CIÊNCIA SEM FRONTEIRAS REINO UNIDOIMPACT OF THE BRAZILIANSCIENTIFIC MOBILITY PROGRAMME2012-2015

1

CONTENTS

2FOREWORD BY JO JOHNSON

3FOREWORD BY VIVIENNE STERN

4EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

5UK AND BRAZIL COLLABORATION IN NUMBERS

10MOBILITY

14BUSINESS-INDUSTRY LINKS

22BUILDING SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

28STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC SUCCESS STORIES

32THE FUTURE

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From Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science

On behalf of the UK Government, I would like to thank the Brazilian Government for their Ciência Sem Fronteiras initiative, and congratulate the authors of this report for their thorough exploration of its impacts for the UK.

Ciência Sem Fronteiras has contributed to Brazil’s increasingly important role on the world stage, and further strengthened the UK-Brazil relationship. Since the beginning of the initiative in 2011 we have inaugurated the annual UK-Brazil High Level Strategic Dialogue, of which discussions of higher education form a key part, and Brazil has been chosen as one of the top three partner countries in the UK Government’s Newton Fund, which will enhance and fund science and innovation collaborations.

The UK has been quick to respond to Brazil’s ambition through Ciência Sem Fronteiras with roadshow events around Brazil, supported by the UK Government’s GREAT campaign, helping students to understand what it is like to study in the UK.

Bringing together academic and industrial research is one of the great strengths of the UK system. Universities and businesses collaborate on research, working together in multipurpose cross-disciplinary university campuses. And our universities produce world class spin off companies with global reach. I am delighted that business collaboration is a fundamental element of the Brazilian programme. British companies that invest in Brazil such as BG Group, GlaxoSmithKline and Unilever have all supported the Ciência Sem Fronteiras scheme by providing placements and collaborating on industrial research. This greatly enhances the experience of students who come to study in the UK.

I am glad that so many Brazilian students have been drawn to the UK by the quality of the system and experience that we can offer. The UK warmly welcomes international students, and as the Prime Minister has said we will roll out the red carpet to the brightest and the best students. The strength of the wider research and innovation ecoystem within the UK enriches the experience of both undergraduates and postgraduates. This is a crucial part of the high quality offer the UK makes to international student. In both research and Innovation the UK performs extremely strongly, achieving 12% of worldwide citations with just 1% of the world’s population and being rated as the second most innovative nation in the Global Innovation Index.

I greatly welcome this report which explores the many benefits for both Brazil and the UK in the continuing Ciência Sem Fronteiras programme. The dialogue between our two governments, and the educational links the programme continues to create, underpins a valuable long term relationship between the UK and Brazil.

FOREWORD

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from Vivienne Stern, Director, UK HE International Unit

The Science without Borders programme has had an instrumental effect on relationships between universities in the UK and Brazil. Over the last few years, Brazil has become one of the UK’s most important collaborators in education and research.

We know that global problems require global solutions; bringing the best minds together from across the world significantly increases the effectiveness of research and enhances its impact. In fact, research co-authored by colleagues in the UK and Brazil achieves a higher average citation impact than UK collaborations with many other countries, including UK collaboration with China, the US and Germany.1 We also know that today’s students need to be prepared for careers which may well be globally mobile, and that internationally mobile students are more employable.

Through their flagship Science without Borders programme the Brazilian government has created the conditions for like-minded institutions and individuals to find each other and for a generation of Brazilian students to experience an education overseas. The UK government has answered that commitment in the form of the Newton Fund – which will see over £90m invested in research collaboration over the next five years. In turn, this report illustrates how many UK universities are investing their own funds in expanding strategic partnerships with Brazilian counterparts.

Whilst UK-Brazil collaboration in higher education, science and research stretches back well over 40 years, this report is a testament to the vision of the Brazilian government that the Science without Borders programme would be the catalyst to increasing the breadth and depth of the historical collaboration between our two countries.

Case studies drawn from the 87 participating UK universities illustrate the excellent things which are happening as a result – reciprocal academic and student mobility; collaboration in research and the supervision of PhDs; industrial placements which lead to good jobs for Brazilian graduates when they return to Brazil; and investment by UK government and universities in fostering the growing links between our two systems.

In my view it is important to provide evidence of what we have achieved so far. However there is more to do to ensure that Science without Borders leaves a lasting legacy. Building the involvement of industry; encouraging a greater flow of UK academics and students to Brazil; and ensuring that universities in all regions of the UK and Brazil get the support they need to build their international networks – these are all priorities for us in the International Unit.

We depend, of course, on sustained commitment from the highest levels of our respective governments as well as the genuine enthusiasm of the students and staff in our universities. We believe this commitment is most likely to be encouraged by clear evidence of the mutual benefit which has begun to flow from the growing collaboration between our two university sectors. That is the purpose of this report.

FOREWORD

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report is divided into five sections: UK and Brazil collaboration in numbers, strategic partnerships and research collaboration, mobility, industry-business links, and student success stories, based on over 60 case studies provided by UK universities. Together, these areas showcase the impact that the Science without Borders (SwB UK) programme has had on UK-Brazil collaboration in higher education and research, and the scale, range and wealth of activities which the programme has enabled.

In summary:

Student satisfaction is high: almost 2000 Science without Borders alumni responded to a survey in 2015 in which 93% said that their period of studies abroad had improved their intellectual skills.

International mobility leads to graduates with employability skills and research links: the 11,000 students who have come to the UK have experienced a world class education in the UK’s universities. Participating universities in the UK have been selected on the basis of their strength, according to independent measures, in science, engineering and technical disciplines covered by the programme. The UK’s higher education system, which encourages active learning, has helped Brazilian students to develop independent learning, thinking and problem solving techniques, all of which will help drive innovation in Brazil. The international experience and opportunities British universities provide in the form of research or industry placements have also enhanced Brazilian students’ employability, and even led directly to jobs on graduation.

SwB UK students have benefited from the close links between UK universities and business: UK universities are amongst the best in the world for the way they work with business, industry and our public services. This means that SwB students in the UK have had access to high quality industrial placements during their time here. Universities have been able to secure industrial placements for SwB UK students at some of the world’s leading companies and top public institutions, including Rolls Royce, BAE systems, IBM, GlaxoSmithKline, Facebook, Crossrail, Goldman Sachs, the National Trust, Proctor & Gamble, the National Health Service and the world-renowned Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, a leading research institute for plant biology.

