CAPES Global.edu Programme
The CAPES Global.edu Programme is an institutional internationalisation initiative of the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES), which aims to strengthen cooperation among Brazilian teaching and research institutions with varying levels of internationalisation. Through the creation of collaborative networks, the initiative seeks to expand the international engagement of participating institutions and foster cooperation with partners in Brazil and abroad.
The program supports initiatives aimed at the development of research and graduate education, enhancing the qualifications of students, faculty members, researchers, and technical staff, and strengthening institutional internationalisation strategies.
Running through 2031, the CAPES Global.edu Program will receive an investment of up to R$350 million annually over four years to fund scholarships in Brazil and abroad, participation in scientific events and international working missions, and provide resources for international cooperation project activities.
Network
UNIJUÍ is a member of the "UFRN–UEL–UFLA–UNIFAP–UNIJUÍ: International Cooperation Network," approved under the CAPES Global.edu Program and coordinated by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). In addition to UNIJUÍ, the network brings together the Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP), the State University of Londrina (UEL), and the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA).
The network's activities are organised around three major themes, aligned with Brazil's Priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): “Ecological Transition”; “Innovation, Health Biotechnology, and Digital Health from the One Health Perspective: Promoting Sustainable Development for Social Well-being”; and “Evolution, Social Structures, Cognition, and Behaviour”.
All of UNIJUÍ's stricto sensu graduate programmes (Master's and Doctoral programmes) are included in the network.
ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION
This theme brings together well-established and emerging graduate programs that collaborate across complementary areas of expertise. The participating programs address topics such as the origin and maintenance of biodiversity, shifts in species distributions, climate variability, precipitation patterns, and environmental modelling—all of which provide a foundation for understanding climate change impacts, planning the sustainable use of natural resources, and conserving biological diversity. The theme also encompasses programs focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with production systems, the use of clean technologies and nature-based solutions, the bioeconomy, water and food security, as well as environmental governance, public policy, and sustainability. The proposal aims to address internationalisation disparities among institutions and establish the network as a global reference in the Ecological Transition.
Objectives
Contribute to advancing scientific knowledge on the theme of the ecological transition through partnerships with international institutions, focusing on approaches such as the identification and conservation of ecosystems that function as carbon sinks; the promotion of food production systems that minimise greenhouse gas emissions and pollution; and the promotion of water security, particularly water quality, through water quality monitoring and nature-based solutions. Promote and support the strategic international engagement of graduate students, researchers, faculty members, and technical staff through the provision of scholarships that enable international mobility and collaboration, aiming to enhance high-level qualifications and strengthen scientific, technological, and innovation partnerships. Promote the development of human resources through the exchange of methodologies and scientific knowledge with leading international institutions, fostering the creation of transdisciplinary and innovative solutions that strengthen the capacity of Brazilian higher education institutions to address the challenges of the ecological transition, generating a direct impact on climate resilience and regional sustainable development. Elevate the network’s international visibility by consolidating strategic partnerships and projects with leading global institutions and integrating Brazilian scientific research into key international agendas on biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and the promotion of the ecological transition, thereby maximising the country's scientific and societal impact on the global stage. Promote inclusive internationalisation across the graduate programs that comprise the network, contributing to the reduction of existing asymmetries.
Alignment with Brazil's National Priorities
New Industry Brazil (Nova Indústria Brasil) Priorities; National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP); National Graduate Education Plan (PNPG). National Agenda for the Training of Highly Qualified Personnel; National Artisanal Fisheries Plan; National Bioeconomy Strategy; National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation; National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNA); New Brazil – Ecological Transformation Plan.
Alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SDG 4 - Quality Education; SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities; SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 13 - Climate Action; SDG 14 - Life Below Water; SDG 15 - Life on Land.
Participating Graduate Programmes
Graduate Programme in Regional Development (PPGDR)
Theme Coordinators: Daniel Knebel Baggio and Tarcísio Dorn de Oliveira
Graduate Programme in Environmental Systems and Sustainability (PPGSAS)
Theme Coordinator: Roberto Carbonera
Institutional Theme Coordinator: Tarcísio Dorn de Oliveira
INNOVATION AND BIOTECHNOLOGY IN DIGITAL HEALTH FROM A ONE HEALTH PERSPECTIVE: PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR SOCIAL WELL-BEING
The theme integrates the most recurrent axes identified in the network analysis, bringing together graduate programs with strong expertise in biotechnology, innovation, and digital health, in synergy with the principles of the One Health approach, which recognises the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health, as well as the role of the humanities and social sciences in promoting well-being and equity. This integration guides the development of solutions that combine prevention, diagnosis, and care throughout the life course, linking science, technology, and social commitment. The Network's research stands out for advancements in pharmaceutical biotechnology, as well as environmental and agricultural biotechnology applications aimed at sustainability, including biofilms, entomopathogenic fungi, and bio-based inputs. These initiatives strengthen the connections among health, the environment, and biodiversity. The innovation axis operates transversally, encompassing the development of new materials, sustainable industrial processes, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, with direct impacts on diagnostics, therapeutics, and surveillance systems. Digital health emerges as a strategic field through research on telemedicine, wearable sensors, and artificial intelligence applied to clinical practice, contributing to digital transformation and the safety and quality of healthcare. The humanistic perspective is incorporated through education, culture, and equity, acknowledging the intersecting social, territorial, racial, and gender-related factors that influence well-being and health inequalities, while reaffirming the Network's commitment to sustainable development and comprehensive life care.
