HOW “SCIENCE WITHOUT BORDERS” PROGRAM BOOSTED INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN BRAZIL: THE CASE OF UNIFAL-MG

Abstract

In this article we discuss the impact of Science without Borders Program (SwB) on the internationalization process of Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Brazil. SwB was a prominent project in the scope of internationalization of higher education and drew the attention of universities, citizens, the media, and the scientific community. Based on the literature on internationalization of higher education and on data from the program, this case study revealed UNIFAL-MG’s perception of SwB and its implication on the university’s incipient internationalization process. From the point of view of the university’s academic community, the main advantage of SwB was the international study experience of scholarship holders, who declared having had immense personal and academic growth. On the other hand, improvements on UNIFAL-MG’s internationalization process were observed. We concluded that without adequate planning and specific assessment the difficulty in implementing the objectives of international mobility programs such as SwB will be perpetuated in Brazil.