The Federal University of Itajubà (UNIFEI) in Brazil and IMT Atlantique signed an agreement on November, 19, to offer a double degree, strengthening their partnership in favor of student mobility and research.
This agreement is part of the BRAFITEC FORMULPI 4.0 program aimed at providing students with high-level scientific and technological training, linked to the challenges of Industry 4.0. Since 2023, UNIFEI in the state of Minas Gerais (one of Brazil's largest states) has been an active participant in this program, which stands out for its ability to prepare future engineers for the challenges of the digital transition, while promoting cultural and scientific exchanges between the two countries.
The network of Brazilian universities partnering the BRAFITEC program also includes, for Brazil, the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) (coordinator for Brazil) and the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in the State of Sao Paulo, and three French grandes écoles, IMT Atlantique (coordinator for France), UTC and Grenoble INP. The aim is to train Brazilian engineers “French style”, combining theoretical and practical training in a cutting-edge academic and industrial environment.
Research exchanges
Professor Giovani Bernardes VITOR, director of the Robotics, Intelligent and Complex Systems (RobSIC) laboratory at UNIFEI, and a former researcher at UTC, is one of the driving forces behind this cooperation. His work in robotics and complex systems illustrates the complementary nature of the two institutions' expertise.
The BRAFITEC program is not limited to academic training: it also includes a research dimension, now required by the Brazilian government via CAPES, the organization in charge of higher education in Brazil. This new orientation will enable the development of joint research projects in fields such as intelligent systems, robotics and artificial intelligence. These collaborations could result in the mobility of researchers and doctoral students, as well as opportunities for research internships in partner laboratories. Brazilian professors and researchers meet with their French counterparts every year to identify avenues for collaboration at all levels.
Since September 2023, IMT Atlantique has welcomed three UNIFEI students every year. From now on, they will have the opportunity to spend part of their studies at IMT Atlantique, in particular on the Nantes campus, benefiting from scholarships and mobility grants, to obtain a double degree.
This partnership is a unique opportunity for students from both countries to enhance their professional skills, open up to new horizons and develop their careers.
Learn more
- On the BRAFITEC program (BRAsil France Ingénieurs TEChnologie)
by Pierre-Hervé VAILLANT