University and Polytechnic Institute of Bragança explore dual degree and international doctorate agreements
In June, the State University of Maringá (Universidade Estadual de Maringá-UEM) welcomed representatives from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Instituto Politécnico de Bragança-IPB) in Portugal to discuss partnerships that would enable dual degrees in various undergraduate courses and the creation of an international networked doctoral program, in collaboration with the State Higher Education Institutions of Paraná (Instituições Estaduais de Ensino Superior do Paraná-IEES). The meeting was held in the University Council (Conselho Universitário-COU) room at the Rector's Office.
For UEM Rector Leandro Vanalli, the university's internationalization process requires partnerships and memoranda of understanding with higher education institutions in other countries. According to him, "this partnership involves encouraging foreign students and researchers to come to Brazil and sending members of the UEM academic community abroad. In this way, the development of joint research with international institutions enriches knowledge and scientific production. The existing dual degree agreement with IPB for the Food Engineering course can be extended to other courses. Thus, we are expanding our management guidelines for the internationalization of UEM."
Representing the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Instituto Politécnico de Bragança-IPB), the delegation included President Orlando Isidoro Rodrigues, Vice President Luis Manuel Santos Pais, advisor and former president João Alberto Teixeira, as well as managers from different areas Adriano Baptista Ribeiro, Albino Antônio Bento, Allana Netto, José Alberto Pereira, Paulo Leitão, and Pedro Bastos. The group was welcomed by the team from the State University of Maringá (Universidade Estadual de Maringá-UEM), composed of Vice-Rector Gisele Mendes; Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Affairs, Mauro Ravagnani; the coordinator of the International Cooperation Office (Escritório de Cooperação Internacional-ECI), Renato Leão Rego; Professor Antonio Roberto Giriboni Monteiro, coordinator of the Food Engineering course; Professor Carlos Humberto Martins, from the Graduate Program in Civil Engineering (Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Civil-PEV); and Professor Débora de Mello Gonçales Sant’Ana, from the Department of Morphological Sciences (Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas-DCM).
The vice-rector thanked the entire Portuguese delegation for their visit and highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two institutions. “Internationalization is a strategic pillar for strengthening the University. Establishing partnerships with institutions such as the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança expands the possibilities for qualified training for our students and researchers, promotes the exchange of knowledge, and strengthens UEM's presence in the global academic scene,” emphasized Mendes.
The president of IPB stated that the purpose of the visit to UEM is to strengthen relations in order to establish partnerships, particularly in the area of cooperation in dual degrees at the doctoral level, but also at the undergraduate level. "We are here with the sponsorship of the Araucária Foundation, which understood that international cooperation with the state universities of Paraná was of interest. We already have a long-standing partnership with UEM, but we also have a very strong partnership with the Technological University of Paraná (Universidade Tecnológica do Paraná-UTFPR). With funding from the Araucária Foundation, the idea is to set up a joint project between the state universities and UTFPR. On our side, we will find funding under the European Erasmus+ program to finance mobility between Portugal and Brazil," explained Rodrigues.
According to him, some areas of convergence have already been identified, namely food science and technology, agricultural sciences, chemistry, biotechnology, computer science, and artificial intelligence. Therefore, there are doctoral programs in these areas in which dual degrees, mobility, and scientific cooperation are to be implemented. For the ECI coordinator, in addition to dual degrees, the negotiations are expected to result in an international doctoral program in partnership with the state universities (IEES) and UTFPR.
Ravagnani highlighted the institution's strong position in international rankings, noting that UEM is currently considered the fifth best state university in the country. "This is undoubtedly due to our scientific output, our excellent postgraduate programs, and our published research articles. At least five postgraduate programs are currently eligible for dual degrees. Our outlook is very good in terms of advancing dual degrees at doctoral level," said the vice-rector, citing the Civil Engineering and Chemical Engineering programs.
UEM and IPB already have several partnerships, the latest being last year when a dual degree agreement was signed for the Food Engineering course. Through this agreement, students from the institution can complete three years and six months of undergraduate studies at UEM, followed by one year in Bragança, and then finish the last six months of study at UEM. Upon completing the five years, students receive an undergraduate degree from UEM and a master's degree from IPB, valid for all countries in the European Union. The agreement gives UEM students an international degree accepted by 27 European countries.
Some students may also go on to pursue a doctorate, applying for attractive scholarships worth €1,200 per month. According to a survey by the Portuguese university, IPB and UEM already have 37 joint scientific publications, demonstrating that the partnership with IPB is long-standing.
About the IPB - The Polytechnic Institute of Bragança was established 41 years ago in the city of Bragança, in northern Portugal. The higher education institution is composed of five schools, four in Bragança in the areas of agricultural sciences, education, health, and technology and management, and one in Mirandela in the area of communication, administration, and tourism.
Translation team:
Felipe Piva Amorim
Julia Pedriali Rosa