The programme has also impacted on university-industry links at postgraduate and research level. Examples include BG Group,

who have funded a number of fellowships, and Unilever who partnered with Cranfield University to offer joint PhD awards to SwB UK scholars. Examples in this report illustrate how these links have benefited students who return to Brazil, enabling them to secure good graduate jobs.

Strategic partnerships and research collaboration are widespread and growing: this report details UK universities’ commitment to collaborate and how this has led to student and staff exchange, mobility, workshops and research collaboration for mutual benefit. UK universities are investing significant funds of their own in their relationships with Brazil, such as Durham University’s agreement with FAPESP to provide £120,000 per year each for five years to support mobility and a £1 million joint investment by the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham to develop mutually beneficial research and teaching partnerships with Brazil. Many universities, including Durham and Newcastle, have dual PhD programmes which are currently on offer or under development between UK and Brazilian universities. All of this has also led to an increasing number of cross-institutional events such as conferences and workshops, as a precursor to future collaborative projects.

SwB UK students have been highly successful academically and continue to be ambassadors for life for both Brazil and the UK: Brazilian undergraduate students were excellent ambassadors for more than 100 universities in Brazil. Many SwB UK students have won prizes and awards, whilst others have been featured in the media both in the UK and Brazil. A number of undergraduate students have been invited to come back and undertake their PhD in the UK, further cementing the links between our two countries. The increased number of Brazilian students in the UK has also encouraged reciprocal mobility of UK students out to Brazil.

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UK AND BRAZIL collaboration in numbers

Since 2009 the number of Brazilian articles that are co-authored with the UK has grown by 196%, making the UK Brazil’s second most frequent collaborator.

6,579 UK-Brazil co-authored articles have been published between2008-12.2

2.85 the average field weighted citation impact (FWCI) score for UK-Brazil research is higher than UK-US, UK-Germany, and UK-China research. 3

18% increase in academic staff of Brazilian nationality working in UK universities in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13. 4

87 UK universities have welcomed Brazilian Science without Borders students.

93% of SwB UK students said that their period of studies abroad had improved their intellectual skills.

131 Brazilian universities have sent Science without Borders students to the UK.

11,352 Science without Borders students in total have come to study in the UK (2012-2015).

9,253 of the scholarships went to undergraduates, 754 were visiting PhDs, 583 were full PhDs, and 762 were Post-Docs.

£90 million over five years in joint UK-Brazil Newton funding for research, innovation and researcher mobility

2. International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base - 2013, Elsevier for BIS (2013) 3. Ibid. 4. Staff employed in UK higher education providers, Higher Education Statistics

Agency, (2014 and 2015) 5. 390 of the 9,253 students were quota students not placed by the International Unit.

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Number of SwB UK students from each region and top 10 Brazilian sending universities

Eligible UK HEIsAberystwyth University

Anglia Ruskin University

Aston University

Bangor University

Birkbeck College

Birmingham City University

Bournemouth University

Brunel University London

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Cardiff University

City University, London

Coventry University

Cranfield University

De Montfort University

Durham University

Edge Hill University

Edinburgh Napier University

Falmouth University

Glasgow Caledonian University

Goldsmiths, University of London

Harper Adams University

Heriot-Watt University

Imperial College London

The Institute of Cancer Research, London

The UCL Institute of Education

Institute of Zoology

Keele University

King’s College London

Kingston University, London

Lancaster University

Leeds Beckett University

Liverpool John Moores University

London School of Economics and Political Science

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

London South Bank University

Loughborough University

Middlesex University

Newcastle University

Nottingham Trent University

Oxford Brookes University

University of Oxford

Open University

Plymouth University

University of Portsmouth

University of Reading

University of Salford

University of Sheffield

University of Southampton

University of South Wales

University of St Andrews

University of Stirling

University of Strathclyde

The University of Sunderland

RORAIMA

AMAZONAS

ACRE

RONDÔNIA

MATO GROSSO

AMAPÁ

PARÁ

MATO GROSSO DO SUL

MARANHÃO CEARÁ

RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

PARAíBA

PEMAMBUCO

ALAGOAS

SERGIPE

BAHIA

TOCANTINS

GOIÁS

DISTRITO FEDERAL

MINAS GIRAIS

ESPÍRITO SANTO

RIO DE JANEIRO

SÄO PAULO

PARANÁ

SANTA CATARINA

RIO GRANDE DO SUL

PIAUÍ

Universidade de São Paulo

602 Universidade Estadual de Campinas

292 Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro

576

Universidade Federal do Ceará

249

Universidade de Brasilia

397

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

345

Universidade Federal do Bahia

329

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

275 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

305 Universidade Federal de Minas Girais

719

4

2

8

9

7

10

5

6

3

1

1

24

8

98

21432

11

42

76 332 465129

204

737

144

1046

29

719

531

365

2005

1520

90

411

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Total number of students with SwB scholarships coming to the UK by region

SCOTLAND

NORTH EAST

NORTH WEST

EAST MIDLANDS

WEST MIDLANDS

WALES

SOUTH WEST

LONDON

SOUTH EAST

EAST ANGLIA

NORTHERN IRELAND

YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDE

East Midlands

1057Eastern

283Greater London

1863

Northern Ireland

244

Scotland

1263

South East

818South West

407

West Midlands

477

Yorkshire

753

North West

752North East

399

Wales

547

University of Surrey

University of South Wales

University of Sussex

Queen Mary, University of London

Queen’s University Belfast

Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

University of Roehampton

Royal Holloway, University of London

Sheffield Hallam University

St George’s, University of London

Swansea University

The Royal Veterinary College

University College London

The University of Aberdeen

University of Bath

University of Bedfordshire

University of Birmingham

The University of Bradford

University of Brighton

University of Bristol

University of Cambridge

University of Chester

University of Derby

University of Dundee

University of East Anglia

University of East London

The University of Edinburgh

University of Essex

University of Exeter

University of Glasgow

University of Greenwich

University of Hertfordshire

University of Huddersfield

University of Hull

University of Kent

University of Leeds

University of Leicester

University of Lincoln

University of Liverpool

The University of Manchester

The University of Northampton

Northumbria University

The University of Nottingham

Teeside University

University of the Arts London

University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE)

Ulster University

University of Warwick

University of West London

University of Westminster

University of Wolverhampton

University of York

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What Science without Borders students think

1,914 Science without Borders alumni responded to a CNPq survey in 2015.

