Presidential Visit: Brazil

In an effort to promote Virginia International University’s global partnerships and at the invitation of several prominent universities, VIU President Dr. Sarac visited four states and five cities in Brazil this Spring. The number of South American, and specifically Brazilian, students at VIU increased steadily over the last several years, resulting in the Brazilian trip. VIU alumna Camilla Nunes accompanied the President and served as his translator on his trip to her homeland.

Centro Universitario de Belo Horizonte

Their first stop was in São Paulo, Brazil’s biggest city, where Dr. Sarac and Camilla visited the bilingual school Colégio Belo Futuro Internacional and officials from EducationUSA, who advised them on VIU’s enrollment in the “Brazil Scientific Mobility Undergraduate Program” to allow more Brazilian students the opportunity to come to VIU. Dr. Sarac met and signed agreements with rectors of several other universities, both federal and private, including Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP) in Minas Gerais, UNISUAM in Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Positivo in Curitiba, and Grupo Anima, a group that supports three private universities in Belo Horizonte.

Rio de Janeiro

Between meetings and visits, Dr. Sarac had the opportunity to go on sightseeing tours and see the astonishing diversity of the country, with scenery from flowered mountains to skyscrapers; from baroque architecture to beautiful beaches. Dr. Sarac was very impressed by Brazil’s nature as well as its people. The VIU community looks forward to fruitful partnerships and welcoming more students from Brazil.

NEW COLLABORATIONS
Virginia International University participates in several valuable collaborations with other universities and organizations worldwide. Through these collaborations, VIU undertakes joint educational and research initiatives, creates international opportunities for students and faculty, and works with likeminded institutions on best practices in university development. VIU also offers joint degree options to students of several collaborating universities, both at the graduate and

Centro Universitario Augusto Motta

undergraduate levels. Each year, VIU hosts many students from collaborating institutions in all of its degree programs, as well as in ESL, summer programs, and short-term trainings and workshops. VIU’s collaborations expand annually; currently, VIU collaborates with institutions on five continents! The latest collaborations are with institutions in Romania, Germany, Thailand, Tanzania, Korea, and Brazil.