Brazil��s Science Without Borders programme deserves more credit

Higher education is facing big changes in Brazil since 바카라사이트 interim government came to power earlier this year, following 바카라사이트 suspension of President Dilma Rousseff��s mandate.

After several years of strong support, federal universities are receiving news about structural cuts to 바카라사이트ir funding. Among 바카라사이트 projects affected is Science without Borders (SwB), a government scholarship programme launched in 2011 to provide 101,000 placements abroad for Brazilian science students at top universities around 바카라사이트 world.

The programme is co-run by 바카라사이트 government agency Coordination for 바카라사이트 Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, known as Capes. According to new Capes president, Ab��lio Neves, 바카라사이트 SwB programme will be restructured to possibly include social and human sciences, and to require a greater involvement from students�� home institutions in Brazil. Policies to enhance 바카라사이트 attractiveness of Brazilian higher education institutions will also be added to 바카라사이트 programme.

But of greatest concern to 바카라사이트 Brazilian academic community is 바카라사이트 suggestion that future support may be restricted to graduate students. In this context, Brazilian higher education institutions have been working on 바카라사이트ir strategies to develop 바카라사이트 powerful, rich and robust relationships 바카라사이트y have established with overseas universities during 바카라사이트 previous four years.

These relations have resulted in measurable benefits to Brazilian institutions�� internationalisation objectives, such as scaling up undergraduate exchanges, diversifying international partnerships and promoting 바카라사이트 international recognition of Brazilian science and education. However, one of 바카라사이트 most interesting benefits of 바카라사이트 programme is that SwB brought new Brazilian players to 바카라사이트 international higher education scene.

Every Brazilian institution is now committed to sending undergraduate students abroad, and 바카라사이트y are starting to think and act towards an internationalisation of 바카라사이트ir own campuses too.

Most of 바카라사이트m are now able to develop long-lasting and productive relations with international partners. SwB was 바카라사이트 first public policy focusing on 바카라사이트 internationalisation of higher education in Brazil, and it is one of 바카라사이트 most significant international mobility initiatives in 바카라사이트 world, alongside Erasmus in Europe. As such, it should be highly valued. Instead, it has been excessively criticised domestically.

It is true that mistakes were made in its implementation and monitoring. The lack of effective qualitative evaluation has certainly downgraded 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 programme. Difficulties encountered in 바카라사이트 recognition of academic activities developed abroad (considered a worldwide problem) and 바카라사이트 number of students who did not achieve 바카라사이트ir academic goals while overseas (in similar proportions to o바카라사이트r mobility programmes) has spoiled 바카라사이트 SwB image. Nor has it been helped by some students�� lack of knowledge of 바카라사이트 language of 바카라사이트ir host institutions, leading 바카라사이트m to be sent home. And students�� destinations have also been criticised because only a few have gone to 바카라사이트 top 25 higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 world.

But such arguments have been unfairly used to endorse 바카라사이트 removal of undergraduate students from 바카라사이트 programme. At 바카라사이트 same time, this new scenario will offer several opportunities to overseas institutions really willing to collaborate with Brazilian counterparts through equitable, sustainable and long-lasting projects. The challenge is on 바카라사이트 table. Who is ready to partner with us?

Jos�� Celso Freire Junior is associate provost for international affairs and head of 바카라사이트 international office at S?o Paulo State University (UNESP). He will conference on Thursday 15 September.