2013 Press Releases

STEM brings Brazilian students to Cork

15 Oct 2013
A large cohort of Brazilian students have arrived at UCC, the first in a wave of international students expected under the Brazilian Science Without Borders programme (Picture by Gerard McCarthy)

A large cohort of Brazilian students have arrived in UCC and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) is the driving force.

The 29 students are the first in a wave of international students expected under the Brazilian Science Without Borders programme. Brazilian Ambassador to Ireland, Pedro Fernando Brêtas Bastos attended the official welcome earlier in October (2013) in what represents positive news for the local and national economy and an external vote of confidence in both our education system and in the ability of colleges like UCC to attract international students.

The students are coming from all over Brazil to study subjects in engineering , chemistry, earth science, zoology, food science and health science. Some students will also take English classes in the UCC’s Language Centre. The Brazilian Science Without Borders programme is a scholarship programme funded by the federal government in Brazil. The largest scholarship scheme in the world, it aims to place 100,000 Brazilian students in overseas higher education institutions over the next four years. These students will study STEM subjects as part of a major Brazilian government initiative to meet a skills deficit in their rapidly growing economy. Brazil is now the fifth largest economy in the world and is preparing to host the World Cup in 2014 as well as the Olympics in 2016.

Henrique Lozes, Paula Amorim and Helio Junior show their ball skills at UCC - A large cohort of Brazilian students have arrived at UCC, the first in a wave of international students expected under the Brazilian Science Without Borders programme. The largest scholarship scheme in the world, it aims to place 100,000 Brazilian students in overseas higher education institutions over the next four years. UCC already has extensive research contacts with leading Brazilian universities and research centres across the country (Picture Gerard McCarthy)
Henrique Lozes, Paula Amorim and Helio Junior show off their football skills at UCC (Picture Gerard McCarthy)

UCC already has extensive research contacts with leading Brazilian universities and research centres across the country. The recently formed Latin America Regional Working Group, which co-ordinates UCC activity in Latin America and is chaired by UCC’s Professor Nuala Finnegan, is working hard to make sure the students feel welcome.

A group of dancers and musicians, practitioners of the Brazilian dance/martial art Capoeira, performed at the event in celebration, with UCC President Dr. Michael Murphy and Brazilian Ambassador to Ireland, Pedro Fernando Brêtas Bastos welcoming the students.

UCC expects further Brazilian students in spring and autumn 2014, at both undergraduate and PhD level. 

University College Cork

Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh

College Road, Cork T12 K8AF

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