Pg_unila_informativo_nÂº 0_2

Overview
Unila: a university without
borders Pág. 02
Interview Professor Hélgio Trindade - Pág. 06

Bill no. 2878/2008, already in discussion at the
National Congress, establishes, among others, the
following objectives for Unila:
• Train human resources with lucidness and
competence to contribute to Latin American
development and cultural and economical
integration, encouraging scientific and
technological exchange between universities and
research institutes in the region;
• Characterize its operation through an emphasis
on academic exchange and solidarity cooperation
with Mercosur countries and the other nations of
Latin America;

• Offer courses and develop research programs in
areas of mutual interest for Latin American
countries with emphasis on natural resources,
Inauguration, in Brasília, of the Unila Implementation
social and linguistic studies, international relations
Committee by the State Minister of Education of
and areas considered strategic for regional
Brazil, Fernando Haddad.
development and integration.
MEC Media Office
02
03
Unila: a university without borders
UNILA Federal University of Latin-American Integration May 2008
In December 2007, the Ministry of Education
university in national and transnational terms
For the fulfillment of this integrating mission, the
adjust to the new era. This project is an old dream
submitted a Bill to the President of the Republic,
due to the existence of common challenges that
lecturer and researcher selection process will be
of many Brazilians and many Latin Americans.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, proposing the creation
need to be overcome on a cross-border scale
open to candidates from different countries in the
It was with a base on this bold recommendation
of the Federal University of Latin-American
over the coming decades, among which a
region, and should be in both the Portuguese and
that the Implementation Committee began its
Integration (Unila), an institution which would
special focus is placed on a reduction in social
Spanish languages and covering themes that
work, proposing from the outset to plan the
have its headquarters in Foz do Iguaçu, in the
asymmetries and the construction of ethical
insure equal conditions among candidates; in the
conception of Unila with innovative and
State of Paraná, due to the confluence of three
models of development able to permit the
same way, the student selection process will be
prospective ambition. It was soon noted that in
South American countries in this border city, a
advent of more sustainable societies,
opened to students' from a number of countries.
order to advance in the direction of regional
fact that favors the idea of dialogue and
conciliating economic growth with equity and
In both cases, there will be an internationally
integration, the Unila project needed to be built
regional interaction.
environmental equilibrium.
composed examining board representative of Latin
with a base on three basic principles, which are:

In the Inter-ministerial Explanatory
Its commitment transcends particularistic
America.
• Interaction in national and transnational terms in

Memorandum the urgency has been
reductions, thereby having the intention of
With a view on speeding up the Unila creation
a supportive manner and with mutual respect;
acknowledged in promoting cooperation and
establishing itself and becoming a reference for
process, the Ministry of Education instituted the
• Commitment to sustainable economical
solidarity exchange, through means of
recommending and creating paths that lead
Implementation Committee of the future
development, making it inseparable from social
knowledge and culture, with the other
towards mutual respect and reciprocative
university, through Directive no. 43. This
justice and environmental equilibrium;
countries in Latin America, a historical
expectations. In a society of knowledge, a
Committee, made up of specialists with renowned
• Reciprocal sharing of resources and scientific and
aspiration that has become imperative
university needs to broaden and strengthen its
experience, has the objective of carrying out
technological knowledge with teachers and
nowadays. Within a context of regional
tradition of being a reference. And this can
studies, promoting national and international
students in Latin America.
integration, universities form privileged
only be achieved by it being able to re-invent
reflection and debates and presenting, by
Thus, the Committee undertook its task with the
institutions for the establishment of a culture of
and re-construct itself to the same degree as the
December this year, proposals covering the
assertion that in order to make an oriented
respect for diversity concurrent with a shared
doubts and insecurities that define our age.
conception of the new university, an
operation more viable for these postulates,
interaction of knowledge and technology. There
The underlying idea is that in the future
implementation plan, academic structure, student
cooperation and exchange should be guided by
is a clear need to move inland and expand the
societies will depend, at least in part, on the
and lecturer selection criteria, education, research
ethical-political principles, among them, the
network of Brazilian federal institutions in the
degree of intellectual and social leadership of
and extension policies, an international
freedom to teach and research in an inter and
more distant regions of developed urban
universities. In the context of Latin America,
cooperation policy and democratic management
transdisciplinary academic culture today
centers, inclusively within the border regions
this condition is clearly visible both as a result of
representative of its primordial mission.
considered indispensible for broader insight and
with neighboring South American countries.
the history of the continent's colonization and
The Unila Implementation Committee was
the search for solutions to Latin American
One of the most important cornerstones for the
the role reserved for Latin America in making an
officially created on March 6, 2008 in the Events
challenges; the strengthening of cultural relations
creation of Unila is the need to rethink the
advance in democracy and a culture of peace.
Hall of the Ministry of Education. At the event,
and appreciation of culture and Latin American
Minister Fernando Haddad pointed out that “the
memory; the promotion of exchange and
bolder and more coherent the project, the greater
cooperation respecting cultural, religious and
the chance of success". A new paradigm will be
national identities; and reciprocal expertise to
created in education so that others sectors can also
make regional integration possible.

