Internationalization of higher education: a study at the Federal University of Santa Maria

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the internationalization practices promoted by the Federal University of Santa Maria, identifying the reasons that stimulate this process, as well as the organizational and programmatic actions and strategies used to internationalization, based on the theoretical model of Knight (2004). Therefore, a qualitative/descriptive research was carried out, which has as analysis unit, the Graduate Programs with concepts 6 and 7, evaluated by CAPES, which already have significant international performance. The first stage of data collection was a desk study of information available on the institution website. In the second phase, interviews were conducted with (6) six professionals who participated directly or indirectly of the university's internationalization process, using as a basis for the interviews the Miura’s screenplay (2006). The analysis of results presented in this study revealed that the UFSM, although develop the internationalization with a growing number of students and teachers in academic mobility and a significant number of agreements with foreign institutions and associations with foreign groups, still has weaknesses in its organizational and program strategies, requiring institutionalize internationalization policies in the culture of the institution.