On October 17 and 18, Unicamp’s rector, Antonio José de Almeida Meirelles, participated in the BRICS Rectors’ Forum, a group formed by emerging countries for economic cooperation. The meeting was held at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) and brought together representatives of universities from 20 countries. The program included plenary sessions to discuss topics such as scientific cooperation, digital sovereignty and security, and the development of the countries of the bloc. The event was chaired by Victor Sadovnichy, rector of MSU.
“The Forum provided an important space for reflection and discussion on the role of academic and scientific-technological collaboration in the development of the BRICS countries and as a relevant vector for strengthening cooperation ties between countries of the Global South,” Meirelles said. During the meeting, Unicamp signed a cooperation agreement with Peter the Great Polytechnic University of St. Petersburg. Contacts were also established between representatives of Unicamp and other participating countries.
The BRICS meeting was preceded by the Forum of Rectors of Universities of Brazil, Russia and Belarus, held on October 16, also at MSU. The meeting was attended by Konstantin Mogilevsky, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, Rodrigo Baena Soares, Brazil’s Ambassador to Russia, Alexandre Fonseca, Secretary of Higher Education of the Brazilian Ministry of Education, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Education and the Embassy of Belarus in Russia.
On the occasion, Meirelles introduced Unicamp to the other rectors and guests and highlighted the university's areas of interest for developing international collaborations. Cooperation agreements were also signed with MSU and Saint Petersburg State University, in addition to Unicamp's membership in the League of Russian, Brazilian and Belarusian Universities. According to the rector, joining the League will facilitate the advancement of new partnerships between the institutions of the three countries.
Brazil on a mission
The activities on Russian soil, which included the participation of Unicamp and other educational institutions in the country, are part of the efforts of a Brazilian mission in Russia, coordinated by the Brazilian embassy in the country, under the command of Ambassador Baena Soares, which also had the support of the National Association of Directors of Federal Institutions of Higher Education (Andifes), chaired by José Daniel Diniz Melo, rector of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN).
In addition to Unicamp, the following participated in the Brazilian mission to Russia: São Paulo State University (Unesp) and the State University of Santa Catarina (Udesc), as well as the federal universities of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio Grande do Sul (URFGS), Rio Grande (FURG), Minas Gerais (UFMG), Ouro Preto (Ufop), ABC (UFABC), Brasília (UnB), Espírito Santo (Ufes), Northern Tocantins (UFNT), Southern Bahia (UFSB), Western Bahia (Ufob), Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Pará (Ufpa), Santa Catarina (UFSC) and Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), as well as representatives from the Ministry of Education (MEC), the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) and the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC).
Also on October 18, Meirelles visited the Russian State Agrarian University. Founded in 1965, the institution is the country's leading center for training and research in agricultural sciences and conducts research in collaboration with companies in the areas of agricultural machinery and fertilizers. In addition to the dean of Unicamp, the deans of Ufes and UFNT and a representative of UnB participated in the visit. The group visited genetic improvement and molecular biology laboratories, the experimental fields for ornamental vegetables and flowers, and were introduced to the history of the institution and the training offered to students.
Professor Osvandir Taranto, executive director of the Executive Board of International Relations (Deri) at Unicamp, participated in a visit to the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), together with directors of the International Relations departments of Unesp and UFMG. During the visit, Taranto gave a presentation about Unicamp to the Russian institution, which showed interest in establishing partnerships for research collaboration, dual degrees and student and faculty mobility programs. Another institution visited by Unicamp representatives was the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN). On the occasion, Deri's advisor Rafael Dias met with directors and researchers who are members of the BRICS Universities Network (BNU), which brings together more than 50 institutions. Representatives from Russia, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia were present, and the discussions focused on new projects and strategies for the growth and integration of the Network.
Ecology and Climate Change
On October 20 and 21, representatives from Unicamp participated in the BRICS Scientific and Educational Congress on Ecology and Climate Change, held at Sirius University of Science and Technology, located in the Sirius Federal Territory, in the city of Sochi, on the shores of the Black Sea. On the occasion, Meirelles and Dias participated in roundtable discussions with Russian authorities and representatives from other Brazilian universities to discuss topics related to the role of universities in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in building resilient societies in the face of climate change.
Meirelles led the presentation “Natural Solutions to Achieve Climate Goals” (Natural Solutions to Achieve Climate Goals), in which he presented Unicamp's actions in the areas of sustainability and energy, highlighting the initiative of the International Hub for Sustainable Development (HIDS). Dias focused on the theme “Water Management and Climate Change” (Water Management and Climate Change), addressing public policies for climate resilience implemented in Brazil. After the presentations, they participated in a roundtable that discussed bilateral relations between Brazil and Russia in Higher Education.
While still in Sochi, the Brazilian mission visited the Center for Genetic Research and Life Sciences, part of Sirius University, which conducts research in neurogenetics, medical genetics, agrogenetics, immunobiology, biomedicine, nanobiomedicine, plant biology, biotechnology and biomaterials. The team also visited the facilities of the Sirius Educational Center, which offers free short courses, including transportation and accommodation, to children and young people who excel in scientific, sports and artistic activities.