Internationalising Higher Education

Since the beginning of 2009 Leandro Tessler has been special advisor to the President of University of Campinas (UNICAMP) on international issues and was recently appointed Director of International Relations. Professor Tessler has worked on institutional evaluation for the Brazilian Ministry of Education, is a member of the Committee for the Evaluation of Programmes in Physics and the Ministry of Education and Science Steering Committee for Curriculum reform and expansion of the Federal Higher Education system in Brazil. Internationalisation is a key strategic priority for the current UNICAMP administration and Professor Tessler is leading a taskforce to research current challenges. UNICAMP is setting challenging targets as he is working to establish UNICAMP as a preferential destination for foreign students coming to Brazil. Amongst a wide range of tactics, he is establishing wider participation in international networks of universities, developing peer-to-peer agreements, including double diplomas, dedicating fresh financial resources and developing an international dimension of participation and exchange in research activities.