USJ Macao and Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Explores Academic Partnerships
USJ Macao and Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Explores Academic Partnerships
23
Feb
23/02/2026
USJ recently hosted a visit from Professor Agemir Bavaresco, a representative of the Postgraduate Program in Philosophy at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) recently hosted a visit from Professor Agemir Bavaresco, a representative of the Postgraduate Program in Philosophy at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The visit, which began on 30 January, consisted of a series of meetings aimed at exploring potential areas of academic collaboration between the two institutions.
Professor Bavaresco held discussions with several key academic leaders at USJ, including a meeting with Professor Alexandre Lobo, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, which focused on potential avenues for cooperation, including joint pedagogical and research projects, as well as opportunities for student and staff exchanges between the two universities.
Further conversations were held with Rev. Dr. Cyril Jerome Law, Jr., Dean of the USJ Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy (FRSP), and Fr. Franz Gassner, Coordinator for the Master of Philosophy and Bachelor of Philosophy Programmes, regarding prospects for academic exchange and collaborative initiatives in the fields of philosophy and religious studies.
Discussions also continued with Professor Adérito Fernandes-Marcos, Dean of the Doctoral School, and Dr. António Maneira concerning specific agreements designed to build on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between USJ and PUCRS, which is scheduled for signing in the near future. These proposed agreements place particular emphasis on future collaborations among USJ’s Doctoral School and the Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy, and their counterparts at PUCRS.
The meetings identified several promising pathways for collaboration, including student and faculty exchange programmes, joint editing projects, and other academic initiatives. This engagement reflects USJ’s ongoing efforts to expand its international network and foster global scholarship through institutional partnerships.