95% reported that their language skills were improved.

97% said that they were more self-confident after their period abroad.

77% said that their academic results were better as a result of their SwB UK experience.

79.3% of SwB UK undergraduates had already met the minimum UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) language requirements when they applied to study in the UK. Over the past six cohorts of SwB UK only 19% were required to complete a Pre-Sessional English (PSE) course of up to three months and just 1.7% were required to complete a six month PSE course, and 99.9% of these successfully progressed onto their academic course.

NUMBERS OF SWB UK UNDERGRADUATES TAKING PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH COURSES (PSE)

No PSE 6 month PSE

3 month PSE

SUBJECT AREA STUDIED BY SWB STUDENTS 2012-2015

16% CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

21% BIOLOGY, BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES

5% EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

5% CHEMISTRY, MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS

6% COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

47% ENGINEERING

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The UK has proven to be an extremely popular destination for Science without Borders students thanks to its reputation for excellent teaching, cutting-edge research and facilities. Since 2011, the UK has welcomed over 11,000 Brazilian students under the programme, making us the second most popular destination of the 30+ countries taking part.

These students have had the chance to interact with leading experts in their field, undertake industrial placements and become involved in international research with direct relevance back home. The energy, enthusiasm and academic excellence of Brazilian undergraduates has won them praise from their host universities and industrial placement supervisors. Many are invited back to the UK to undertake PhDs, like Marina Kaufmanner, whose hard work on a project placement studying the diurnal cycles of algae at the University of the West of England, Bristol led to an invitation to return as a PhD student on the project.

MOBILITY

Marina Kaufmanner, an SwB UK student who was invited to return to the University of the West of England, Bristol as a PhD student to continue her outstanding undergraduate project work

I was a student at Lancaster University for a year through the SwB UK programme. I can’t describe all it meant to me, not even in my native language. One of the outcomes I got from it, beyond excellent education taught by names I used to only see on scientific papers, was meeting the exact researchers I

looked for during my graduate years. They gave me the opportunity to carry out a placement and share a work environment I’d love to be in for the rest of my life. I’m still involved in large research projects led by Lancaster academics, and we’re working on a bright future for myself and hopefully also for my field of study, the Brazilian Amazon.” Julia Rodrigues Barreto, environmental biology undergraduate, Lancaster University

Science without Borders has also helped doctoral and early-career researchers to expand their horizons through taking part in cross-institutional collaborations. It has also provided them with the opportunity to present their work to an international audience through publications in leading journals and participation in major conferences. And by supporting the two-way mobility of top academic staff both into and out of Brazil, through funding strands such as the Special Visiting Researcher scholarships, SwB has facilitated the development of sustainable academic links at institutional level.

The UK’s education system is based around encouraging active learning, pushing students to question, think creatively and seek knowledge for themselves. This has helped Brazilian students to develop techniques for independent learning, thinking and problem solving, all of which will help drive innovation in Brazil. As Geisa Salles, who studied at Ulster University under SwB UK, recalls, “I had to learn to study in a different way. This made me more confident to study by myself, learning new modules and becoming more creative”

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Many encounter specialist areas that are not covered in their home institution. The exposure to new areas of knowledge and advanced techniques are not just of benefit to the individual student, they can be applied and shared back in Brazil. Tiago Goncalves do Santos, an SwB UK student, was able to study aspects of machine learning and artificial intelligence at the University of Nottingham which were not available in his home institution at the time. However, Tiago observes, his Brazilian university’s focus on artificial intelligence is growing now, and as a result of his study abroad, “I can help with this development.”

Every undergraduate SwB participant in the UK undertakes a placement as part of their scholarship, giving them a chance to apply the skills they have been learning in the classroom to a real life situation – either through an industrial placement or a research project. Further information about these placements is covered in the Business-industry links section.

Geisa Salles, SwB UK student at Ulster University

The Diabetes Research Group at Cardiff University

Tiago Goncalves do Santos, SwB UK student at the University of Nottingham

International collaboration is an increasingly important aspect of STEM research. The Science without Borders PhD programme allows the next generation of Brazilian scientists to forge connections in their field. This leads to increased opportunities for young academics to present their research on the international stage, as Camargo Da Rosa discovered when her work with the Diabetes Research Group at Cardiff University was recognised by the British Society for Immunology and she was awarded a travel grant to present at the Immunology of Diabetes Society 14th International Congress - a huge achievement for a young researcher.

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The flow of students is not just from Brazil outwards. Interactions generated by SwB UK have inspired numerous projects taking UK students to Brazil, supported by match funding from UK universities and other sources. For example, in response to a nightclub fire in Santa Maria in 2013 which killed over 240 students, De Montfort University and the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria set up a joint initiative to help UFSM and its students cope with the tragedy. Staff and ten students from DMU went over to take part in research and learn about Brazilian culture, and one UK student decided to return to Brazil to undertake a placement at UFSM’s hospital.

Another great example is the University of Warwick’s international Undergraduate Research Summer Scheme (URSS) which is being piloted this summer. The scheme, which is sponsored by Santander, is a new initiative to enable Warwick undergraduate students to complete research with a Latin American partner institution overseas or an undergraduate from that institution to complete research with a Warwick department. Successful applicants are provided with a bursary towards

student travel and living costs. This summer, ten Warwick students will be undertaking placements in Brazil and one Brazilian student will be coming to Warwick to undertake their research project.

In total, 125 UK students had a period of mobility in Brazil as part of their degree in 2013-14, and almost all UK universities involved reported a strong desire to increase this number through developing relationships, networks and collaborative research partnerships with Brazil. Whilst the numbers are relatively small, they are growing. Both the UK government and higher education sector are committed to increasing the number of UK students who undertake an international experience whilst at university, and Brazil is seen as a priority country for this.

UK students from De Montfort University team up with Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM) to collaborate on

a joint initiative to help UFSM students cope with the aftermath of the 2013

Santa Maria nightclub fire

STUDENT MOBILITY TO BRAZIL

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As part of the Global Scholars programme, students from the University of East London, Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas and Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing São Paulo set up a project targeting underprivileged groups within São Paulo, showing how to apply the skills gained from playing football to obtain gainful employment. Students of both countries engaged online over four months. The UK students then travelled to Brazil for a week to continue working on the joint project.

