General cooperation agreement for undergraduate and graduate mobility and joint research now possible
PUCRS’ Business School has signed a general cooperation agreement with Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN-Chile), and an addendum for double degrees at the doctoral level. The agreement was conceived at the Graduate Program in Economics (PPGE), and will make it possible for both faculty and undergraduate and graduate students to work on joint research and earn a double degree. On the other hand, the addendum will make it possible for PhD student Eduardo Rodrigues Sanguinet to work on specific activities at each university from 2018/1 and 2019/2.
Dr Augusto Mussi Alvim, coordinator of the PPGE, claims that this partnership will consolidate a relationship with UCN, which is a relevant research center on Regional Economics in Chile. “I hope other students follow in the footsteps of Sanguinet. I also hope faculty of PPGE and UCN join forces for the development of research”, he says.
In Alvim’s view, both institutions have to plan the courses students are going to take as well as the project and deadlines in order for them to get a double degree. “Overall, we want to seek a balance in our efforts of bringing teaching and research together at both institutions”, he adds. A new addendum will be drafted for each double degree. PPGE students who wish to have a double degree at UCN must contact the program’s coordinators to take the initial steps.
Double degree
Sanguinet has been studying at UCN since Mar 2018 and will be staying there until Dec 2019 to complete courses and teach courses on Macroeconomics at the undergraduate level. At the same time, he is working on his dissertation project with Dr Alvim and Professor Miguel Atienza, from UCN.
His project looks at the integration of Latin America and Brazil in the global value chains (CGV) and their continental, national and regional (multiscale) effects from 1996 to 2016. “I am going to be working on three articles. The first one will estimate the effect of new regionalism (commercial, bi-lateral and multilateral agreements) on the integration of Latin American countries into global production flows. The second one will estimate the effects of the CGV integration on the economic growth of Latin American countries. The third one will look at the regional integration of Brazil in the CGV, in an effort to identify how the sub-national productive integration occurs and how it connects with global chains”, he explains. The dissertation project is set to be defended in May at UCN. The final dissertation will be defended at PUCRS between Dec 2020 and Jan 2021.
Working on a double degree is such a unique experience and cultural exchanges bring a number of benefits for the personal and professional growth. This, for instance, advances exchanges with classmates from other countries, such as Mexico, Spain, Venezuela, Colombia and El Salvador. “The PhD program focuses on regional economics and quantitative aspects. This is beneficial to the development of students. It is a continuous learning process. Having the chance to teach as I work on the program is something that is very beneficial to my academic life”, Sanguinet says.