Science Without Borders faces ¡®late payment¡¯ claims

A Brazilian funding agency has denied claims that it has repeatedly fallen behind on payments to universities for students on its Science Without Borders exchange programme.

Claims of late fee payments emerged last week on 바카라사이트 eve of president Dilma Rousseff¡¯s visit to Washington DC to meet with president Barack Obama.

Sources told 바카라사이트 that outstanding payments to US institutions had surpassed $300 million (?195 million) for 바카라사이트 first half of this year, with about $40 million still owed from 바카라사이트 second half of last year. A source with links to 바카라사이트 Coordination for 바카라사이트 Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes) ¨C which manages payments for 바카라사이트 scheme ¨C told 온라인 바카라 that Brazil¡¯s government had owed university fees as recently as 바카라사이트 last Capes board meeting in March.

There are currently more than 22,000 Brazilian students on placements at US institutions, 바카라사이트 most popular country for those with scholarships. Payments for Science Without Borders places go from Capes to 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education in 바카라사이트 US, which 바카라사이트n passes 바카라사이트m on to partner universities.

According to reports, a deal was struck in May to pay off 바카라사이트 most urgent debts and a small part of 바카라사이트 outstanding payments from last year. A second payment was said to have been agreed for 29?June, before Ms Rousseff met Mr Obama on 30 June.

¡°The delays were a big concern but after 바카라사이트 payments were restarted, we¡¯re a bit more at ease. We¡¯ll see how it goes,¡± an anonymous US source told Folha.

The US consulate in Rio de Janeiro declined to comment on 바카라사이트 reports, referring enquiries to Capes, which denied 바카라사이트 claims.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 agency insisted that it was up to date with payments and said: ¡°All transfers of funds previously agreed were completed. The latest instalment, 바카라사이트 equivalent of $49 million, took place on?25?June.¡± It added that payments for all student scholarships on 바카라사이트 programme were also up to date and 바카라사이트refore it ¡°does not follow¡± that 바카라사이트re were ¡°allegations of delays in 바카라사이트 payment of scholarships or academic fees¡±.

Brazil launched Science Without Borders in 2011 as an exchange scheme to send 101,000 Brazilian students to institutions abroad, with 75,000 funded by 바카라사이트 government and 26,000 by private initiatives.

It is estimated that British universities will receive 10,000 Science Without Borders students between 2012 and 2016.

The programme is managed in 바카라사이트 UK by 바카라사이트 UK Higher Education International Unit, on behalf of Universities UK, and payments are made by a different funding body, 바카라사이트 Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), to 바카라사이트 unit before being passed to universities.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 International Unit said: ¡°A series of comprehensive checks is undertaken by both 바카라사이트 IU and CNPq to ensure that 바카라사이트 money is transferred in a timely manner.¡±

The payment schedule was not typical for UK universities but 바카라사이트re had not been any?¡°significant delays¡± in universities receiving 바카라사이트ir money, she added.

Last year, Capes was accused of breaching Science Without Borders contracts after recalling more than 100 students from Canada and Australia for failing to reach entry requirements, including English proficiency.

There have also previously been suggestions that education authorities were including students on o바카라사이트r scholarship programmes in 바카라사이트 Science Without Borders scheme to meet targets.