue until 20 September. The event, which brings together more than 7,000 international higher education professionals, is one of the largest of its kind and is attended by universities and institutions from several countries, including Brazil. UFSC is represented by the Secretary for International Relations Dr. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho.

The 34th EAIE Conference and Exhibition features 240 sessions and activities, including workshops, panels and meetings. The exhibition has the participation of approximately 200 universities from around the world. This year’s theme, “En Route!” (“On the way”), highlights the hard work that propels the university community towards a brighter future. The conference also celebrates EAIE’s 35th anniversary, with integration activities such as games and informal gatherings in the “EAIE Village”. For new participants, events such as the session “Back to Basics: Internationalization for newcomers to the sector” offer support and guidance on international higher education practices.

Secretary of International Relations Dr. Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho at the 34th Annual EAIE Conference and Exhibition.

The opening day was marked by reunions and new connections, as participants, exhibitors and partners prepared for a week of discussions on the direction of international higher education. UFSC joins this event to share experiences, explore opportunities for international collaboration and reinforce its commitment to internationalization, helping build a more collaborative and innovative future in global higher education.

Members of “Great SINTER” and other participants in the PDI 2025-2029 public hearing.

On 4 September, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) took another important step in preparing its Institutional Development Plan (PDI) for the period 2025-2029. The Office of International Relations (SINTER) promoted a public hearing to discuss the strategic institutional objectives related to the internationalization of UFSC.

The hearing took place in the School of Philosophy and Human Sciences (CFH) Building F Auditorium and was attended by members of “great SINTER”, including UFSC internationalization agents, members of the “SINTEGRA: International Student Trajectories: support and Integration” project; participants of the Institute for Studies on China (ICHIN), and members of the international community at UFSC, totaling an audience of nearly 25 people, in addition to those watching the online streaming.

The event highlighted the importance of collaboratively defining strategic objectives for internationalization, gathering valuable input from students, staff, faculty, and external stakeholders. Throughout September, SINTER’s executive technical group will synthesize the contributions collected during the hearing, which will then be forwarded to the management group. The next phase will involve defining strategic actions and key indicators for internationalization.
(more…)