Universities of Bahia-Brazil and the International Cooperation Politics

Patricia Lessa Santos Costa, Carla Liane Nascimento dos Santos

(Bahia State University, Brazil)

Abstract: This study deals with the topic of international cooperation from higher education institutions. It focuses on the strategies undertaken by state universities in Bahia, aiming to increase their international insertion through cooperation. This process has as background the policies of the National State from the Lula government, as well as the new horizons made possible by the MERCOSUR. The actors who participated in the process in those institutions, that is, professors-researchers who participated in agreements, exchange students and managers of international relations consultants were considered in the research. It was sought to unveil the results achieved by this action of university management. Also considered are the documentary sources that account for the process. It is inferred that the cooperation politics has contributed positively to the increase of the training of students and teachers, to the scientific and technological development, as well as to institutional development in the partner institutions in the South-South context. However, the international cooperation actions in the universities in focus have been taking place in a timely manner, they still need improvement and investment in order to become priorities in the academic context. This points to the need to define the role of international relations advisors as the lead agency for a politics to foster cooperation.

Key words: universities, university management, internationalization