On Friday, October 8, 2010, Parkland College and the Federal Institute of Rondônia in Brazil signed a Memo of Understanding (MOU) to further explore potential partnerships, mobility and other innovative projects.
The College signed this MOU at an international meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The purpose of this international meeting was to bring together Presidents and delegates from the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) and CONIF (Brazilian equivalent to ACCC) to discuss opportunities for knowledge exchange, student/staff mobility programs and joint partnerships.
The meeting of events were scheduled from Monday, October 4 to Friday, October 8 with presentations from the Brazilian Ministry of Education, the Brazilian Federal Institutions (Colleges), and student demonstrations.
The Canadian delegation delivered five presentations showcasing the various regions of Canada. Parkland College representatives, Dr. Fay Myers, President, and William Litchfield, Director of Advancement, presented on the prairie region (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba).
According to Dr. Fay Myers, "the College's goal was to attend the event and to develop one significant partnership opportunity with a similar Brazilian Institute that has a focus on agriculture, mining, and aboriginal training in a rural area.
After identifying and interviewing three suitable potential institutions, the Federal Institute of Rondônia appeared to be the best fit."
Dr. Fay Myers further adds, "The MOU does not commit the College to any particular program but we will be further exploring joint applied research, staff and student mobility, and knowledge of exchange in areas of student access (students with disabilities), waste water management, power engineering, distance education, aboriginal internship program and non-traditional work training with the Federal Institute of Rondônia."
