Delegation visit of the University of Viçosa to University of Münster: Intensification and expansion of cooperation

On 11 April 2023, Prof Dr Michael Quante welcomed a delegation of eight representatives of the Brazilian Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) on a warm spring afternoon. After the visit had to be cancelled several times due to the pandemic, Münster was the first stop on the delegation's trip to Germany, especially as the University of Münster is seen as a strategic partner by many professors at the UFV.

Representatives of the Prorectorate for Research and Graduate Studies, the International Office and representatives of different research areas in biology and study programmes came to Münster to hold conversations on intensifying or expanding research cooperation as well as undergraduate and graduate exchange activities. The visit of the UFV delegation was planned and carried out by Prof Dr Markus Schwarzländer (Department of Biology) with the support of the Brazil Centre. Both universities have a long history of cooperation in the fields of biology, biotechnology and landscape ecology. However, cooperation with the University of Münster is being sought by the UFV in other subject areas as well as in the field of innovation.

In the framework of an information event, the guests were able to learn about Münster University as a whole and the Department of Biology in particular through presentations by the Brazil Centre, the International Office, the Welcome Centre, the Graduate Centre and the Faculty mentioned. Prof Dr Raul Narciso C. Guedes presented the University of Viçosa as Vice-Rector for Research and Graduate Studies. Afterwards, the delegation split into a subject-specific and an interdisciplinary group. The Brazilian professors visited the Institute for Plant Biology and Biotechnology (IBBP) with Prof Schwarzländer, Prof Iris Finkemeier and Prof Till Ischebeck, the Institute for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology (IMMB) with Prof Jochen Schmid, the Institute for Integrative Cell Biology and Physiology (IIZP) with Prof Carsten Grashoff and the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity (IEB) with Prof Jürgen Gadau. There they held bilateral, technical talks and discussed future cooperation possibilities.

At the same time, representatives of central institutions on both sides met to discuss cooperation formats such as double degrees, measures to expand the exchange and challenges in internationalisation on both sides.

Finally, the two guests from Viçosa were able to gain a good impression of the size and diversity of Münster University on a small campus tour - accompanied by Anja Grecko Lorenz, Managing Director of the Brazil Centre, Sandra Wiegand, representative of the International Office, and Maria Homeyer, Head of the Welcome Centre of the University of Münster - under bright sunshine.

In view of the promising scientific discussions and the close interdisciplinary cooperation relations, the cooperation agreement is to be extended in the near future. Further information on the Federal University of Viçosa can be found here.