“Unila's great challenge is in
constructing a university that
responds simultaneously to its
national and Latin American calling
in the face of the new millennium's
Meeting of the President of the Unila
Implementation Committee, Hélgio Trindade,
commitments.”
with the Brazilian General Director of Itaipu
Jorge Samek and the Mayor of Foz do Iguaçu,
Paulo Mac Donald Ghisi.
Itaipu Binacional Media Office
04
05
“(…) a university without walls and borders, which combines the
One of the most relevant points in the
diverse culture of Latin America. Broadening the
conception of Unila is that it be a bilingual
awareness of the differences will certainly favor
advance of science and technology with interaction between the
institution, with teachers and students from
the identification of convergences that are
knowledge developed through academy with the knowledge
Brazil and the other countries of Latin America.
important for the joint construction of new
The goal is to have 10,000 students and 500
horizons. The Committee understands that the
produced by the most diverse social segments.”
teachers, half originating from Brazil and the
analysis of the specifics of each culture or
other half from the rest of Latin America. This
subculture needs to be present in Unila's
requirement is at the center of the Committee's
curriculum and that its explicitness and
thought as it becomes necessary to conceive a
appreciation will make the most significant
ethics that respect diversity and universal
the idea of integration and the conception of
pedagogical project of an inter and
ethical pillars.
human rights, founded on the ideals of liberty
pedagogy, in a way to assist the establishment

transdisciplinary reach that, having intellectual
While reflecting on the conceptual nature of
and solidarity, but as an institution center of
of a spontaneous culture of integration. The
co-existence and intercultural dialogue as a
these lines, the Committee is also examining
critical conscience, in which the Latin American
campus is intended to be an educative university
substrate, offers education and develops
organizational questions. Among them,
people can rethink their ways of life and their
city, where the values of modernity defined by
research and extension programs of a high
academic organization, management methods,
social, economic and political organizations.
Unesco, representing its member countries, are
academic level.
structure within the areas of sciences and
It is certain that, with these ideals, the
cultivated in all areas as part of the citizen

The question of quality has gained the
humanities and the first courses to be offered,
Committee is mobilized for the historic
formation that Unila proposes to develop.

