1. The Capital of the Diversity of Cultures
and Languages in the Internationalization of
Universities: Cooperation and Partnerships
Professor Rossana Valéria de Souza e Silva
University of Brasilia (UnB)
Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities

2. Ladies and Gentlemen,
My first words are of thank you to
the organizers for the kind invitation
to participate in this Seminar.
I will try to explain here some
knowledge and ideas for reflection within
the proposed topic and the time available.
My presentation is divided into three parts:

3. Summary
1. The internationalization of the university in
the contemporary world order
2. Cooperation between international
organizations and networks
3. Principles to be followed and the challenges
GCUB Instituional 2012

4. I- The internationalization of universities in
the contemporary world order
 The type of international university
cooperation that is built especially from the
two final decades of the twentieth
century has significantly changed some of the
pillars of the university, namely:
• Teaching and research.
 It also affects: the concept of curriculum and
the university degree. These
changes also alter the legal apparatus that
governs and regulates academic procedures.

5. I- The internationalization of universities in
the contemporary world order
Regarding Education:
 The experiences of international
mobility allow students:
• to develop part of their studies at
institutions other than their own, with
different languages than their own; ​
in different educational systems that
evaluate differently; that
teach distinctively and addresses
different issues of those in their home
institution.

6. I- The internationalization of universities in
the contemporary world order
One example found in the double-degree, in which
students perform half of the studies in their home
institution, the other half at the host institution ... and
receive two diplomas.
 A few decades ago it was unthinkable ...
 Moreover, the international institutionalized
mobility , affects something that was always very harmful
to the university: academic arrogance
that made more difficult to see that the opening up to other
systems is not only possible but desirable to improve
the quality of higher education.

7. I- The internationalization of universities in
the contemporary world order
Institutionalized mobility represents an act
of trust in the other...
in the other institution,
in the other teacher,
in the other education system
in the other culture ...).

8. I- The internationalization of universities in
the contemporary world order
However, international university cooperation is
much more than the mobility of students at
different levels: undergraduate or graduate.
The cooperation implies in partnerships and
the establishment of partnerships involves
choices and these choices are made based on
interests.
Moreover, the partnerships need to be planned
and developed from well defined strategies.

9. I- The internationalization of universities in
the contemporary world order
 Regarding the development of research.
 In order not to dwell on this issue, we just need to
observe that research has always been regarded as an
isolated act and individual, it is now seen as
something of a collective character, shared,
multidisciplinary and multi-institutional.
 The research team composed of researchers
from institutions in different countries and
continents become increasingly common.

10. I- The internationalization of universities in
the contemporary world order
Some conclusions about this first topic:
I – The international university cooperation makes
the university more dynamic, more open and
more universal.
II – In the last two decades it is observed that the
bilateral partnerships are expanded and shared
with multilaterals partnerships...
Many teaching or research projects are
developed through multilateral partnerships.

11. I- The internationalization of universities in
the contemporary world order
III - Exchange of students, teachers or researchers do
not occur as the result of individual initiatives
of unsystematic character, but as part of
elaborated policies at the institutional level or at
government level. In Brazil we have an
important example such as Science without
Borders Program.
IV- These have been some reasons why
universities start to value the participation in
networks with common objectives and
collective goals and strategies.
I´m going to talk about this topic next.

12. II - Working in university
networks
NETWORKS:
• Strong trend in the XXI century.
•Set of institutions usually organized with the same
purpose and under a single goal, with strategic
objectives and that develop joint actions.
• The networks seek collective search for solutions
to identified problems.
• The networks seek openness, cooperation
and reciprocity.

13. II - Working in university
networks
Some objectives of networks can be defined as
follows:
• Produce and socialize knowledge generated in
institutions of different countries, aiming
to broaden and deepen experience in research.
• Promote closer cooperation and
communication between different institutions in
different geographic regions.

14. II - Working in university
networks
OBJECTIVES:
• Contribute to mutual understanding on higher
education systems in each region, thus
contributing to its development.
• Promote the mobility of professionals, teachers
and students.
• Promote mechanisms for strengthening
the quality of higher education.

15. II - Working in university
networks
The university networks in The Americas and the
Caribbean region have, in my view, common
challenges that must be faced and overcome, for
instance:
1- Find mechanisms for development of Academic
Mobility Program, with funding (regular funding).
2- Create mechanisms for recognition of studies and
degrees.

16. II - Working in university
networks
3- Provide spaces that allow the knowledge
of higher education systems of each country.
5- Support joint scientific production.
6-Develop projects and actions aimed
at overcoming the language barrier.
7- Value the geographical, cultural and
academic space in the America and the Caribbean.

17. II - Working in university
networks
BENEFITS OF NETWORKS:
-Facilitate communication between the parts
involved, since it has the basis for the dissemination
of information.
-Involve large number of institutions in a single
program.
-Enable a more balanced participation of
institutions and people, in terms of: regional
distribution, equality of opportunity and others…

18. 67 Universities
in Canada
40
Universities in
Europe
165 Universities
in Mexico
83
Universities
in Colombia
52 Universities in
Brazil

19. II - Working in university
networks
BENEFITS THAT NETWORKS CAN CONTRIBUTE:
-Improved equity: allow a more balanced
participation of both institutions and people by
establishing priorities and defining strategies.
- Greater regional balance - institutions that are far
away from big cities, less developed or less inserted
in the context of international programs, now
have the same opportunities.

20. II - Working in university
networks
-Greater social inclusion: participation on academic
merit to students, teachers and researchers,
supported by well-developed scholarship
programs, allows the international experience is not
limited to those who can afford it.
-Finally: the international university
cooperation should be socially relevant, based on
principles of inclusion, tolerance, respect and
solidarity, and therefore can not serve to reinforce
social inequalities, but to overcome them.

21. The Capital of the Diversity of Cultures
and Languages in the Internationalization of
Universities: Cooperation and Partnerships

22. 3. Principles and Challenges
Social Inclusion
Diversity of actions
Partnership
Internalizing internation Transparency and
alization equal opporttunities
Diversify partners
Evaluation and
monitoring of the actions Train leaders and teams
taken

23. www.grupocoimbrasil.org.br
Universidade de Brasília, UnB
Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, ICC Sul, bloco A,
sala AT 117, térreo
Caixa Postal 4355
Brasília, DF, 70904-970
Brazil
E-mail: rossana.silva@grupocoimbra.org.br
rossanasilva@unb.br
secretaria@grupocoimbrasil.org.br
Phone: +55 61 - 3321-2330
Fax: +55 61 - 3368-2860
Cellphone: +55 61 - 81569844