Objectives
Expand the international mobility of students and faculty members, ensuring immersion in research and training environments focused on emerging fields such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence in healthcare, sustainability, and digital innovation. 2. Strengthen international human resource development and academic capacity building by fostering multidisciplinary and intercultural competencies in biotechnology, innovation, and digital health, in synergy with the principles of the One Health approach, as well as the role of the humanities and social sciences in promoting well-being and equity. 3. Generate scientific knowledge and innovative solutions that contribute to improving access, equity, and the quality of healthcare services in Brazil and in international contexts. 4. Encourage international collaborative research projects in pharmaceutical biotechnology and health sciences, with a focus on sustainability and the integration of human, animal, and environmental health. 5. Consolidate the international integration of partner universities through strategic partnerships with leading research institutions, enhancing the visibility and contribution of Brazilian knowledge to global agendas on Health 4.0, the ecological transition, and social innovation. 6. Foster open innovation and exchange among academia, healthcare systems, and the productive sector, promoting the translation of knowledge into products, public policies, and technologies that serve the public interest. 7. Value the role of the humanities and social sciences in promoting well-being, health education, culture, and equity, while recognising the intersectional factors that influence health and sustainable development.
Alignment with Brazil's National Priorities
National Innovation Policy (Decree No. 10,534/2020); National Policy on Popular Education in Health (PNEPS); National Health Information and Informatics Policy (PNIIS); National Humanization Policy (PNH).
Alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being; SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
Participating Graduate Programmes
Graduate Programme in Mathematical and Computational Modelling (PPGMMC)
Theme Coordinator: Rafael Zancan Frantz
Graduate Program in Comprehensive Health Care (PPGAIS)
Theme Coordinator: Thiago Gomes Heck
Institutional Theme Coordinator: Rafael Zancan Frantz
EVOLUTION, SOCIAL STRUCTURES, COGNITION, AND BEHAVIOR
The proposal adopts a strongly interdisciplinary approach, integrating perspectives on evolutionary mechanisms, social structures, and phylogenetic relationships, with a focus on the biological, symbolic, social, and cultural factors that shape behaviour and cognition. The initiative draws on methodologies spanning molecular, physiological, ecological, and sociocultural levels, applied to the study of learning, memory, decision-making, and embodied and symbolic cognition. It seeks to understand how these processes emerge within social life and historically constituted systems of cooperation and domination, recognising that human development combines biological and sociocultural dimensions through a process of coevolution among nature, society, and culture. This approach fosters high-impact academic production and the application of knowledge in educational technologies, neuropsychological rehabilitation strategies, and social practices regarding care, education, and inclusion. Its transversal nature is evidenced by the diversity of the participating graduate programs, which explore the experimental, social, philosophical, and technological aspects of cognition and behaviour. This plurality promotes dialogue between biological and sociocultural approaches, enabling the investigation of both mental and physiological processes and the social and symbolic conditions that structure learning, communication, and human action. The articulation among graduate programs strengthens national and international cooperation, enabling researcher exchange, joint training, integrated projects, and the internationalisation of academic output. The theme reflects the scientific mission of these graduate programs and enables connections across fields and institutions, driving advances in the study of mind, culture, and society from evolutionary, social, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
Objectives
The project aims to consolidate the excellence and global engagement of the graduate programs through the establishment of strategic cooperation, generating high-impact knowledge, training qualified professionals, and fostering social innovation based on an integrated understanding of the human being, considering biological, cognitive, social, and cultural dimensions. Its objectives are to deepen comparative and applied research with international institutions; develop technological and social solutions for learning and cognition grounded in ethical and philosophical principles; expand academic co-authorship and exchange through the mobility of faculty and students in leading institutions; and promote studies that integrate different scales of analysis, considering processes of socialisation, cooperation, and domination as dimensions of cognition and behaviour. The initiative proposes integrating theoretical and cultural perspectives by attracting visiting international faculty members. It also seeks to foster a new synthesis between the biological and social sciences, capable of identifying common structures of social life in dialogue with historical and cultural variations. It aims to strengthen intercultural education through international partnerships focused on the study of learning and decision-making across different cultural contexts, with applications in public policies for education and psychosocial health. These studies will seek not only to understand cultural differences, but also the processes of learning, care, and socialisation in human societies, recognising them as evolutionary foundations of coexistence and collective life. Furthermore, the initiative seeks to promote double-degree agreements in cross-cutting areas, optimise internationalisation management through an integrated model of mobility and partner prospecting, and ensure the sustainability of international funding through the submission of proposals to multilateral agencies, leveraging interdisciplinarity as a competitive advantage.
Alignment with Brazil's National Priorities
National Education Plan (PNE); National Graduate Education Plan (PNPG); National Agenda for Graduate-Level Human Resource Development; National Plan for Human Rights Education; National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation; National Digital Government Strategy (ENGD).
Alignment of the Theme with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being; SDG 4 – Quality Education; SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities; SDG 15 – Life on Land; SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Participating Graduate Programmes
Graduate Programme in Law: Human Rights (PPGDH)
Theme Coordinator: Maiquel Ângelo Dezordi Wermuth
Graduate Programme in Education in Sciences (PPGEC)
Theme Coordinator: Sidinei Pithan da Silva
Networked Professional Master’s Degree: Physical Education (PROEF)
Theme Coordinator: Fernando Jaime González
Institutional Theme Coordinator: Maiquel Ângelo Dezordi Wermuth