Committee's full attention. It is about
the exchange with other universities in Latin
concretion of this utopia. Knowing where the
Finally, it is important to point out that a
understanding this word in different
America and other continents and the student,
point of intersection is between the stated ideal
university, in order to face up to the challenges
dimensions, above all on ethical and cognitive
lecturer and researcher selection processes. All
and the reality that emerges from dialectics of
established for Latin America, needs to be
levels. It is hoped that lectures and students
of these questions are being examined within
various circumstances, forms the guiding core of
conceived with flexibility and versatility, in way
graduated by Unila contribute, with
the scope of regional integration, but without
the proposal that the Committee is developing
to successfully face the different situations that
competence and an ethical attitude, to the
losing sight of the strategic importance of
with the participation and collaboration of
are presented. Furthermore, it will have to be a
emergence of social and political scenarios
inserting Latin America in an international
numerous specialists.
university without wall and borders, which
suited to the challenge of planetary
context and within the society of knowledge.
Unila, with the hope that the Bill being
combines the advance of science and
responsibility that is required in this new
It is important to point out that Unila's regional
discussed at the National Congress can gain
technology with interaction between the
millennium for all people and institutions. It is
vocation will be developed on a universal
approval from the Chamber and Federal Senate
knowledge developed by the academy with the
this global vision of society that a methodology
perspective so as to create intellectual spaces for
by end of the year, intends to initiate activities
knowledge produced through the most diverse
of systemic vision is founded on. The evolution
integrated reflection between the local,
in the middle of 2009, initially in facilities
social segments, with a view of making
of disciplinary knowledge to inter and
regional and universal, avoiding the
provided by the Itaipu Technological Park. The
knowledge an instrument of human
transdisciplinary knowledge, in which the
reductionisms that do not contribute to a
land that will house the future headquarters
advancement.
magnitude of the methodological challenges
planetary perspective of change and innovation.
will be donated by Itaipu Binacional and already
are weighed, should be practiced and followed
Unila's great challenge is in constructing a
has the support of Oscar Niemeyer who, due to
by Unila. The research projects and pedagogical
university that responds simultaneously to its
the relevance and meaning of the proposal, has
practices should reflect this innovation.
national and Latin American calling in the face
offered to donate the design of the University
Intercultural dialogue is being planned so as to
of the new millennium's commitments. In this
Portal, Library and the Dean's Office. The
be established as one of the pedagogical
manner, Unila proposes to be a university that is
university residence will be built on land to be
project's pivotal points. It must be remembered
an expression of a democratic and multicultural
donated by Foz do Iguaçu City Hall.
that the quest for integration must first begin
society, which aspires to provide the maximum
The architecture of the future campus begins
with recognition of the differences among the
academic quality, through the inspiration of
with a design which harmonizes the spaces with

Interview
How is the international community receiving the Unila project?
The receptiveness is excellent, especially in
Higher Education held in Cuba (February
Latin America. Since the end of last year,
2008), when, on a number of occasions,
when I began to present the Unila project,
Unila was presented as a great new
the idea has been very positively welcomed.
development in Latin America.
I can cite the MERCOSUR Ministers of
Last May, on the 16th, the project was
What are the
Education Meeting, in Montevideo
presented to the Education, Culture, Science,
objectives of the
(November 2007), the meetings of the
Technology and Sports Committee of the
Unila project?
presidents of the Montevideo Group
MERCOSUR Parliament, in a meeting held in
Universities Association (AUGM) (November
Brasília, with the idea being very well
2007) and the UNESCO Educators in Latin
received by Parliament members from a
In this current historical moment, in which the
society of knowledge and the formation of
America meeting, in Cáceres, Spain
number of countries. At the same time, we
regional blocs are, more than ever, key factors for
(December 2007), where Unila was described
are developing systematic communication
the insertion of nations in the globalized
as "an open space in the curricular and in
with the main Latin American universities
competitive scenario, Brazil has shown the need to
research fields, for experiments with
and international institutions of education
create an institute aimed at Latin American
innovative transdisciplinary themes of the
and research, and the replies from managers
integration and, thus, decided to create a
Ibero-American chairs". We should also
show an interest in the development of the
st
university model for the 21 century.

