Ottawa, May 30, 2012 – Canada’s universities welcome recommendations that the government of Canada focus its relations with Brazil in areas such as education, science and technology. The recommendations were contained in a new report tabled yesterday by the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
“Strengthening partnerships with Brazil is a priority for Canada’s universities. This report encourages a strategic role for the federal government, with education seen as a driving force in intensifying Canada-Brazil relations,” says Paul Davidson, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. “During AUCC’s recent mission to Brazil, Canada’s university presidents saw first-hand the tremendous opportunities to build strategic collaboration in research, innovation and higher education with Brazil. This report speaks to those opportunities and ways in which government, universities and industry can work together to build partnerships for prosperity in both countries.”
Close to 30 university presidents travelled to Brazil from April 25 to May 2, meeting with leaders of Brazilian universities as well as partners in government and industry to share ideas and strategies for bilateral university collaboration. During the mission, 75 new partnerships, scholarships and student mobility programs were announced, worth $6.7 million.
Canadian universities are already responding to the Brazilian government’s new Science Without Borders scholarship program, by taking steps to attract top Brazilian students and researchers. Canada will welcome up to 12,000 of the 100,000 Brazilian scholarship recipients who will study and conduct research at the undergraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral levels.
AUCC applauds the Senate committee’s extensive work on this study and its recognition of the crucial role that education, science and technology must play in building meaningful partnerships with this economic powerhouse. “AUCC was pleased to share our university community’s insight and expertise with the committee during its consultations and is happy to see many of our recommendations and contributions reflected in the report,” says Mr. Davidson.
AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.
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Intensifying Strategic Partnerships with the New Brazil, report by the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
For more information, contact:
Helen Murphy
Manager, Communications
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Tel. : 613-563-1236, ext. 238
hmurphy@aucc.ca
