Internationalization and Strategic Partnerships

Internationalization is a strategic pillar of the Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering (PPGCEM), promoting global scientific collaborations, training qualified researchers, and developing innovative technological solutions. The program maintains partnerships with excellence institutions worldwide, fostering academic mobility and the realization of joint projects that impact research and the productive sector.

International Agreements and Academic Mobility

PPGCEM has established international cotutelle agreements with institutions such as the Université de Poitiers (France) and the Universidad del País Vasco (Spain), enabling dual degrees for doctoral students and consolidating scientific collaboration networks. Additionally, the program facilitates academic exchanges for students and faculty at globally renowned universities, such as:

• University of Surrey (United Kingdom)
• West Virginia University (USA)
• McGill University (Canada)
• National University of Singapore (Singapore)
• University of Pennsylvania – Penn Dental Medicine (USA)
• Université de La Rochelle (France)
• Sichuan University of Science & Engineering (China)
• Aalto University (Finland)
• Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
• University of Padua (Italy)

These experiences are funded by programs such as CAPES-PRINT and PDSE, strengthening academic training and the international insertion of PPGCEM researchers.

International Projects and Strategic Partnerships

PPGCEM leads and participates in globally impactful projects, including:

• CAPES-COFECUB Project – collaboration with the Université de Poitiers (France), resulting in faculty and student mobility and the production of joint research.
• MAI DAI Projects (CNPq) – in partnership with companies such as CMPC and SETA, developing sustainable technologies and innovation in the industrial sector.
• Research at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste (Italy) – ensuring access to cutting-edge infrastructure for advanced experiments.
• Projects with EMBRAPII – in partnership with units of UFPel and FURG, contributing to advancements in nanostructured materials, renewable energies, and surface technology.

Faculty in International Committees and High-Impact Publications

PPGCEM faculty members are part of committees in funding agencies such as CNPq, CAPES, and FAPERGS, influencing research and innovation policies. Additionally, they serve as editors and reviewers for high-impact scientific journals, including:

• Environmental Science and Pollution Research
• Biomass & Bioenergy
• Chemical Engineering Journal
• ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
• Journal of Molecular Liquids
• Mechanism and Machine Theory
• Journal of Cleaner Production
• Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
• Journal of Fungi
• European Journal of Wood and Wood Products
• International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation
• Fibers and Polymers
• Sustainability
• Polymers
• Polymer Composites

Other journals can be accessed in the faculty members’ curricula. This participation strengthens the program’s visibility on the global stage and expands its network of scientific collaborations.

Startups Founded by PPGCEM Alumni and Students

PPGCEM has encouraged entrepreneurship and innovation through the creation and development of startups founded by its alumni and students, strengthening technology transfer and driving the impact of research in the productive sector. Some notable startups include:

• I9MAT INOVAÇÕES EM NANOTECNOLOGIA LTDA – focuses on nanotechnology-based solutions for industrial and environmental applications.
• Vert Genese – a startup dedicated to sustainable technologies and material innovation.
• REVEMARK – incubated at the Technological Park of the Catholic University of Pelotas, develops fingerprint developers and substances for drug detection. It was founded by Dr. Bruno Rosa Nunes and Dr. Taís Poletti, both PPGCEM alumni.
• CHROMAANALYTICA – created by doctoral student Danielle Tapia Bueno and postdoctoral researcher Daisa, the startup operates in the field of chemical analysis and technological innovation.

These companies demonstrate PPGCEM’s ability to train entrepreneurial researchers and generate real societal impact through innovation.

Scientific Events and International Cooperation

PPGCEM plays an active role in organizing and participating in global scientific events, strengthening its international presence. A highlight was its participation in the II Encuentro de Investigadores en Ciencia de Materiales (Uruguay), where the program had the largest Brazilian delegation, and its students were awarded for innovative work.

Additionally, the program regularly hosts visiting professors from various countries, such as China, Finland, Mexico, and Pakistan, promoting scientific exchange and academic diversity.

Commitment to Internationalization

PPGCEM’s internationalization reflects its commitment to academic excellence and global collaboration. Through strategic partnerships, exchanges, research projects, and entrepreneurship encouragement, the program positions itself as a reference in Materials Science and Engineering, contributing to scientific and technological development in Brazil and worldwide.

Quadrennial 2016-2020

PPGCEM has established interactions with consolidated international centers in Europe and Oceania, including:

• Instituto de Ingenieria de Materiales Renovables, Universidad del País Vasco, Spain.
• Sheffield Hallam University, England.
• Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom.
• Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), Switzerland.
• Silesian University of Technology, Poland.
• Deakin University, Australia.
• Forest Products Technology & Management Laboratory, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Kuchl, Austria.
• Aalto University, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Finland.
• Institut für Materialwissenschaft, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
• Université de Poitiers, France.
• Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), France.
• Hanse Institute for Advanced Studies, Carl Von Ossietzky Universität, Germany.
• Additive Manufacturing, Scion Institute, New Zealand.
• Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain.
• Imperial College, England.
• University of Bologna, Department of Medical and Neuromotor Sciences, Italy.
• Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés, Université de Lorraine, France.
• European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France.
• Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Spain.
• Departamento de Química-Física y Analítica, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain.

Interactions with Consolidated International Centers in North America

• Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada.
• Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mexico.
• Regenerative Dentistry Laboratory and Angiogenesis Laboratory, University of Michigan, USA.
• Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), USA.
• Department of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Canada.
• The George Washington University, USA.
• Department of Biology, Auburn University, Alabama, USA.
• West Virginia University, USA.
• New York University, USA.

Interactions with Consolidated International Centers in South America

• Universidad de Magallanes (UMAG), Punta Arenas, Chile.
• Universidad Arturo Prat, Chile.
• Universidad de Chile, Chile.
• Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
• Universidad Tecnológica del Uruguay (UTEC), Rivera, Uruguay.