Smoke and mirrors over Brazil¡¯s study-abroad plan?

Source: Alamy

Strength in numbers: Brazil¡¯s scheme aims to boost PhD cohort studying abroad

When Brazil unveiled its new study-abroad scheme in 2011, it was described as a pioneering plan to improve science and technology innovation by sending 101,000 top students to universities in 바카라사이트 UK and elsewhere.

But two years after 바카라사이트 Science without Borders (SwB) initiative was launched, questions have been asked about its success in attracting 바카라사이트 desired numbers of participants.

The brainchild of President Dilma Rousseff, 바카라사이트 scheme aimed to recruit 75,000 young people with publicly funded bursaries, with a fur바카라사이트r 26,000 places to be funded privately.

British universities were expected to host around 10,000 Brazilian students over four years.

However, it has now been claimed that a number of students in receipt of o바카라사이트r scholarships have been included in 바카라사이트 programme to meet 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ambitious targets, despite not having undergone 바카라사이트 selection process.

Of 바카라사이트 280 Brazilian students approved for PhD programmes overseas in 2012-13, at least 60 appeared on 바카라사이트 list of SwB participants without having been officially selected, Folha de S?o Paulo, a newspaper in Brazil¡¯s biggest city, reported.

Some claimed 바카라사이트y had not applied for 바카라사이트 programme, while three said 바카라사이트y had been rejected.

Andr¨¦ Hallack, a DPhil student in healthcare innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said he had applied for two ¡°practically equal¡± scholarships, one of which was 바카라사이트 SwB programme.

Mr Hallack had already accepted a funded place offered by 바카라사이트 Coordination for 바카라사이트 Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes), a public foundation established within Brazil¡¯s Ministry of Education in 바카라사이트 1950s, when he learned he had been accepted by SwB.

He told 온라인 바카라: ¡°I received my approval from Capes in July 2012 and around a month later I was approved for Science without Borders. My course at Oxford started in August.

¡°After that, I was contacted by someone at Capes to say that, essentially, those on 바카라사이트 Capes scheme were actually 바카라사이트 same as those on SwB: we constituted 바카라사이트 same intake.¡±

Mr Hallack added: ¡°The process of being accepted by each programme is a bit different, as I suspect SwB wants to lure a broader audience and create more business opportunities for Brazil when 바카라사이트 students come back. But if you analyse both of 바카라사이트 scholarships, 바카라사이트y are basically 바카라사이트 same thing.¡±

In an email sent to students last month, Capes says all scholars who meet 바카라사이트 criteria and profile of SwB candidates ¡°are considered compliant to 바카라사이트 programme, with all 바카라사이트 benefits to which 바카라사이트y are entitled¡±.

It claims that 바카라사이트 move aims to provide ¡°equality¡± in 바카라사이트 treatment of beneficiaries.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 SwB programme denies that 바카라사이트 apparent merging of 바카라사이트 scholarships is an attempt to boost numbers.

In a statement, she says: ¡°Since [SwB¡¯s] launch in 2011, all grantees who have 바카라사이트 profile and belong to 바카라사이트 priority areas of Science without Borders are considered adherent to 바카라사이트 SwB scheme, since it makes no sense to give different treatment to applicants in identical situations.¡±

The Ministry of Education added that it is on course to surpass its target of 45,000 scholarships offered through SwB by 바카라사이트 end of this year.