Students from Middlesex University, the Pontifical Catholic University (PUC-Rio) and Spectaculu School of Art and Technology collaborated in a two-week social design project in Rio de Janeiro to create a product or solution to alleviate two of the city’s pressing urban problems, with funding from UKTI (UK Trade and Investment). Research was undertaken with cooperation from residents of the city and four design briefs were formed: water, security, mobility and the city’s utilities and public transport.

One notable project was the ‘Sampa-Rampa’: a water-filter ramp that can be retrofitted to street drains (which filter the rubbish from rainwater as it enters the drain system) and assists wheelchair users of which there are currently 900,000 users in Rio out of a total of 6.4 million residents. A thousand Sampa-Rampas will be set up in the city in the run up to 2016 and the Paralympics. The project will be presented to the Mayor of Rio to secure permission and funding for the ramps to be rolled out the near future.

Four Cardiff University undergraduates have been awarded a bursary to study a five-week course in Brazilian Culture and Economy at Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina this June (2015). From 2015, Cardiff’s School of Modern Languages will be offering a Portuguese degree programme in which students will spend a year studying or working in Brazil. This is possible due to the links the university has made with Brazil through SwB UK.

The opportunity to further my research in the UK has allowed me to learn new skills and techniques which I was not familiar with in Brazil and benefit from a different laboratory experience while working in an English-

speaking environment. This has given me the confidence to present my work on an international scale.” Larissa Camargo Da Rosa, Diabetes Research Group at Cardiff University

Photo: Larissa Camargo Da Rosa, SwB UK student at the Diabetes Research Group at Cardiff University

The ‘Sampa Rampa’, a water filter ramp assisting wheelchair users in Rio. One of the many social design projects from Middlesex University in partnership with the Pontifical Catholic University and Spectaculu School

of Art and Technology

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It is a known fact that researcher mobility increases impact of publications and helps build capacity in-country and at institutions. UK researchers are very mobile and those that spend time abroad are more productive.6 Less discussed, but equally important, is mobility of university administrative staff, to learn and share best practices, and to increase awareness of institutions’ process and systems.

Both the undergraduate and postgraduate SwB UK students are excellent ambassadors for their home institutions in Brazil due to the high quality of their academic performance, commitment and engagement with their courses or research; they are also performing an important function of connecting their home institutions with their UK host university.

RESEARCHER AND UNIVERSITY STAFF MOBILITY

6. The Wider Benefits of International Higher Education in the UK, Department for Business Innovation & Skills (September 2013)

In 2013, Dr Anders Jensen Schmidt from Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia (UFSB) spent six months working as a postdoc with Dr Karen Diele at Edinburgh Napier University. His postdoctoral stay matured into a long-term collaboration as he and Karen founded the research network REMAR (Rede de Monitoramento de Andadas Reprodutivas de Caranguejos), which involves partners from six Brazilian universities, to monitor the reproductive activities of exploited mangrove crabs from the north to the south of the country over several years. The objective of REMAR is to understand the linkages between the crabs’ reproductive timing and geophysical cycles, allowing to precisely predict their mating activities. This will help to improve the placement of capture bans, reduce the costs for monitoring law compliance and avoid conflicts between fishermen and government.

Dr Anders Jensen Schmidt from Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia (UFSB) with Dr Karen Diele at Edinburgh Napier University

The SwB UK programme provides a very attractive funding package for international researchers to spend some time in a Brazilian university, creating long-term links. In addition, UK universities are also funding academic visits to Brazil, workshops and field work that aims to create stronger bonds with Brazilian researchers.

At the same time, UK institutions are also both hosting and sending administrative staff to spend time with their counterparts in the partnering institution or as part of their staff training programmes

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Heriot-Watt University’s Dr Gabriela Medero is hosting visiting professor Dr Marta da Luz of Pontifical Catholic University of Goias under the SwB UK programme. Their research collaboration – in partnership with hydroelectricity provider Eletrobras Furnas – into erosion on reservoir edges has already resulted in two joint publications and opened the doors to partnering with Itumbiara Hydroelectric Power Plant, one of the largest power stations in South America.

The relationship between Dr Paul Long, Reader in Pharmacognosy at King’s College London, and Universidade de São Paulo (USP) is an example of how faculty-level collaborations that start small can lead to increased engagement with other universities.

After Dr Long was offered a post of Visiting Professor at USP, an agreement was signed between the two universities furthering their long standing partnership. This meant Dr Long could take a number of promising pharmacy students from King’s to work with USP’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science and Butantan Institute for three month periods, and bring Brazilian students to King’s to learn from its Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, sharing best practice and developing skills in pharmacy practice – an element of study not often offered in Brazil, but commonplace in the UK.

Dr Gabriela Medero with Heriot Watt’s SwB UK students

Dr Long with an MSc student from the Butantan Institute trawling for jellyfish around the Ilhabela archipelago in São Paulo State

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WORKSHOPS

Joint events, such as conferences and workshops, are a critical mechanism to enable research groups to identify and explore potential topics for collaboration. Where the Science without Borders programme played a role in enabling universities in the UK and Brazil to build a better understanding of each other’s strengths and interests, joint workshops have allowed individual researchers to explore mutual interests in more depth and create detailed proposals and funding bids.

Many of the workshops which UK universities reported, received Newton Funding – illustrating how this initiative is already helping universities build on the contacts established as a result of SwB UK. In other cases, universities such as Birmingham, Nottingham and King’s College London have invested their own funds in creating these workshop opportunities. Meanwhile, at a national level, the International Unit and the British Council have created opportunities for research staff in multiple institutions to come together for themed workshops. These initiatives have already begun to produce practical outcomes.

In March 2014, the International Unit, the Science and Innovation Network (SIN) and the British Council organised a series of UK-Brazil PhD workshops and networking sessions in Brazil. The week-long event, which was attended by ten UK universities and over 40 universities from across Brazil, included one-to-one matchmaking sessions, with the aim of developing and expanding partnerships between UK and Brazilian universities and state research funding agencies. Follow-up plans included establishing missions to specific Brazilian universities, pursuing staff development opportunities in Brazil, and increasing awareness among university staff of the opportunities provided by SwB UK’s PhD programme.

