Internationalization is very important and valued by the program. In addition to formal agreements (see list below), there are also several collaborations with professors from various foreign institutions, without the need for agreements.

Among the most active agreements, the agreement between UNIFEI and the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering of Porto – INESC and the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto – FEUP (Portugal) stands out in the areas of reliability of generation and transmission systems in networks with high penetration of renewable energy, particularly wind energy. This project also involves researchers from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada), the University of Toronto and Kinectrics (Canada), and the California Independent System Operator – CAISO (USA) since 2003.

The Center for Studies in Electricity Markets – CEME, which is a center of excellence in electricity markets focused on increasing the efficiency of the Brazilian electricity market based on planning, operation, supervision, optimization and forecasting, has a partnership with the industrial engineering program at the University of Texas at Austin.

Other highlights include the agreement with the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven – Netherlands in the area of Smart Grids and the partnership between UNIFEI, Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lousanne and GE (Renewable Hydro division) in renewable energy.

UNIFEI participates in the Red Iberoamericana de Generación Distribuida y Microrredes Eléctricas Inteligentes – RIGMEI, which is formed by 11 participating groups in 8 countries in the areas of voltage stability.

Promoting Internationalization

The Pan-African organization Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa – FARA signed an agreement in 2019 with the Federal University of Viçosa – UFV to offer postgraduate scholarships in the area of ​​agriculture and food. The following year, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund – TETFUND from Nigeria became part of the agreement, expanding the offer of scholarships. In 2021, the partnership was extended to other areas, which allowed UNIFEI to join with the admission of a master’s student. The FARA program began to be managed by the Brazilian Association of International Education – FAUBAI, and since 2023, UNIFEI has been accepting students for master’s and doctoral degrees.

Driven by this program, UNIFEI began to offer courses in English, so that foreign students can obtain all the credits necessary for the master’s/doctorate. Students, both foreign and Brazilian, can write their thesis/dissertations in English, as well as their presentations. The program has also received master’s and doctoral students through GCUB-Mob calls from the International Cooperation Group of Brazilian Universities – GCUB.

As a way of promoting its internationalization by welcoming foreign students, the program offers the subject PLE001 – Portuguese as a Foreign Language. Foreign students who join the program, and occasionally students from other programs, take this subject.