„Science Without Borders Programme is a Key Element of Brazilian Higher Education”

The international coordinator for Central Europe of CAPES Federal Agency visited the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

Luis Filipe de Miranda Grochocki – during the consultations with Gábor Péceli, rector of the University – expressed their commitment to continue to support Brazilian students’ participation in BME’s programmes.

„The Brazilian delegation and leaders of the BME agreed that the scholarship system in its present form entails various opportunities for both parties but further achievements – like efficient cooperation in MSc and PhD programmes - may require developing bilateral university cooperation schemes in the future,” explained László Dvorszki one of the key issues of the negotiations.

The International Group Director of BME also informed bme.hu that preparations of bilateral cooperation agreements had been started: at the conference of the European Association for International Education (EAIE) Vera Raquel Abures Salvadori, international group leader of the University of Sao Paolo and Patricia Alcantara Cardoso, representative of the Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo expressed their interest in further cooperation. „We have over 30 engineering students at present from these universities studying at different faculties of BME. According to their feedbacks they are all satisfied with the quality of education at our University,” said László Dvorszki.

The Brazilian delegation had an insight in the practice-oriented and challenging education system of the University of Technology. „ Brazilian students at the Faculty of Architecture were involved in architectural planning of the centre of Nagykovácsi in the framework of a workshop activity. In the laboratory practice at the Faculty of Civil Engineering they were examining strength of steel structures, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics presented the classrooms and labs of the „IQ” buildings and a lab practice in the V1 building,” explained the director of the International Group. According to the first reports from the Brazilian delegation the visit has proven to be successful.

„At present 535 students are participating in BME’s programmes with the Science without Borders programme,” the vice-rector for education emphasized in his speech at the 2014/2015 opening ceremony for Brazilian students. Ákos Jobbágy also announced that the Budapest University of Technology and Economics is one of the most popular host institutions: it is the 5th in the world ranking of universities. (Editor’s note: In the international rank of hosting countries Hungary is in a very prestigious position: it is the 7th in Europe and the 11th among all the countries of the world.)

„The best way to predict the future is to create it” László Dvorszki quoted Peter Drucker and ensured Brazilian students that the challenges they are facing may seem risky but at the same time they entail huge opportunities. He also emphasized that „they will have to work very hard as studying engineering and other subjects in English language is not easy but it is an interesting and achievable task.”

-MA-

Photo: Philip János