Five partner universities from Brazil, Portugal, Italy and the UK, took part in Institute of Brazil Europe Studies’ (IBE) Second International Workshop on Health and Biology - Aging Kinetics, held at Brunel University in the UK to discuss new approaches and possibilities for cooperation. With aging being one of the main issues highlighted by the European Commission, and a key theme within IBE, the topic presented promising grounds for further funded research collaboration. The meeting identified three main areas where Brazil and Europe share a need for research and innovation: the social determinants of health and health as a right; improved health and well-being through addressing socio-economic dimensions and social inclusion; and increased innovation for industries and services related to health.

Delegates take part in the second International Workshop on Health

and Biology Aging Kinetics, which was held at Brunel University

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Strathclyde’s Future Cities research group participated in the UKTI’s GREAT City Summit in April 2014, which led to on-going discussions about smart transport systems in Belo Horizonte and a Brazil-UK collaboration visit to Glasgow to discuss sharing experiences on ‘City Operations Centre’. Strathclyde also participated in a UK-LATAM Future Cities Joint Research Workshop in October 2014. As a result, the university and USP-Cidades made a joint bid to the Newton Fund to collaborate on development of a City Observatory at USP and the sharing of urban data.

According to Kate Whiston of the University of Keele:

The openness of Brazilian institutions and positivity surrounding internationalised experiences has led to Professor Miroslav Spasov from the School of Music conducting a series of workshops and concerts in Brazil. Since then, an assistant professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco has applied to do a PhD at Keele.

The City Observatory, a

unique research resource designed

to visualise data relating to Future

Cities

Professor Miroslav Spasov, School of Music, University of Keele

The impact of Science without Borders has been felt across the institution and even in the Humanities.”

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UK universities have a strong track record of collaborating with business, industry and public sector employers. Contract and collaborative research, continuing professional development for company staff, and industry involvement in curriculum development are all common in UK universities. The annual Higher Education Business and Community Interaction survey estimates the value of this interaction to the UK economy to exceed £3.5 billion a year. Ninety per cent of UK universities have a dedicated entry point for small businesses looking to work with them. Policy tools such as Innovation Vouchers and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships have made a huge contribution to spanning the gap between universities and the wider economy.

The benefits have been felt by students – including those from Brazil. Companies routinely contribute real-life business challenges for students to solve as part of the curriculum. Undergraduates undertake supervised hands-on placements in industry or in academic research projects, improving their specialist knowledge and employability skills. Whilst UK employers and academics gain talented students with different cultural perspectives, the Brazilian students gain a truly international perspective on their chosen field as well as skills that they may not have otherwise been able to learn in Brazil.

SwB UK students at Swansea University

Universities have been able to secure industrial placements for SwB UK students at some of the world’s leading brands including Rolls Royce, BAE systems, IBM, GlaxoSmithKline, Facebook, Crossrail, Goldman Sachs, the National Trust, Proctor & Gamble, the National Health Service and the world-renowned Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, a leading research institute for plant biology.

In some cases these placements have led directly to invitations to undertake further postgraduate study and to job offers. For example, as part of his SwB UK year with Swansea University, civil engineering student Jefferson Diego undertook a placement with Harris Pye. He now works for Harris Pye Brazil LTDA as a junior operating engineer. “I would not be working for Harris Pye if I did not have the opportunity and experience of studying Swansea University.” he says.

INDUSTRIAL PLACEMENTS AND INDUSTRY LINKS

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A touch of Brazil came to Morley Newlands Primary School thanks to SwB-funded architecture students on a placement at Leeds Beckett University who helped design their new playground. The innovative play area features coloured decorative panels inspired by the patterned pavements of Brazil’s Copacabana beach. The idea for the patterned blocks was born from the input of 11 Leeds Beckett international students from Brazil who were involved in the playscape project over the summer. Course leader Simon Warren explains: “Back in January, architecture students ran classes at Morley Newlands Primary School with the pupils to find out what ideas they had for their playscape. We feel the finished structure really embodies what they wanted, and we hope they have hours of fun using it during their years at the school.”

Ricardo Pedreiro Tannus, SwB UK student at the University of Durham, describes his experience: “As a software engineering intern at IBM Hursley, I took part in a project which enabled me to enhance my computer related skills and also to perfect my knowledge of the English language. Working within an internationally-renowned organisation was extremely enriching and allowed me to make invaluable business connections for the future.”

Ricardo Pedreiro Tannus, SwB UK student at the

University of Durham

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Martin Rigley, Lindhurst Engineering

Almost 70% of Science without Borders undergraduate students at the University of Derby spend three months on an industrial placement with companies located in either Derby or the surrounding area. There are many companies involved ranging from small local companies to multi-national organisations. Companies include Rolls-Royce, Caterpillar, JCB, Nestle, Award Publications, Fusion Group and DHL.

The feedback from students and companies has been so overwhelmingly positive that Derby is seeing demand for SwB UK placement students grow year on year.

As two students, Rodolfo Pinto and Vitor Craveiro, who spent time at Brett Landscaping and Building Products Ltd, put it: “Working in one of the UK’s leading companies in its sector is extremely enriching and challenging. The placement involved engineering concepts in our field of study and the project we were responsible for stimulated our development in both technical and interpersonal skills. This internship was one of the best professional experiences we had and it is clear that it would not have been possible without the support from the University of Derby team.”

The employer perspective is equally enthusiastic. Dean Beresford of Brett Landscaping said: “We were so impressed with the quality of the candidates that we expanded our

The programme has also impacted on university-industry links at postgraduate and research level. Examples include BG Group, who have funded a number of fellowships, and Unilever who have partnered with Cranfield University to offer joint PhD awards to SwB UK scholars.

As well as funding major projects, industry links support research of direct relevance to Brazil’s economic development, such as the Sustainable Gas Institute, an academic–industry partnership with BG Group, Imperial College and USP, which undertakes research on areas such as energy efficiency, hybrid gas and renewable energy systems, and carbon capture.

