Rutgers–Camden Continues to Build Global Relationships

CAMDEN — As Rutgers–Camden’s reputation for being a global university continues to grow, it is looking for new ways to build connections with institutions around the world and provide opportunities for students to experience different cultures.

On Friday, Oct. 12, another door to more international growth opened when Rutgers–Camden had the honor of hosting guests from the Federal University of Bahia in the Brazil.

Located in the city of Salvador, the public university is the largest in the state of Bahia with more than 27,000 students and 112 undergraduate programs.

Federal University of Bahia President Dora Leal Rosa and her colleagues joined Rutgers–Camden Chancellor Wendell Pritchett on a tour of the Rutgers–Camden campus, during which they met with academic deans and faculty members to explore opportunities to collaborate.

“This kind of international collaboration is one of the ways we can expand Rutgers–Camden’s global reach while encouraging students and faculty at Rutgers–Camden and the Federal University of Bahia to explore international research and study abroad opportunities,” Pritchett said. “We were honored to host our distinguished guests and look forward to exploring ways our two universities can work together in the future.”

Joining President Rosa and Chancellor Pritchett were Robert Verhine, the vice provost for graduate study at the Federal University of Bahia, and Marcelo Embiruçu, the university’s vice provost for research and innovation.

In speaking to Rutgers–Camden leaders during a luncheon in the Private Dining Room in the Campus Center, Rosa said, “We’re very happy to have this experience and view it as an opportunity to take with us ideas to improve our institution, provide opportunities for our students, and allow Rutgers–Camden students to visit our university.”

While at Rutgers–Camden, Rosa and her colleagues spoke to Pritchett and Rutgers–Camden’s academic leadership about civic engagement, public school partnerships, and international studies being conducted by the Rutgers School of Business–Camden, the Rutgers–Camden Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and the Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden, among other academic units.

The group also had a chance to tour the LEAP Academy University Charter School in Camden.

“It’s a model we think we can utilize, too, as we focus on providing educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Brazil,” Rosa said.

The Federal University of Bahia was established in 1946.

“We want to continue to innovate and advance our university,” Rosa said. “We see similarities between our university and Rutgers–Camden. We want to work with other institutions and attract students who are committed to creating a better society.”