mention the VI International Conference on
project for future agreements and exchange
The Federal University of Latin American
Integration (Unila) proposes to contribute, through
knowledge and a solidarity cooperation project, to
Prof. Hélgio Trindade
the formation of solid bases that help promote the
06
integration and development of the continent. The
07
What types of courses
What progress has been made
In December 2007, the President of the
project is for a national public university linked to
will be offered
and when is the University
Federative Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio
a network of Brazilian federal universities, but
by the University?
expected to begin its activities?
with the mission of developing integration among
Lula da Silva, signed a Bill establishing the
Latin American countries and, especially, among
creation of the Federal University of Latin
Unila will offer undergraduate and graduate
According to Brazilian legislation, the creation of
higher education institutions and research centers.
courses in sciences and humanities, in common
federal universities must be approved by the
American Integration, UNILA (currently in
The range covers the entire continent, from
areas of interest for the development of Latin
Chamber of Deputies and by the National
discussion in the Brazilian National
Mexico to Argentina and we intend to maintain
America and which cater to the region's current
Congress Senate. The project is currently under
cooperation and academic exchange agreements.
Congress).
and future needs. The University should combine
discussion with parliament members from

Even being a university, Unila's mission will be to
Hélgio Trindade, academic and ex-
interdisciplinary scientific and technological
different parties, who have been showing great
contribute to the region's integration by means of
advances with the knowledge produced by
interest and support. The project is expected to
president of the Federal University of Rio
shared knowledge. It will be funded by Brazil's
society. Unila's goal is to produce “maximum
be approved by the different Committees during
Grande do Sul, National Board of
Ministry of Education, but its commitment will
academic quality, with maximum social quality”,
the year, as approval is final at a Committee level,
Education member and UNESCO advisor,
primarily be to Latin America. It will be a bilingual
inspired by ethics that respect the equality of
not depending on plenary approval. We have the
institution, and we want the campus to be a place
was invited to coordinate the
rights for all men and women.
available physical space to begin in the second
of integration between teachers and students in
implementation of the future institution.
semester of next year. The area will be provided

academic, scientific and cultural terms. For this
temporarily by the Itaipu Technological Park, in
An intellectual with ample experience in
reason the idea is to specify that of the expected
What is the role
Foz do Iguaçu. Also in 2009, construction of the
higher education management, research
10,000 students and 500 teachers, half will be
performed by the Unila
campus will begin on a large area to be donated
and evaluation, he was sworn in as
selected from the several Latin American countries
Implementation Committee?
by Itaipu Binacional. City Hall will also be
and the remaining half from Brazil. The idea of
president of the Unila Implementation
donating a piece of land for the construction of
gathering students and teachers from all over Latin
The Committee is made up of thirteen specialists
Committee at the Brazilian Ministry of
the university residence. We already have a Latin
America will make the practice of Portuguese and
of the highest level who are responsible for
American icon in the project. Architect Oscar
Education in March 2008, assuming the
Spanish languages part of the daily routine at
carrying out "institutional planning studies and
Niemeyer will present Unila with a project for the
responsibility of defining the institutional
Unila, allowing for language barriers to be broken.
activities, and organization of academic and
Portal, Library and President's Office buildings in
Bilingualism will be an important instrument for
and academic guidelines of the future
curricular structure” for the future University.
order to honor Latin America.
constructing intellectual and cultural integration in
University.
We are working on the model of the university,
the academic community, respecting the
on the academic structure and on its political-
In this brief interview, published in the
differences. The project plans Unila's creation in
pedagogical project, by means of dialogue with
magazine Revista Densidades (Argentina -
Foz do Iguaçu, on the shared border between
Brazilian and foreign specialists and through
May 2008), Hélgio Trindade talks about
Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, an area of
learning more about innovative experiments in
intercommunication and coexistence between the
the Unila project.
the area of higher education. In our periodic

three nations.
meetings, we are structuring the universities
institutional project, while the courses are still in
discussion. We have until December 2008 to
finalize the document.