Birmingham City University Science without Borders students benefit from the universities strong links with the British automotive industry. The current cohort of students is participating in the design and construction of an electric vehicle in collaboration with the British sports car manufacturer Westfield. This car will also be produced in Brazil in collaboration with Gol Grupo and DirijaJa, allowing students to continue with this project when they are back in Brazil.

placement team from two to four students. The four students were extremely well received by our workforce, proving to be excellent ambassadors for young people and Brazil. They produced excellent results and there is every sign that this year’s students are of a similar high standard, producing quality work whilst increasing their own knowledge of UK manufacturing and logistics.”

Richard Whitehead, Assurance Director at Signal House Group also spoke of the vital contribution SwB UK students: “We had four students with us over the summer. When the product they helped design is fully proven it could save us £1 million dependent on future volumes ordered. That success has certainly made us think more about recruiting graduates.”

SwB UK provides an excellent opportunity for Lindhurst Engineering to forge links with Brazilian students. Martin Rigley, Lindhurst Engineering said:

“Not only does it give you access to really bright students who with a little guidance can help you work on the “back seat” projects, but having

someone from a different cultural back ground brings a fresh perspective.”

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Science without Borders funding will support the mobility of 14 PhD students involved in a £6 million research collaboration between BG Group, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), the National Institute of Technology (INT) and the University of Leeds, exploring corrosion and its control.

Petrobras/ BG group are providing £4.7 million over three years to fund the International Centre of Carbonate Reservoirs, an alliance between the Institute of Petroleum Engineering at Heriot-Watt University and the School of Geosciences at the University of Edinburgh, with close links to academic institutions in Brazil. The project will examine the evolution of porosity, permeability, and multi-phase flow properties in (deforming) carbonates.

International Centre of Carbonate Reservoirs- working on the characterisation, modelling, and simulation of carbonate reservoir

Carbonate Reservoir Group

simulation researchers:

Tannaz Pak, Shanti Chandra, Christine

Maier, Alessa

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Case studies in this section illustrate how the flow of students and academic staff between the UK and Brazil has led to the development of deeper, long term institutional collaborations and partnerships.

n University of Nottingham – over 203 joint publications with 51 Brazilian institutions, 2011-2014

n University of Kent – 70+ co-authored papers involving over 40 Brazilian institutions in the last five years

n University of Aberdeen – almost 600 co-authored papers since 2011

n University of Surrey – 8 joint publications in the first five months of 2015

n University of Birmingham – threefold increase in joint publications since 2010

n University of Liverpool – almost double the number of Brazilian co-authored papers since 2011

One outcome of the increase in collaboration resulting from SwB UK is a huge increase in the number of co-authored papers, with over 6,500 Brazil-UK articles published in 2008-12. At the University of Liverpool, for instance, the number of co-authored papers has doubled since 2011. The University of Kent reports more than 70 co-authored articles with over 40 Brazilian universities over the last five years, while Imperial College London reports around 1600 articles co-authored with Brazilian colleagues over the past decade.

Co-authored articles raise the research profile and citation rates of UK and Brazilian scientists on an international scale – in fact, articles co-authored by UK and Brazilian academics considerably outperform the world average in citations.

In the past decade, around 1600 papers have been published as a result of collaboration between Imperial College London and Brazilian partners with an average of 27 citations per paper. The importance of Brazil’s increased investment in research collaborations is demonstrated by the sharp increase in joint publications with Brazil in the last decade, and particularly since the start of the SwB UK programme, as figure 1 indicates. Most importantly, much of this research is highly cited.

BUILDING SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Figure 1: Joint publications with Brazil 1980-2014

0

50

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

100

150

200

250

300

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n £2.6 million from the Wellcome Trust for research into insect-transmitted diseases, specifically controlling visceral leishmaniasis through vector control. Involving academics from Keele and Warwick Universities, the project also has a research centre in Aracatuba, SP.

n €1.7 million from the European Research Council for the ‘PAST – Pre-Columbian Amazon-Scale Transformations’ project, involving the Federal University of Para, Belem, University of Exeter, Brazilian National Institute for Space Research and Brazilian National Institute for Amazonian Research.

n $250,000 from the Global Innovation Initiative to apply smart grid technology to improve electricity supply to communities in rural Brazil. With UNESP, De Montfort University and Purdue University (US).

Successful collaborations with Brazilian universities have led to investment in long-term research infrastructure. For example, as a result of its deepening engagement with Brazil, the University of Oxford’s Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) has established a first-in-the-world Open Access Kinase SGC laboratory in Brazil, with contributions from the SGC, the Nuffield Department of Medicine, FAPESP and UNICAMP. This enables Brazil to participate directly in the world’s most successful Open Access Drug Discovery Consortium.

Universities across the UK have also described how they are investing significantly in their relationships with Brazil, providing matching funds to further student and staff mobility, offering pump-priming for new collaborations, funding joint workshops and opening local offices within Brazil. For example, King’s College London spends £750,000 a year on supporting collaboration and partnerships with Brazilian institutions, while Durham University spends £120,000 a year to support seedcorn funding for mobility projects, and the University of Manchester has agreed to match funding of £50,000 a year for five years with FAPESP.

Meanwhile the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham have agreed to £1 million joint investment to develop mutually beneficial research and teaching partnerships with Brazil, providing not only substantial funding, but also access to a huge pool of potential research collaborators for their Brazilian partners.

These collaborations have also opened up access to other sources of research funding, including from the Wellcome Trust, the UK’s Research Councils, European Research Council and the Global Innovation Initiative.

UK universities have also sought funding to extend scholarships to Brazilian students, such as Loughborough’s partnership with Chevening to offer Olympic Legacy funding for sport-related Masters’ degrees.

Chevening (the prestigious British government scholarship programme) and Loughborough University have formed a new partnership to offer six Olympic Legacy Scholarships over the next three years to Brazilian Masters applicants. Worth a total of £200,000, the scholarships will fully cover fees, flights and all living costs. Loughborough’s International Officer David Chapman said: “This exciting development has been made possible by our participation in Science without Borders, which has led us to make more frequent visits to Brazil, facilitating introductions that have resulted in the establishment of this scholarship arrangement.” Chevening partners with Loughborough University to

fund Olympic Legacy awards

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The launch of the Newton Fund will build on this appetite for institutional collaboration, leading to the investment of £90m over the next five years to support the development of researcher and institutional links, joint research and innovation projects.

