The Brazilian industrial sector has just launched a project to modernize engineering in the country and expand the technological capacity of the national companies.
Named Inova Engenharia, the initiative, coordinated by Lodi Institute (IEL) and the National Service of Industrial Education (Senai), was presented in Brazilian capital Brasília Tuesday, May 30.
The project will be executed in partnership with 17 academic institutions and organizations of the public and private sectors. This information was supplied by the National Confederation of Industries (CNI) News Agency.
According to the president at the CNI, Armando Monteiro Neto, engineering education represents an essential element to the process of technological innovation of national industry and other economic sectors. The countries with greater levels of growth are those that invest most in their technological and innovative capacity.
The challenge that Brazil currently faces is both qualitative and quantitative. Every year, around 20,000 new engineers graduate, however there are just six engineers per thousand economically active people, whereas countries like the United States and Japan have around 25.
One of the ideas behind Inova Engenharia is the modification of the dimension and duration of engineering courses in Brazil, on average five years. Another proposal is the promotion of closer ties between the academic world and companies, through internships, collaborative researches, more teachers operating in consultancy in companies and more professionals from industries teaching in extension courses.
During the release of Inova Engenharia financing lines were announced for projects that should serve to promote integration between the academy, companies and other organizations to bring engineering schools and education institutes closer together. The initiative was by the Studies and Projects Funding Body (Finep), an organization connected to the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology.
One of the actions that has already been executed by the IEL, as part of Inova Engenharia, was the expansion of scholarships for students in the technology area focussed on the demands of industries. Another initiative is the creation of a nucleus for management of innovation in 15 Brazilian states.
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