Interview
How is the international community receiving the Unila project?
The receptiveness is excellent, especially in
Higher Education held in Cuba (February
Latin America. Since the end of last year,
2008), when, on a number of occasions,
when I began to present the Unila project,
Unila was presented as a great new
the idea has been very positively welcomed.
development in Latin America.
I can cite the MERCOSUR Ministers of
Last May, on the 16th, the project was
What are the
Education Meeting, in Montevideo
presented to the Education, Culture, Science,
objectives of the
(November 2007), the meetings of the
Technology and Sports Committee of the
Unila project?
presidents of the Montevideo Group
MERCOSUR Parliament, in a meeting held in
Universities Association (AUGM) (November
Brasília, with the idea being very well
2007) and the UNESCO Educators in Latin
received by Parliament members from a
In this current historical moment, in which the
society of knowledge and the formation of
America meeting, in Cáceres, Spain
number of countries. At the same time, we
regional blocs are, more than ever, key factors for
(December 2007), where Unila was described
are developing systematic communication
the insertion of nations in the globalized
as "an open space in the curricular and in
with the main Latin American universities
competitive scenario, Brazil has shown the need to
research fields, for experiments with
and international institutions of education
create an institute aimed at Latin American
innovative transdisciplinary themes of the
and research, and the replies from managers
integration and, thus, decided to create a
Ibero-American chairs". We should also
show an interest in the development of the
st
university model for the 21 century.

mention the VI International Conference on
project for future agreements and exchange
The Federal University of Latin American
Integration (Unila) proposes to contribute, through
knowledge and a solidarity cooperation project, to
Prof. Hélgio Trindade
the formation of solid bases that help promote the
06
integration and development of the continent. The
07
What types of courses
What progress has been made
In December 2007, the President of the
project is for a national public university linked to
will be offered
and when is the University
Federative Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio
a network of Brazilian federal universities, but
by the University?
expected to begin its activities?
with the mission of developing integration among
Lula da Silva, signed a Bill establishing the
Latin American countries and, especially, among
creation of the Federal University of Latin
Unila will offer undergraduate and graduate
According to Brazilian legislation, the creation of
higher education institutions and research centers.
courses in sciences and humanities, in common
federal universities must be approved by the
American Integration, UNILA (currently in
The range covers the entire continent, from
areas of interest for the development of Latin
Chamber of Deputies and by the National
discussion in the Brazilian National
Mexico to Argentina and we intend to maintain
America and which cater to the region's current
Congress Senate. The project is currently under
cooperation and academic exchange agreements.
Congress).
and future needs. The University should combine
discussion with parliament members from

Even being a university, Unila's mission will be to
Hélgio Trindade, academic and ex-
interdisciplinary scientific and technological
different parties, who have been showing great
contribute to the region's integration by means of
advances with the knowledge produced by
interest and support. The project is expected to
president of the Federal University of Rio
shared knowledge. It will be funded by Brazil's
society. Unila's goal is to produce “maximum
be approved by the different Committees during
Grande do Sul, National Board of
Ministry of Education, but its commitment will
academic quality, with maximum social quality”,
the year, as approval is final at a Committee level,
Education member and UNESCO advisor,
primarily be to Latin America. It will be a bilingual
inspired by ethics that respect the equality of
not depending on plenary approval. We have the
institution, and we want the campus to be a place
was invited to coordinate the
rights for all men and women.
available physical space to begin in the second
of integration between teachers and students in
implementation of the future institution.
semester of next year. The area will be provided

