South-South Cooperation strengthens internationalization between UFRN and ISCED in Sumbe, Angola

The Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) continues to strengthen its international ties through academic partnerships based on solidarity and the mutual construction of knowledge. Between the 21st and 25th of April 2025, professor Sulemi Fabiano Campos, from the Department of Literature and the Postgraduate Program in Language Studies (PPgEL) at the Center for Human Sciences, Letters and Arts (CCHLA), participated in activities linked to the International Cooperation Agreement between UFRN and the Instituto Superior de Ciências da Educação do Sumbe (ISCED/S), located in Angola.
During the visit, the professor worked in the coordination of the Master's Dissertation Seminar in Educational Sciences, focusing on the area of ​​Portuguese Language. She was also part of the organization and participated in the VII Angola-Brazil Teacher Training Seminar, which had as its central theme Impacts of International Cooperation on the Training of Researchers and Teachers.
The partnership is part of a South-South cooperation initiative, based on principles of equity, solidarity and shared responsibility between Brazil and Angola. Both countries face common challenges related to social and historical inequalities, and it is through mutual cooperation that they seek to overcome them in a joint and sustainable way. More than transferring knowledge, the proposal promotes a continuous and horizontal process of exchanging knowledge between teachers and students, valuing the experiences and local contexts of each country.
In addition to UFRN, the agreement involves other Brazilian institutions, such as the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), the University of São Paulo (USP), the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and the Federal University of Pará (UFPA). UFRN's participation began in 2018 and remains active, with emphasis on initiatives in the field of postgraduate studies, strengthening academic and scientific exchange between Brazil and Angola.
The focus of cooperation is on the Master's and Doctorate programs in Education Sciences at ISCED/S, especially in the areas of Portuguese Language, Mathematics, Integrated Sciences and Artistic and Motor Expressions. In 2019, a working group was created to implement the first Doctorate course in Education Sciences outside the Angolan capital, Luanda. The project was approved by the Ministry of Higher Education of Angola in 2021 and received funding from Expertise France/UNI.AO in 2023. Classes began in November of the same year, with a class of 30 students, and include the participation of teachers from the Postgraduate Programs in Language Studies (PPgEL) and the Performing Arts Program (PPGArC), both from UFRN.
Among the fruits of this collaboration, the creation of the Research Group on Angolan Languages ​​in Teaching Context (LAnCE), the first research group at ISCED/S, with active participation of Brazilian and Angolan teachers and students, stands out. The cooperation also includes joint publication, the offering of disciplines and research guidance.
The joint actions planned for 2025 include the offer of an Instrumental English course, promoted by UFRN for ISCED/S doctoral students. The activity is coordinated by professor Izabel Souza do Nascimento, from the Department of Modern Foreign Languages ​​and Literatures (DLLEM), with the aim of preparing students for the English Language Proficiency Exam. In return, Angolan teachers will offer an Umbundu language course, valuing Angola's linguistic heritage and promoting cultural exchange between the countries.
The offer of the English course has the support of the Deans of Postgraduate Studies (PPG) and Extension (Proex), the Secretariat for International Relations (SRI) and the Languages ​​Without Borders Program (ISF). The initiative is also supported by the National Association of Directors of Federal Higher Education Institutions (Andifes), which will finance the scholarship selected to help run the course, and has the support of professor Orison Marden Bandeira de Melo Junior (DLLEM).
More than a set of specific projects, this partnership symbolizes a lasting commitment to transformative education, based on academic solidarity and the promotion of dialogue between the peoples of the Global South. These values ​​reflect UFRN's institutional mission, which is aligned with the search for equitable, inclusive and sustainable internationalization. By strengthening cooperation networks that value local knowledge and rec