Canada

Canada’s universities to welcome thousands of Brazilian students

OTTAWA – Canada’s universities are preparing to welcome thousands of new Brazilian students through the Canadian component of Brazil’s ambitious Science Without Borders scholarship program. Through these scholarships, more than 100,000 Brazilians will study, undertake internships and conduct research in selected countries around the world over a four-year period.

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada is collaborating with the Canadian Bureau for International Education to bring Brazilian university students to Canada. Through the CBIE/AUCC program and other agreements between Canadian institutions and the Brazilian government, an estimated 12,000 Science without Borders scholars are expected to come to Canada between now and 2016.

“Canadian universities will be welcoming scholarship recipients to an exceptional learning experience that is research-enriched and globally engaged,” said Paul Davidson, president of AUCC. “Attracting students and researchers to Canada through the Science Without Borders program is a key element of Canada’s efforts to build strong educational and research partnerships with Brazil now and in the future.”
In 2011, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced the plan to provide 75,000 scholarships for Brazilian undergraduate and graduate students to study abroad. Brazil’s private sector then stepped in to fund another 26,000 scholarships. The Canadian component of this program will offer a flexible combination of language training, academic study, research internships and off-campus work placements.
“AUCC plays a key role in building the Canadian brand of higher education excellence in Brazil, a vital element in attracting Science Without Borders students to Canada,” notes Mr. Davidson. “This spring’s mission of more than 30 Canadian university presidents to Brazil will generate high visibility for Canadian universities and help build a robust two-way exchange of students and faculty between our two countries.” The AUCC Brazil mission, led by Governor General David Johnston, takes place April 25-May 2, 2012.
AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.