A internationalization project goes beyond a simple connection with a university from another country. It requires scientific production, exchange of experiences and information, exchanges of professors and students, among other elements. This journey was experienced over the course of 5 years during the implementation of the Postgraduate Internationalization Program, specifically with the project “Public policies, new institutional arrangements, and social participation: a comparative study on territorial development policies in Brazil and Chile” from the Master’s and Doctorate Program in Regional Development (PPGDR) at the University of Santa Cruz do Sul (Unisc) in partnership with the University of Los Lagos (ULagos) in Chile.
Rogério Leandro Lima da Silveira, a professor at Unisc and coordinator of the concluded project, celebrates the collaboration and highlights the choice of ULagos due to its similarities with Unisc. “It is a regional university that operates in southern Chile, with similar campus infrastructure, student population, and the proportional resemblance of the city it is located in to Santa Cruz do Sul,” he explains.
The program was selected through the Fapergs/Capes 06/2018 Call – Postgraduate Internationalization Program, aiming to enhance the exchange between Capes-recognized postgraduate programs in Rio Grande do Sul and reputable foreign institutions through joint research projects. “In 2017, we had the International Seminar on Regional Development, where I invited Professor Marcel Thezá. From there, we gradually approached, and I submitted the cooperation agreement proposal. We discovered that the two institutions had already been partners in 1995. So, we updated the proposal and signed a specific agreement,” explains the Unisc professor.
In 2018, Thezá, a member of the Center for Regional Development and Public Policy Studies (Ceder) at ULagos, spent 15 days at Unisc, conducting courses and mentoring students. In 2019, a comparative study on territorial public policies in Brazil/Chile was conducted through various virtual meetings. “Then the pandemic hit, causing a pause in activities. Fapergs responded to the requests and extended the partnership,” adds the Unisc professor.
In 2022, Professor Rogério visited ULagos, and later, Professor Cláudia Tirelli, also from PPGDR, made the trip. In the same year, Chilean professors Daniella Gac Jiménez and Álvaro Roman visited Unisc. “These periods involved lectures and exploration of the regions,” emphasizes Rogério.
The collaboration also resulted in the publication of the book “Actors, territories, and dynamics of regional development: Dialogues Brazil – Chile,” edited by Thezá, Daniella Gac Jiménez, and Unisc researchers Rogério Leandro Lima da Silveira and Cidonea Machado Deponti. The book presents the exchange of experiences between the two institutions. “What’s most interesting is that these relationships allowed us to expand the cooperation network, including the University of Chapingo in Mexico and the University of Rio Negro in Argentina, where together we built a research project for the Chilean Research, Science, and Technology Agency,” he adds.
Despite the conclusion of the project in December, the actions continue. “In these 5 years, I highlight the willingness to cooperate between universities. Researchers come and go, but the institutions remain, so it’s important to be able to rely on activities like this. A seed has been planted.”
Exchange through the project also facilitated the mobility of two Ph.D. students in Regional Development from Unisc: Ieda Bavaresco Machado and Jaime Miguel Weber. Here are their reflections on the experience:
“In this mission, I had the opportunity to participate in various activities and visits with Professor Daniela Gac and field research in the municipality of Marchigue. There, Geography students conducted research with the rural population on the impacts of water scarcity and leasing of areas for the installation of photovoltaic power plants. It was an incredible experience to accompany the researchers, interact with them, and learn about that arid region, water distribution patterns, urban expansion projects, and their environmental impacts. I also met with Renewable Energy Engineering students to discuss renewable energy sources in Brazil, available resources, and socio-economic data from our country. There were many questions and great interest from the students on various topics in our country.
At Ceder, I presented my research project to Professor Jael Goldsmidt (Ph.D. in Political Science) and Professor Ricardo Rivas (Ph.D. in Sociology), who provided excellent contributions to my research. I also met with Professor Guilhermo Diaz, Ph.D. in Territorial Planning and Regional Development, visiting small rural producers’ fairs and learning about the agroecology women’s group. Additionally, we visited the Agricultural and Livestock Development Institute – INDAP to learn about public policies for rural women.
The lessons from this mission contributed to expanding my knowledge of regional development and public policies in South America. I thank Professors Rogério Silveira and Cidonea Deponti for the opportunity to participate in this project and experience this incredible knowledge exchange.”
Ieda Bavaresco Machado
“The exchange trip with the University of Los Lagos took place between September 3 and 11, 2023. Visits were made to three campuses of the University. The first visit occurred at the Santiago campus, focusing on the Chilean situation, the university’s status, and the schedule of activities in the Osorno and Puerto Mont campuses.
The activity at the Osorno campus involved students and professors from the Postgraduate Program, discussing the Brazilian situation and its challenges, as well as the research conducted by Professor Cláudia Tirelli and Jaime Miguel Weber within the PPGDR. In addition to discussions with students and professors, visits were made to two housing rights camps on the outskirts of Osorno. At the Puerto Mont campus, a conversation with the postgraduate director and later a presentation on the Brazilian electoral process were conducted for students and professors in the Political Science and Public Management course.
Overall, the exchange was very interesting as it allowed me to learn about the Chilean reality, understand the dynamics of Ulagos’ postgraduate program, explore some research projects, engage in debates with students and professors, and present the research we are conducting within the PPGDR.”
Jaime Miguel Weber
“Internationalization is a very important process within a university.”
In 2023, Unisc concluded with 66 agreements with institutions from 19 countries: Germany, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, India, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Uruguay.
According to Cristiana Verônica Mueller, the coordinator of the International Affairs Office at Unisc, internationalization is a crucial process within a university. “Through contact between people from different countries, it allows the development of new worldviews due to intellectual, intercultural, scientific, and experiential exchanges, which, in the case of Unisc, reinforce our mission to produce citizens who contribute to the development of a sustainable society.”
