University Alliance Ruhr opens the liaison office in São Paulo!

University Alliance Ruhr opens the liaison office in São Paulo!

São Paulo, Brasilien - The University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) opened a new liaison office in São Paulo on June 9, 2025 to promote the scientific exchange between its member universities and partner institutions in Latin America. The office, which is accommodated in the German Science and Innovation House (DWIH), is coordinated by the University of Duisburg-Essen. Numerous guests from Germany and Latin America were present at the opening ceremony, including representatives of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Research Foundation.

The rector of the University of Duisburg-Essen, Prof. Dr. Matthias Epple, who heads the office together with Marcio Weichert, sees this new location a chance to strengthen the institutional and scientific partnerships in the region. From 2012 to 2019, the UA Ruhr was already active in Brazil before it had no physical presence between 2020 and 2024. With the reopening of the office, the presence is now expanded throughout Latin America.

freedom of science in focus

The opening also discussed current topics that are important for the scientific community in Latin America. Prof. Dr. Sandra Almeida held a keynote speech entitled "Opportunities and Challenges to Academic Freedom and Democracy". It was emphasized that in many Latin American countries, authoritarian governments threaten freedom of science and that the current political situation complicates the exchange of knowledge resources. This is in the context of worrying development, which was also discussed as part of an online discussion of the DAAD competence center International Science Cooperations (KIWI).

The university alliance Ruhr and the Federal University of Minas Gerais signed a memorandum of understanding justified. This shows the commitment of the two institutions, despite the challenges that the political and economic instability in the region brings with it, to continue working more closely together.

outlook on future activities

In the second half of 2025, the UA Ruhr plans to attend various events in Colombia and Mexico and to visit institutions in Argentina and Chile. These steps are intended to further deepen the scientific exchange and promote the dialogue between the academic communities of both regions. Future dates include participation in the annual conference of the SPBC in Recife and the DAAD event in Rio de Janeiro on June 12 and 13, 2025.

Overall, the reopening of the liaison office offers a promising life nerve for the exchange between Germany and Latin America. In it, the Ruhr, UA Ruhr, emphasizes the importance of university autonomy and academic freedom as basic values ​​that must be both funded and protected. These principles are essential to ensure sustainable cooperation despite the challenges that authoritarian tendencies in some countries have.