academic, scientific and cultural terms. For this
temporarily by the Itaipu Technological Park, in
An intellectual with ample experience in
reason the idea is to specify that of the expected
What is the role
Foz do Iguaçu. Also in 2009, construction of the
higher education management, research
10,000 students and 500 teachers, half will be
performed by the Unila
campus will begin on a large area to be donated
and evaluation, he was sworn in as
selected from the several Latin American countries
Implementation Committee?
by Itaipu Binacional. City Hall will also be
and the remaining half from Brazil. The idea of
president of the Unila Implementation
donating a piece of land for the construction of
gathering students and teachers from all over Latin
The Committee is made up of thirteen specialists
Committee at the Brazilian Ministry of
the university residence. We already have a Latin
America will make the practice of Portuguese and
of the highest level who are responsible for
American icon in the project. Architect Oscar
Education in March 2008, assuming the
Spanish languages part of the daily routine at
carrying out "institutional planning studies and
Niemeyer will present Unila with a project for the
responsibility of defining the institutional
Unila, allowing for language barriers to be broken.
activities, and organization of academic and
Portal, Library and President's Office buildings in
Bilingualism will be an important instrument for
and academic guidelines of the future
curricular structure” for the future University.
order to honor Latin America.
constructing intellectual and cultural integration in
University.
We are working on the model of the university,
the academic community, respecting the
on the academic structure and on its political-
In this brief interview, published in the
differences. The project plans Unila's creation in
pedagogical project, by means of dialogue with
magazine Revista Densidades (Argentina -
Foz do Iguaçu, on the shared border between
Brazilian and foreign specialists and through
May 2008), Hélgio Trindade talks about
Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, an area of
learning more about innovative experiments in
intercommunication and coexistence between the
the Unila project.
the area of higher education. In our periodic
three nations.
meetings, we are structuring the universities
institutional project, while the courses are still in
discussion. We have until December 2008 to
finalize the document.

Interview - Prof. Hélgio Trindade
What are the challenges and impacts of a
project such as this?
st
Constructing an institution planned for the 21
making this strategic decision at a time when the
century, in terms of its conception, organization
issue of integration has become more crucial to
and political-pedagogical proposal, is an
the continent. MERCOSUR, without doubt, is an
immense challenge. It requires boldness to break
advance, but we need to think of integration in
away from traditional parameters and, also,
wider terms, by means of participation from new
ability to critically absorb the positive
leaderships. Latin America, different to the
experiences of the institutions. Unila needs to be
European Union, is placing value on the role of
considered an institution that, in accordance
higher education and the mobility of teachers
with its mission, can, within the different fields
and students earlier than what happened in
of knowledge, reflect on themes that are both
Europe. I am convinced that these initiatives,
regional and universal, so that it may contribute
whose forerunning action was the Montevideo
to solving the challenges facing Latin American
Group Universities Association, within the scope
societies. I'm sure the impact will be huge,
of MERCOSUR, will contribute decisively to the
especially because Brazil took the initiative in
process of Latin American integration.
08
UNILA Implementation Committee
Hélgio Trindade (President)
Alessandro Candeas, Carlos Roberto Antunes dos Santos, Célio da Cunha, Gerónimo de Sierra,
Ingrid Sarti, Marcos Costa Lima, Mercedes Maria L. Canepa, Paulo Mayall Guillayn, Paulino Motter,
Raphael Perseghini Del Sarto, Ricardo Brisolla Balestrini, Stela Maria Meneghel.
Technical advising board
Ana Paula Dixon, Bruno Sadeck dos Santos, Daniel Rodrigues, Eliane V. Rocha, Laura J. D. Amato,
Luciana Balbueno.
UNILA Implementation Committee Secretary
Daniel Rodrigues
Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Pr. 43322 - CEP (Zip code) 91509-900 - Porto Alegre/RS - Brazil
Telephone: +55 (51) 33087157 - E-mail: unila@mec.gov.br
Laura J. D. Amato – IMEA
Av. Tancredo Neves, 6731 - Caixa Postal 39 - CEP (Zip code) 85856-970 - Foz do Iguaçu/PR - Brazil
Telephone: +55 (45) 35205939 - E-mail: unila@mec.gov.br
UNILA Overview
Responsible Journalist: Ana Paula Dixon DRT/RS 8605 and Luciana Balbueno DRT/RS 8735
Collaboration: UNESCO
Publications Official: Larissa Vieira Leite
Graphic Project: Verdi Design