The Atlanta Regional Education Consortium (AREC) on March 31 hosted over 125 students from the Brazil’s Scientific Mobility Program (BSMP) to join STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs at colleges and universities in Georgia.
Fulton County’s Chairman Dr. John Eaves and Dr. Jun Liu, Georgia State’s Associate Provost for international initiatives, co-hosted the AREC.
“Monday’s meet and greet served as an opportunity for all of the program’s students who are currently studying in Atlanta to network with one another, as well as admission counselors from Atlanta-area colleges and universities that do not have an IEP program,” stated the office of International Initiatives.
Dr. Liu said that AREC’s welcome reception was a wonderful opportunity for individuals at Georgia State to meet Brazilian students and for those students to meet each other.
“The energy in the room was excellent, and I think all of the students were excited to learn about Atlanta’s many colleges and universities,” Dr. Liu said.
The Brazilian students at the event currently attend various universities within Georgia such as Kennesaw State, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, Mercer and Oglethorpe, according to Saporta Report
Dr. Liu said that the focus of the event was on the 125 Brazilian students and their attendance. Seventy-five staff and administrators from Atlanta-area colleges and universities also attended.
“The college program is the newest initiative in this ongoing relation. It’s part of Brazil’s effort to reduce a skills shortage in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math by sending students to noted universities around the world,” Saporta Report states.
Georgia State’s Office of International Initiatives website also states that Atlanta BSMP students are enrolled in the pre-academic Intensive English Program (IEP) at the universities they currently attend.
Cheryl Delk-Le Good, director of IEP at Georgia, said that the amount of time it takes to complete the program depends on the level at which the students place when they first arrive.
“Students who place into the upper levels of a program may only need 1-2 semesters of pre-academic English prior to beginning an academic program,” she said in a statement. “Taking English courses concurrently with academic coursework is also an option at many institutions that have the resource available.”
As soon as the students complete all of their English proficiency requirements, they may apply to various fields at the University.
Dr. Liu also said that BSMP students play a crucial role as ambassadors between Brazil and the U.S. and within Atlanta, particularly at Georgia State.
“The students represent an important indicator of how strong Atlanta-Brazil ties are. We welcome the students to our campuses and hope they will make Atlanta their new home,” he said. “We strongly encourage Georgia State students to get to know their BSMP classmates and to learn about Brazil’s culture, history, politics and more.”
Mayor Kasim Reed left on March 5 to Sao Paulo and Rio De Janerio, Brazil to lead a delegation of Atlanta-based companies and organization officials on a trade-mission.
Mayor Reed was joined by City Council President Caesar Mitchell and council members Keisha Bottoms, CT Martin and Kwanza Hall and Invest Atlanta President and CEO Brian McGowan, according to an official press release provided by The City of Atlanta’s official website.
“The objective of this trade mission to Brazil is threefold: help Atlanta-based companies position themselves in the Brazilian market; promote Atlanta to potential investors; and increase Atlanta’s visibility on the global stage,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “I am confident that this trade mission to Brazil will strengthen Atlanta’s position as an international economic capital, expand opportunities for our businesses and foster job creation.”
Mayor Reed’s trip was being supported by the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs, Invest Atlanta, Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, according to Saporta Report. Another supporter of the trip is the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, Southeast U.S.
“Brazil represents Georgia’s eighth-largest export market. In 2012, Georgia exported $1.01 billion in goods to Brazil. Brazil ranks second among Georgia’s Latin American investors based on total employment and total number of facilities,” Metro Atlanta Chamber stated.
