Universities of São Paulo and Münster intensify their cooperation
On Monday, 4 July, the Brazil Centre was pleased to welcome Prof Niels Olsen Saraiva Câmara, Deputy Vice-Rector for Graduate Studies at the University of São Paulo (USP) since February 2022. The visit served as a continuation of the talks that had already taken place in March 2022 on the occasion of the visit by representatives of the Brazil Centre to members of the newly appointed rectorate at the USP.
In the meeting with the Rectorate of the WWU, the focus was on the further consolidation and development of the strategic partnership between USP and WWU. Particularly after the expiration of the DAAD-funded project wwu.usp in 2021, exchange formats are to be further developed and new joint fields of cooperation identified in order to strengthen and expand the collaboration in the long term. The areas of sustainability, innovation, transfer and dialogue with society have been identified by both sides as particularly relevant for future bilateral cooperation, especially since exchange and mutual learning are of great benefit to both sides in these areas. According to various rankings, the University of São Paulo is the best university in South America, and in THE Impact Ranking it is currently in the 62nd place worldwide (link).
In further meetings with the Brazil Centre and the Graduate Centre, specific ideas were also discussed about cooperating more closely than before in the area of doctoral studies. Not only should the new Cotutelle framework agreement be better advertised at WWU and USP, so that doctoral students and professors make greater use of such opportunities in the future, but but joint formats and projects, for example to promote virtual exchange, were also discussed. Last but not least, external and internal funding possibilities were explored, especially to finance reciprocal stays of doctoral students and researchers as well as joint research projects.
Prof Câmara had further meetings with professors and researchers in the Department of Medicine and the University Hospital UKM (Prof Pavenstädt, PD Dr. Braun, Dr. George und PD Dr. Buscher) as well as in the Department of Pharmacy (Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmidt). During the weekend, Prof Câmara was already able to learn about the historical developments of the city of Münster during a guided tour of the city in bright weather and also discover the campus of the WWU with its numerous buildings spread across the city during a subsequent bicycle tour. The visit to Münster was organised by the Brazil Centre.
In addition to the WWU, Prof Niels Câmara also visited the universities of Groningen, Bonn and Tübingen during his trip.