University of Northampton academics join counterparts from the Federal University of São Carlos for a three-day British Council Researcher Links workshop funded by the Newton Fund

University of Northampton academics joined counterparts from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFScar) for a three-day British Council Researcher Links workshop funded by the Newton Fund, titled ‘Becoming visible: comparing inclusive and special education policies, practices and research in Brazil and the UK’.

In response to UNICEF’s call for visibility and inclusion, and in recognition of the need to build human and research capacity, the workshop offered early and established researchers the opportunity to make their findings and ideas visible by comparing, debating and building innovative responses to the inclusion of children with special education needs.

The workshop sealed ongoing collaboration between the University of São Carlos and the

Centre for Education and Research at the University of Northampton. It set the foundation for future research and we are looking forward to establishing further research and teaching collaboration through exchanges between researchers in both countries.” Cristina Devecchi, Associate Professor at the University of Northampton

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Building on connections established as a result of Science without Borders activity, Glasgow Caledonian University is now collaborating with the Universidade Federal do ABC and Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná on the two-year ‘Water Environment Micro-pollutant Science Initiative’ study. The Newton Fund-supported project will contribute to Brazilian economic and social development and population welfare by seeking solutions to problems of aquatic micro-pollutants, and comes at an important moment as Brazil prepares for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are currently involved in six Newton-funded projects, including one with Fundação de Medicina Tropical on using sero-surveillance to estimate the burden of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum infection in Latin America. This project will develop tools to investigate how naturally induced anti-malaria antibody responses can be used to differentiate areas where there is more malaria so that control programmes can better target interventions. The aim is develop a solid basis for a serological approach to map where infections are occurring

Researchers conducting a malaria survey at a house in the Amazon region, Brazil

and to subsequently monitor the effect of any malaria control initiatives. The field work is conducted in Brazil and the antigen production in London, with these elements combined in a training component to develop and refine the assays in the institutes in both countries.

At the University of Liverpool, SwB UK Special Visiting Researcher Dr Patricia Murray and Professor Niels Olsen Camara of University of São Paulo have been awarded a Newton RCUK-CONFAP grant to investigate the potential of regenerative medicine therapies to treat kidney disease. The grant includes a three-month attachment at University of São Paulo for a PhD student in Dr Murray’s research group. In addition, Dr Murray and Dr Olsen will present at a major conference (www.kidneyconference.co.uk) in September at the University of Liverpool.

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One sign of how Science without Borders has fuelled the developing relationship between Brazilian and UK universities is the establishment of joint doctoral awards. Examples from Durham, Newcastle, Aberdeen and elsewhere show how these collaborations can allow institutions to make the most of each other’s strengths and facilities, as well as providing a platform to deepen reciprocal understanding of research interests and assets.

Durham University is in the process of confirming dual PhD arrangements with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the University of Brasilia in chemistry, earth sciences, engineering and computer science, funded through the Science without Borders programme. Thanks to links with Science without Borders, the university has also developed a British Gas-funded dual PhD initiative in Mathematics with the State University of Campinas.

“As part of the BG Fellowship initiative, I have been living an extraordinary experience for almost two years. This programme aims to expand students’ knowledge in geology by making us experts in

the area, as well as to promote an exchange of culture and life experiences within an international community at the University, including conferences, committees and field work.” says participant Thisiane dos Santos.

Thisiane dos Santos, University of Aberdeen

Partnering with BG Brasil, the University of Aberdeen developed the BG Brasil Fellowship initiative, which now offers a dual PhD degree programme with Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul on sedimentary systems. Students spend two years in each university, supervised by academics in both countries. The programme created opportunities for Brazilian students to have access to international events, field excursions and geological data, resulting in conference presentations in different countries. It also offers post-doctoral positions, and both PhD and post-doctorate programmes are funded by SwB UK and BG Brasil.

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In the next phase of Sciences without Borders, Newcastle University plans to use the funding in ways that will also boost postgraduate student participation in Brazil’s home institutions, through two Dual PhD Programmes, one with Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul and one with Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. The Dual PhD model will entitle Brazilian postgraduates to be awarded a doctorate from both Newcastle University and the partner Brazilian institution while also enabling Brazilian students to access the very best of facilities and academic expertise from supervisors both at home in Brazil and here in the UK.

Roehampton University and the Universidade Santa Catarina meet in Roehampton to discuss collaboration

Prof David B Stephenson, University of Exeter

Dr Caio Coelho at the Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos (CPTEC) has been working with the University of Exeter’s Professor Trevor Bailey and Professor David Stephenson on seasonal climate forecasts and disease risk prediction, funded by the Leverhulme Trust and the EU FP7. The research uses seasonal climate forecasts to develop disease risk prediction models for disease control decision making, specifically targeting dengue fever and leptospirosis. The team recently published a paper in The Lancet on developing an early-warning system to predict the risk of dengue fever outbreaks in Brazil during the forthcoming World Cup.

Academics from Roehampton University are collaborating with Dr Petrucio and colleagues at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in a £75,000 RCUK-CONFAP-funded project to compare community size patterns and food web structure in freshwater systems. This pilot project, which will involve reciprocal visits between Brazil and Roehampton of academic staff, will look at existing datasets and build collaboration so that joint grants can be applied for in the future.

From left to right:

Anne Robertson (Principal Investigator,

U Roehampton), Ignacio Peralta (PhD

student, U Roehampton), Enrico Rezende

(Co-investigator, U Roehampton), Denise

Tonetta (PhD student, UFSC) and Maurício

Petrúcio (Principal Investigator, UFSC).

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Brazilian undergraduate students have gained a reputation for excellence, participating in groundbreaking projects and winning praise and awards. Coming from over 100 universities in Brazil, many of which had never previously collaborated with UK institutions, their excellent academic performance, enthusiasm and knowledge has been applauded by UK Universities. Hosting such talented students on UK campuses has also sparked a lot of interest from UK academics and other university staff about the students’ home universities in Brazil.

Given their academic excellence, third-year undergraduate students have been accepted and placed on Masters courses at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, they have been awarded UK Engineering degrees and graduated together with senior-year UK students at University of Derby,

and they have also, as third- or fourth-year Medical students in Brazil, graduated with BMsc degrees at University of Dundee.

SwB UK undergraduate students have also achieved national fame by winning the prestigious Engineers without Borders UK competition, two years in a row; in 2013 with Nottingham Trent University and in 2015 with Birmingham City University.

