Building Strategic Partnerships between the UK and Brazil

Dr Marion Fleming-FroyInternational Partnerships Coordinator

Overview

Brazil’s international education and research collaboration and how overseas institutions approach the new opportunities for engagement

The experience and success of UK and Brazilian institutions in developing effective partnerships across universities, funding councils and industry and research institutions

Aligning engagement across different regions

University of Birmingham Founded in 1900, with Civic roots A globally engaged University Reputation for research excellence A comprehensive university World leader in Science, Engineering and Medicine £105m research income

University of Birmingham 28,000 students 4,500 international students c.100 Brazilian students 33% international staff 8 Brazilian staff 250+ Brazilian alumni

UoB Engagement with Brazil

• Collaborative research and staff development links with UFSC going back 37 years

• Pre-2011 ad-hoc research collaboration with Brazilian universities across a number of disciplines

• 2011 UoB review of global engagement led to Brazil being designated as 1 of 4 strategic territories for collaboration

• Institutional support for systematic engagement with Brazil backed up with financial investment and staffing

• Coincided with increased UK government engagement with Brazil

Institutional Support

• ‘Blended’ academic/professional services leadership

• Steering group

• Network of academic country champions

• Support across all professional services

• Good internal communication• - monthly funding updates• - e-newsletter• - intranet pages with staff resources

Achievements to date• Academic engagement with all major Brazilian research-led HEIs• 20+ early career researchers hosted to date• Co-funding secured for workshops • 6 funded pump-priming projects through FAPESP• Bi-lateral strategic partnerships secured: INCA, Ministry of Sport• Strong support of UK and Brazilian government – UoB as ‘go-to’ institution• 100+ Science without Borders Students since 2011• Successful VC Delegation in Oct 2013• 30% increase in media coverage in Brazil year on year• Threefold increase in jointly authored publications from 2011 to 2012 (224)

Why Brazil?

• Leading global economy• Increasing impact of research on international stage – 2.7% share of

scientific papers and growing• Sector to sector opportunities created through strengthening inter-

governmental relations• Leading research intensive universities• Opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships which are well-

resourced through joint funding schemes• Opportunities for business engagement through government policies

which require reinvestment of profit from natural resources

Our Approach

• Identification of clear priority areas

• Strategic partnership with University of Nottingham to create critical mass

• Academic to academic led projects

• Listening to partners and agreeing joint priorities

• Joint development of projects

• Developing relationships with facilitators and funders

• In-country presence to support stakeholder relations

Our Commitment

• UoB and UoN £4 million (14.8 million BRL) up front investment

• Dedicated staff team with consistent approach

• Academic buy-in encouraged through pump-priming

• Long-term commitment to partnership development

- Joint PhD Awards

- Academic workshops

- Visiting Fellows scheme

- Joint pump-priming funds

- Travel Fund

Common Priority Areas

• Sporting mega-events: Legacies and Education• Brazil as an emerging power• Energy - low carbon agenda, bio-fuels• Oil and Gas• Cancer Studies• Biodiversity• Smart Cities• Biomaterials

Signature Engagement

• 5 Colleges – each has signature engagement• MDS – Cancer Studies• EPS – Energy• LES – Sports• CoSS - Brazil as an emerging power• CAL – Linguistics and Translation Studies

Finding Partners

• Academic led• Rankings• Beyond the ‘Golden Triangle’

UoB Brazil Engagement

São Paulo:FAPESP Joint FundUSP, UNESP, UNICAMP Casa Guilherme internship

Rio Grande do Norte:Oil and gas workshop UFRN

Pernambuco: UFPE

Rio de Janeiro:UFRJ, UFF, BNOFAPERJ to launchINCA partnership

Santa Catarina:UoB-UoN OfficeUFSC partnership

Bahia:UFBA agreement

Brasilia:Ministry of SportUnB, CAPES, CNPq agreements

Minas Gerais:UFMGMG Tennis Club

Amazonas:UoB involved in UKTI Bio-diversity workshop

How?

Mapping existing engagement Travel fund to explore collaborative opportunities Workshops Visiting Fellows Pump-priming projects Funding applications

Sustainability

Building networks Early career researcher mobility PhDs The next phase – increased teaching collaboration and

the development of joint/dual degrees

Science without Borders

UoB one of largest recipients of UG students- 70+ enrolled at present

Growing number of full PhD students Opportunities to build long term links with Brazil through the

development of a significant alumni base and establishment of additional institutional agreements

Potential to engage with industry in the region for mutual benefit in order to provide work experience for SwB students

What next? Plans to increase flow of sandwich PhD students linked to ongoing research collaborations

Aligning engagement across different regions

Bringing together the best possible teams of academics to collaborate on common challenges and shared problems

Global Innovation Initiative UK + US + 1 (or 2) Horizon 2020 Erasmus +

Success Factors Need to identify common challenges and shared problems Understand what partners are looking for from UK/partnerships Importance of up front investment Focus on mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships Value of personal relations In-country presence to supporting relations and activity Close relationship with Consulate, Science and Innovation teams,

Embassy and Brazilian stakeholders Collaboration with other UK organisations where appropriate Learn the language!