FAUBAI 2016 Conference

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brings together over 560 participants to discuss the internationalization of higher education

International meeting held in Fortaleza, Ceará state, included speeches, workshops and matchmaking sessions between Brazilian and foreign institutions.

The Brazilian city of Fortaleza hosted the 28th Annual Conference FAUBAI 2016 – Brazilian Association for International Education, from April 16 to 20, which brought together representatives involved in the internationalization of higher education in Brazil and worldwide.

The Conference was attended by over 560 participants – half of whom were from 29 countries, representing all continents¹. The general theme was Social Responsibility in the Internationalization of Higher Education and discussions were held on issues related to diversity, reciprocity, minorities and global citizenship, amongst other important challenges, aimed at promoting more inclusive internationalization.

During the five days of the event, the participants were able to accompany 38 parallel sessions involving a total of 92 presentations of studies covering issues related to the internationalization of higher education.

Ten pre-conference workshops were held and provided opportunities for participants to discuss issues related to Managing an International Relations Office, Leadership and Strategies, Global Learning, English as a Medium of Instruction, and Virtual Exchange Internationalization Initiatives, amongst others.

FAUBAI 2016 welcomed world famous specialists in the area of the internationalization of higher education, such as John Hudzik, former Vice-Rector of Global Engagement and Strategic Projects of Michigan State University and author of the book “Comprehensive Internationalization: Institutional pathways to success”. He gave the key-note speech, advocating internationalization as an imperative for higher education institutions which should be available for all.

Issues such as reciprocity in international cooperation, internationalization and minorities, the strategic role of the Portuguese language in multilingual educational contexts and cooperation within the BRICS were addressed during the plenaries.

The opening session of FAUBAI 2016 was attended by representatives of the associations of Federal Universities (Andifes), State and Municipal Universities (Abruem) and Communitarian Universities (ABRUC), the Federal University of Ceará and the Ministry of Education, thereby highlighting the priority being given to internationalization on Brazil´s Higher Education agenda.

The final plenary session “Global Dialogue” brought together the President of FAUBAI along with representatives of important international education associations such as NAFSA (the largest association for international education in the world), EAIE (European International Education Association), IEASA (South Africa), Campus France and CONAHEC (North America). They jointly recognized the existence of different ways of understanding and undertaking the internationalization of higher education, a process should always be carried out to improve people´s living conditions, particularly in a world which is undergoing such rapid and profound transformations but remains extremely unequal. This requires a democratic, inclusive and multidimensional internationalization process and demands a new concept for the social role of the higher education institutions.

The event also provided a forum for the players in the internationalization process to meet and establish new partnerships. Three matchmaking sessions were held with over 50 tables organized to allow foreign institutions to make direct contacts with the Brazilian higher education institutions.

The FAUBAI 2016 conference received the sponsorship of important institutions involved in the internationalization of higher education, such as Latino Australia Education, British Council, French Embassy, ETS – Educational Testing Service, American Embassy, ExportAR Argentina, DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service, and Education in Ireland, amongst others, as well as the CAPES – Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, and the Brazilian Ministry of Education.

The next annual conference FAUBAI 2017 will take place in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, from April 8 to 12, 2017.