I consider Lucas De Souza des Dores (SWB UK student, 2015 entry) as my best undergraduate student ever.” Dr Vladimi Guletskii, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool

Ricardo Jose da Silva Afonso, a physics student from USP-Sao Carlos, participated in groundbreaking research on muons at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), finding a way of improving the efficiency of the next generation muon detectors by over 40%, potentially leading to multi-million dollar savings. Ricardo spent an academic year at the University of Kent as part of the SwB programme.

Ricardo presented his research at the 2015 Brazilian Physical Society Meeting in Foz do Iguaçu. His work on possible upgrades to the RAL MUONs facilities was also cited in a presentation to the RAL proposal review committee in June 2015, so Ricardo’s work is of real significance and is having considerable influence.

Ricardo is planning to apply for a PhD in the UK working again on muons and superconductivity. This could be of strategic importance to Brazil in the future as it does not have any neutron or muon sources at present.

STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Failed clinical insertions for keyhole surgery could be reduced due to the work of Nottingham Trent University and Olberon Medical Innovations who developed a new needle which self-retracts to avoid potentially fatal injuries. The prototype was developed by Professor Al-Habaibeh and SwB UK student Joaquim Justino Netto.

SwB UK student Pollyanna was selected to represent Nottingham Trent University on a research trip to Portugal. She is on track to finish the year first overall in her class for project work, and her course leader describes her as “an exemplary student and credit to her country”.

Rafael Carlos do Santos, the son of a truck driver and a former Iririú public school student, started work as an apprentice in a furniture shop at the age of 15. He used his earnings to enrol in a course which ultimately led him to be accepted on to an Odonotology course at Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Thanks to the Science without Borders scheme, he studied molecular biology at the University of Glasgow.

Rafael Carlos dos Santos at the University of Glasgow

Professor Al-Habaibeh and research assistant Joaquim Justino Netto present keyhole surgery

needle prototype

The University of Dundee’s Medical School, one of the UK’s top medical schools, has become the first UK university to graduate Science without Borders medical students with a Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree in Orthopaedic Technology. Brazilian students initially came to the university for a short-term mobility period.

The original intention of the project was to give the students an experience different to that which they may have received in their home country but they showed such outstanding achievement that we progressed them on to our degree programme,” said Professor Rami Abboud, Head of the Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery.

“It is a fantastic achievement by the students to obtain their degrees today and a great initiative by the University to add real value to the programme.”

Professor Rami Abboud with SwB UK student Rogerio Magno Do Nascimento Filho

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A group of five SwB UK engineering students studying at the University of Warwick won praise for their innovative final project to develop an online community hub for businesses in the creative industries. According to participant Isabelle Dutra Letouzé: “The project stretched us beyond our engineering backgrounds – we had to learn about the creative industries and new business models, as well as the technical skills required for developing the website itself. Through working as a team, we managed to organise ourselves and create something that we can be proud of. We hope it has provided a foundation for future collaborative opportunities between the UK and Brazil.”

Douglas Felipe Abelino, an SwB UK student at Birmingham City University, won the hotly-contested BeHive student award, one of the most prestigious schemes for students in the marketing and creative industries sectors in the UK. His prize involves six weeks paid internship in leading UK graphic design companies.

Two SwB UK students at Birmingham City University (Athos Graton Roman & Giovanni Forioni Bragaia) were part of a team who won a national humanitarian engineering competition for their work on combatting drought in Nepal. They fought off competition from over 3,000 students from 23 UK universities to win the Engineering Without Borders (EWB) Challenge competition.

Several Science without Borders students’ in their final project at Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG)

Students taking part in the B-Hive competition 2015, a platform designed to encourage students to get involved

in the marketing and creative industries by winning paid work placements. In

total, winning contestants received 72 weeks placement

Two SwB UK Food Production Management students at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Thana Moyses Munhoz and Eloisa Cristina Carmignola, were part of a team shortlisted as one of the top five in the country in the Ecotrophelia food industry competition to produce sustainable, eco-friendly and innovative products.

Students competing in the annual UK Ecotrophelia competition representing Cardiff Metropolitan University

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Three SwB UK civil engineering students at the University of East London won first prize at the ACE (School of Architecture Computing and Engineering) showcase and Employment Fair 2014 for their integrated design project.

Three SwB UK civil engineering students at the University of East London won first prize at the ACE

Tobias Mulling, a PhD SwB UK student at the University of Brighton, was part of the winning team at the GREAT App Ideas Brighton competition. Winnings included a mentoring process on the development of the proposed idea, plus a Hewlett Packard prize.

At the University of Manchester, Mario Rosado de Souza was awarded a prize having completed an excellent project, and published a joint paper at a Super Computing workshop on ‘Defining Sustainability through Developers’ Eyes: Recommendations from an Interview Study’.

SwB UK students studying at the University of Portsmouth, Pablo Arcelino de Lima and Ali Bobaker, were shortlisted for Telegraph STEM awards for their design of a robotic machine

that can print walls without human intervention.

SwB UK PhD student at the

University of Brighton

Tobias Mulling

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THE FUTURE

This report has illustrated some of the ways in which the Science without Borders programme has influenced the growth of collaboration between universities in the UK and Brazil. Although individual students have benefited from the programme, the wider impact has been far more substantial, and is likely to provide a lasting legacy.

However, there is much more that we could do. The report illustrates the value of institutional partnerships – but confirms some universities both in the UK and in Brazil still struggle to make links. Some regions in Brazil are well represented in the case studies in this document – notably Sao Paulo – but others are not. We could do more to bridge these gaps.

We also see evidence of the value of industrial experience for SwB UK students. We could do more to ensure that a greater proportion of students take advantage of the opportunity to undertake placements.

And we have seen evidence of a growing interest in mobility from the UK to Brazil – but the numbers remain small. Sustained effort is needed to increase the numbers of UK students and academics who experience study in Brazil.

The next phase of the Science without Borders programme should build on these insights and on the significant achievements of the last few years.

The UK HE International Unit would like to thank all the UK universities who provided information and photographs for this publication.

July 2015

© Unauthorised copying of this document is not permitted. If you wish to copy this document please contact the UK HE International Unit for approval. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the material in this Annual Report, the authors and the UK Higher Education International Unit give no warranty in that regard and accept no liability for any loss of damage incurred through the use of, or reliance upon, this report or the information contained herein.

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