Current News
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
U.S. community colleges and Brazil engage 750 students in
skills and global leadership
Denver, Colorado April 19, 2013
US-Brazil Connect, the Brazilian Confederation of Industry, the National Industrial Apprenticeship Service of Brazil (SENAI), the Social Service for Industry of Brazil (SESI), and the United States Embassy in Brazil celebrate the leadership of four U.S. community colleges in the expansion of the US-Brazil Partnership for Skills/World Connect. This year, the Partnership will send 50 U.S. fellows to six different sites in Brazil for a four-week paid fellowship engaging 700 Brazilian students.
“Brazil is an economic and democratic power the United States needs as a partner,” said John Matel, Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy in Brazil. “Creating this partnership is not just the work of diplomats. US-Brazil Connect demonstrates how community colleges can play a leadership role to connect their students, communities and businesses to build mutually-beneficial relationships.”
Community colleges in the United States enroll nearly half of undergraduates in the nation—just over 13 million students. In Brazil, SENAI and SESI operate a network of schools, laboratories, and technology centers, comprising the largest technical and professional education complex in Latin America.
“Our 2012 Partnership with US-Brazil Connect demonstrated impressive results,” said Sergio Moreira, Deputy Director for Education and Technology at Brazil’s National Confederation of Industries (CNI). “We are applying what worked last year to a larger scale, creating an affordable and replicable model to bring hundreds of young people from both countries together to develop their skills and abilities.”
According to Jane Karas, chair-elect of the American Association of Community Colleges and President of Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, MT, this collaboration is a natural fit. “This partnership will increase opportunities for our nation’s community colleges while creating new opportunities for students in Brazil,” she said. “We are excited to strengthen our international presence while preparing our students for a growing global economy.”
The expansion in 2013 builds on the success of the pilot program in Salvador, Bahia and works to achieve three goals: (1) build the global leadership skills of US-Brazil Connect Fellows; (2) improve English skills of Brazilian students; and (3) strengthen institutional connections between Brazil’s technical education system and U.S. community colleges. This year, the Partnership is implemented in the United States through the leadership of Flathead Valley Community College, Jackson Community College, Red Rocks Community College, and Northwestern Michigan College.
“Community colleges must lead in building global connections,” said Dan Phelan, President of Jackson Community College. “It’s vital that our students attain a high level of global and cultural competence, and our efforts with US-Brazil Connect further that goal. Indeed, this year Jackson Community College is pleased to expand our work with Brazil as we send a team of nine professionals and thirteen students to three Brazilian cities.”
This enthusiasm for engagement is felt throughout the US-Brazil Connect community college network.
“US-Brazil Connect and our member colleges are proud to partner with SENAI and SESI in Brazil,” said Mary Gershwin, President of US-Brazil Connect. “This partnership does more than create academic exchange. It models how two large systems — in this case community colleges in the U.S. and the SENAI/SESI system in Brazil — can come together in an affordable, accessible, and sustainable way to meet the needs of students and communities.”
To view a 2-minute video on the process of US-Brazil Connect, click here.
US-Brazil Connect is the subject of a feature article in The
International Educator this month.
Click here to read the full story: Community Colleges Partner with Brazil
February 4, 2013
Announcing the Global Leaders Fellowship
Apply by March 11, 2013 for a 4-week paid fellowship in Brazil.
Click here for informational packet and application.
We are looking for strong fellowship candidates who have the drive and desire to thrive in the US-Brazil Connect GLOBAL LEADERS FELLOWSHIP. The Fellowship links U.S. participants and Brazilian technology students in a transformative cross-cultural learning experience. Selected Fellows are outstanding young professionals, recent college graduates, graduate students, or in their final two years of their undergraduate program.
December 4, 2013
US-Brazil Connect Fellowship Applications are now open at Jackson Community College and will open soon at Red Rocks and Houston. We are looking for outstanding community college students who will travel to Brazil for a 4-week intensive fellowship, working with Brazilian high school students.
More about the program.
See the JCC application:
Red Rocks and Houston Community College applications opening soon.
Education Investments are Focus of “Brazil Day”
Denver, Colorado– In recognition of Brazil’s emergence as the sixth-largest economy in the world and its significant investments in education, more than 100 Colorado leaders from higher education, business, government, and philanthropy gathered on October 23rd at the Denver Branch of the Federal Reserve for “Brazil Day.”
Sergio Moreira, Director of Education and Technology of the Brazilian Confederation of Industry/SENAI and SESI, discussed Brazil’s growing investment in education. “It will take 20 years for Brazil to develop the workforce we need and we are making the investments required today,” said Mr. Moreira. “The National Industrial Apprenticeship Service (SENAI) is investing R$1.5 billion (US$750 million) to create 23 new Innovation Institutes designed to support business innovation and research in Brazil. Additionally,. Brazil’s Science Without Borders Initiative is sending 100,000 students for study abroad focused on science, technology, and innovation.”
