Unicamp hosted, this Thursday (23), The first meeting of the SustentNet Network, an initiative that brings together state universities from the five regions of the country with the aim of strengthening the internationalization of postgraduate studies and promoting academic cooperation around the theme of sustainability and its impacts on the territories. Representatives from the institutions were received by the Vice-Rector for Graduate Studies, Cláudia Morelli, and the Executive Director of International Relations, Rafael Dias. The Rector, Paulo Cesar Montagner, also participated in the meeting.
In addition to Unicamp, the Network is composed of the State University of Santa Catarina (Udesc); the State University of Amazonas (UEA); the State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS), in Bahia; and the State University of Mato Grosso (Unemat). All institutions are considered strategic in their respective states of origin.
The meeting marked the beginning – considered the “ground zero” – of a five-year project linked to the Capes Global initiative, a program launched by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes).The proposal seeks to broaden the international reach of Brazilian universities while simultaneously encouraging integration between institutions with varying levels of academic consolidation.
“The Capes Global program is very important because it brings universities together around a common goal, in this case internationalization, and this promotes integration and exchange between institutions. Leading such a project is not only a source of pride, but one of Unicamp's missions,” stated the rector. “Contributing to the strengthening of the training of researchers and scientists in Brazil and seeing talent emerge, in addition to supporting the development of a leadership-oriented youth, is something we should always celebrate,” added Montagner.
With a focus on sustainability, the SustentNet network coordinates research in areas such as culture, social justice, health, engineering, and biotechnology, involving a wide range of graduate programs. At Unicamp alone, for example, 73 programs have joined Capes Global; in total, the network has 117.
According to Cláudia Morelli, the Vice-Rector for Graduate Studies at Unicamp, the initiative points to a "paradigm shift."
Integration
According to Morelli, the initiative goes beyond international cooperation by also prioritizing national integration. The strategy envisions the formation of networks between universities from different regions, promoting the exchange of experiences and the sharing of skills. "The idea is that institutions with a higher level of internationalization will boost others, creating a collaborative environment," she emphasized.
For members of the Network, the program represents a paradigm shift. Internationalization ceases to be an individual initiative – restricted to specific researchers or groups – and becomes an institutional policy.It is no longer the isolated researcher with their partner abroad, but the university embedded in a structured network.“Morelli explained.
In addition to fostering collaboration between Brazilian institutions, Capes Global also aims to expand opportunities for students and faculty, with incentives for academic mobility and access to international research centers. The expectation is that these experiences will contribute to improving the quality of training and scientific output in the country.
Representatives from participating universities highlighted the innovative nature of the program in including institutions with different levels of postgraduate evaluation – from emerging programs to the most established ones. Thus, the measure seeks to reduce historical inequalities in the Brazilian academic system.
According to Rafael Dias, Executive Director of International Relations at Unicamp, the proposal for the internationalization of state universities, conceived as a long-term policy, is seen as a strategic opportunity to expand the global reach of Brazilian institutions while strengthening cooperation among them.The program encourages both the development of international partnerships and the articulation of national networks, allowing universities with different characteristics and expertise to share knowledge and build joint actions. This regional and institutional diversity fosters mutual learning.”, he stated.
Visibility
The role of state universities was debated during the event. “Although they represent about 40% to 45% of public undergraduate education in the country, these institutions concentrate approximately 25% of postgraduate studies. The creation of networks like SustentNet is seen as a strategy to expand the visibility and development capacity of these universities,” commented Roberto Mubarak, pro-rector of research and postgraduate studies at UEA.
Sérgio Henrique Pezzin, Vice-Rector for Research at Udesc, emphasized that this exchange of experiences with other institutions strengthens each institution in general. “Internationalization has always been, at least in most institutions, something isolated. Therefore, the idea of integration is extremely important for us to start working together as an institution, and not just with a professor working in isolation on a project,” he said.
