The Brazilian Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Alfonso José Sena Cardoso visited Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) recently to launch the Institute’s Brazilian ‘Carnaval’ and celebration of Brazilian culture. Brazilian students now represent th
The Brazilian Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Alfonso José Sena Cardoso visited Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) recently to launch the Institute’s Brazilian ‘Carnaval’ and celebration of Brazilian culture. Brazilian students now represent the largest international student cohort at the Institute with over 200 students studying on a variety of Bachelor, Masters and Doctoral programmes making the Institute the number one choice for Brazilian students amongst all Irish higher education institutions.
The Ambassador addressed students and staff and asked them to avail of every possible opportunity to get the most from their stay in Waterford. He particularly mentioned the importance of friendships that students forge when they study abroad and said that they would always have fond memories of Ireland and particularly of Waterford for the rest of their lives.
Welcoming the Ambassador to the Institute, Dr Thomas O’Toole, Vice-President for international Relations, referred to WITs longstanding relationship with Brazil and mentioned that new partnerships continue to be forged with Brazil’s leading universities. “These partnerships form the basis for student and staff exchange and also for an ever increasing number of joint research projects between academic staff in both countries” commented Dr O’Toole.
Later in the day, the Ambassador officially launched the “2015 WIT Carnaval” to the sound of a Samba band followed by Samba dancers, streamers and balloons bringing a real Brazilian carnival flavour to the WIT campus.
“Our Brazilian students bring a great vibrancy to campus life” commented Don O’Neill, of the Institute’s Office for International Relations. Many of the students are here as part of a Brazilian government scholarship programme ‘Science without Borders’. “The programme is aimed at up skilling Brazilian students in the areas of Engineering and Science while also affording them the opportunity to improve their language and intercultural skills during their period abroad”. Mr O’Neill added that “the Brazilian students make a very valuable contribution to the academic, social and sporting life on campus. They have integrated very well with all students in what is truly a multi-cultural campus at WIT with students from 71 different countries”.
This Institute continues to expand its range of university partnerships in Brazil and this weekend the Head of School of Engineering, Dr Ken Thomas and Don O’Neill will attend a number of events in Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and São Paulo to celebrate St Patrick’s Day as part of a delegation being led by Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan TD.
More information
For more information on studying in WIT as an international student, or availing of study abroad opportunities as an Irish student, visit [url=http://www.wit.ie/international]http://www.wit.ie/international[/url].
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