The Denver event also included 35 Brazilian and U.S. students focused on global connections, technology, and innovation. Mary Gershwin, president of US-Brazil Connect, highlighted the significance of the students’ presence. “We are here today with inspired students who will bring Colorado and Brazil closer together for mutual benefit and greater opportunity. This is great news, but we must also acknowledge a disturbing reality,” she said. “While emerging economies such as Brazil are investing billions in education of the next generation, public funding for community colleges in Colorado has declined 41% since 2001. The presence of these Brazilian students reminds us that Brazil’s leaders in industry and government are making a focused commitment in the next generation. If the U.S. is to keep pace, we must reverse the current trend of declining investment in community college and technical education…” Read more.
August 28th, 2012
As of this week, the Brazilian students selected to go to Denver for ten days have officially been announced by EBEP. Congratulations to the “Lucky 10″ (in no particular order):
Daniel Teixeira; Larissa Carvalho; Carolina Assis; Matheus Ribeiro; Erick Morais; Guilherme Edington; Raiza Torres; Taiane Silva; Talma Reis Neto; and Yan Nunes. Read their bios!
Students were selected based on a specific set of criteria determined by SENAI and EBEP. While we are so excited for them, we do recognize that this has been a difficult process for all involved; 10 people is so very few when there are 200 participants overall. In our opinion, all who participated in the EBEP program are winners! They have made impressions on our hearts that will last a lifetime!
July 07, 2012
The pilot program fellows just returned home from an amazing month abroad! Read their stories.
On the sixth of June, upon the arrival of the Americans, we were taken by anticipation and curiosity… What will my coach be like in person? Will it be fun? Will it be worth it?… Read more.
June 06, 2012:
Let the journey begin!
Our group of 23 community college fellows and faculty from Houston, Red Rocks, and Jackson community colleges landed in Salvador on June 5th and met our 200 Brazilian students in person last Wednesday. Imagine being welcomed to Brazil by a rock band, dance, and a party with 200 kids who cannot wait to meet you! It was unforgettable. Watch a video of our first day interacting and working together.
April 2012
The 2012 US-Brazil Connect Fellows have been selected and are excited to begin working with 200 students from Salvador, Bahia! Included in the photo are US-Brazil Connect Fellows from Red Rocks Community College, members of the board, and friends of US-Brazil Connect.
April 2012
US-BRAZIL CONNECT Presents at the American Association of Community Colleges Convention
On April 22nd, US-Brazil Connect President, Mary Gershwin , together with members of the Brazilian Council of International Directors of the Federal Technological Institutes, gave a presentation in Orlando addressing opportunities to leverage the power of the U.S.-Brazil relationship in supporting innovation in U.S. community colleges. Read More.
2012
Brazil is now the sixth-largest economy in the world.
US-Brazil Connect, the National Industrial Apprenticeship Service of Brazil (SENAI), and Social Service for Industry of Brazil (SESI) are joining forces to develop a new workforce training initiative — the US-Brazil Partnership for Skills.
The Partnership:
- Creates opportunities for U.S. community college students interested in science and technology careers to participate in intensive study and immersion in Brazil;
- Improves the English skills of Brazilian technical students;
- Demonstrates real-world relevance of STEM-related studies in the the US and Brazil;
- Develops the foundation for mutually-beneficial cooperation between community colleges in the U.S. and SENAI/SESI schools in Brazil
Says Sergio Moreira, Deputy Director for Education and Technology at Brazil’s National Confederation of Industries (CNI):
We are creating a strong network of people and institutions for knowledge and culture. By bringing young people in both countries together to develop their skills and abilities, we aim to increase dialogue between our institutions.”
According to Moreira, the initiative is a win-win: “The two countries will benefit equally. Our aim is to reach all Brazilian states, starting with the participants in the basic and vocational education programs run by SESI and SENAI.”
Houston Community College (TX), Jackson Community College (MI), and Red Rocks Community College (CO), founding members of the US-Brazil Connect consortium, are now selecting the first group of outstanding community college students who will travel to Salvador, Brazil, for a four-week exchange in June 2012. This first cohort of U.S. participants will tutor Brazilian technical students in English and participate in an intensive program focused on sustainability, technology, and innovation. The program is designed to make international experience accessible: Selected community college students pay less than five percent of the total costs of the program.
Join us in unleashing the power of partnerships to bring communities in the U.S. and Brazil together for greater understanding, education, and economic opportunity!
US-BRAZIL CONNECT is an initiative of the non-profit Business Champions.