Measuring Brazilian science diplomacy:

what do international students think of Brazil?

Authors

  • Gabriela Gomes Coelho Ferreira University of São Paulo
  • Rodrigo Lyra Universidade de São Paulo
  • Amancio Jorge Silva de Oliveira Universidade de São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5752/P.2317-773X.2022v10n4p41-54

Keywords:

Science Diplomacy, Global South, Perception, Brazil

Abstract

Most of the scholarship programs come from developed countries. However, more recently the literature has analyzed international scholarship programs in developing countries, such as the case of Brazil’s PEC-PG and PEC-G. In this paper we aim at answering a simple yet important question: how have PEC-PG and PEC-G been affecting international students and researchers’ perception about Brazil? Therefore, the main objective of this research is to verify the impact of PEC-PG and PEC-G (independent variable) on the perception of foreign students (dependent variable). We conducted a survey by sending an invitation to the e-mail to 65,493 students and professors through SurveyMonkey. We aim at contributing to the literature by measuring how effective these programs have been in boosting Brazil’s image abroad. Taking into account that PECs are a consistent Brazilian program dating back to 1960’s, we expected to find international students’ positive views regarding Brazil. Students and researchers’ positive views would be the expected result of a successful scientific diplomacy policy. We consider that international scholarship programs are scientific diplomacy’s tools, in other words, ways of exercising power through the influence on perception. Our results, however, showed that the majority of respondents have a negative image of Brazil.

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Author Biographies

Gabriela Gomes Coelho Ferreira, University of São Paulo

Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Political Science at the University of São Paulo (DCP-USP). FAPESP Grant n. 2022/00077-2.

Rodrigo Lyra, Universidade de São Paulo

Doutorando em Relações Internacionais pela Universidade de São Paulo (USP) e mestre em Relações Internacionais pela Universidade de Brasília (UnB). Pesquisador do Centro de Estudos das Negociações Internacionais (CAENI-USP). Possui experiência profissional, pelo Ministério das Relações Exteriores, na área de comércio internacional, com ênfase em defesa comercial e negociações internacionais. Atualmente, é pesquisador nas áreas de Análise de Política Externa e Economia Política Internacional. É membro da International Studies Association (ISA).

Amancio Jorge Silva de Oliveira, Universidade de São Paulo

Full Professor and Deputy Director of the Museu Paulista of the University of São Paulo. He holds a Medical degree (USP), and a doctorate in Political Science from the University of São Paulo (2003). He is the scientific coordinator of the International Negotiations Studies Center (NAP Caeni-IRI). He was deputy director of the International Relations Institute of the University of São Paulo (2014-2017), former Executive Secretary of the Brazilian Association of Political Science (2009-2012). He has experience in the area of Political Science, with emphasis on International Relations, dedicating himself mainly on the following topics: international negotiations, foreign policy and business. CNPq Research Productivity Scholarship.

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Published

2023-12-08

How to Cite

Ferreira, G. G. C., Lyra, R., & Oliveira, A. J. S. de. (2023). Measuring Brazilian science diplomacy: : what do international students think of Brazil?. Estudos Internacionais: International Relations Journal of PUC Minas, 10(4), 41–54. https://doi.org/10.5752/P.2317-773X.2022v10n4p41-54

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 4 (2022): ESTUDOS INTERNACIONAIS - DEZEMBRO

Section

Dossier Ciencia, Tecnología y Relaciones Internacionales desde América Latina

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