Higher Education Systems and social development: European Union universities programs analysis and case studies in Portugal and Spain

Abstract

This project is linked to the activities carried on by the team of the project "Higher Education, research and innovation policy, development processes- comparative study of four countries: Germany, Brazil, France and United States" (Fapesp process nr 2013/26999-4). Specifically, the project plans a visit of the proponent to the Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research (IN+) at the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)- Lisbon University, and also visits to other European institutions, between October 2015 and February 2016. The main objective is to advance on research that aims at relating the institutional designs of universities (governance, teaching, research and extension activities, and the relationships between these activities) to social and economic development processes. Thus, the research aims at a better understanding of recent changes in European universities and its influence over Brazilian Universities (an example is the influence of the Bolonha Process over the creation of Interdisciplinary Bachelors in Brazilian Universities). The project also has institutional objectives, related to the activities of the proponent on the function of adjunct pro-rector of extension at UFABC: firstly, to know in detail the organization and programs of European universities, aiming at knowing solutions useful to formulation and implementation of programs at UFABC, with a view on university extension activities; secondly, create networking in order to foster international cooperation , aligned with the internationalization objectives defined by the Institutional Development Plan of UFABC.