NAFSA – Association of International Educators – the largest higher education fair in the USA took place in San Diego, California, from the 25th to the 30th May 2014, under the theme “Pathways to Global Competence”.
This event, is organized every year in the United States or Canada, and gathered in 2014 around 10.000 participants, which is the largest number ever. NAFSA opens doors for recruitment of students, the establishment of partnerships between higher education institutions, as well as training for professionals in the field of international education through workshops and seminars.
Portugal has been represented in NAFSA since 2012, with a “Study In Portugal” stand joining several Portuguese higher education institutions.
The Programme Study in Portugal is a partnership between the Fulbright Commission, Luso-American Foundation (FLAD), o the Council of Rectors of the Portuguese Universities (CRUP), the Turismo de Portugal, the Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency (AICEP) and the Directorate General for Higher Education (DGES).
The Portuguese participation was assured by DGES, the other partners (FLAD, Fulbright, and Lisbon City Hall and by APESP, CCISP, Catholic University of Portugal, IADE, ISCTE, University of the Algarve, University of Coimbra, University of Évora, University Fernando Pessoa, University of Lisboa, University Lusíada, University Lusófona, University of Minho and University of Porto.
The main aim was the promotion and dissemination of Portuguese Higher education and the opportunities offered through exchanges of students and academics, as well as the establishment of partnerships, creation of joint courses or short courses with partners of other countries.
NAFSA enabled the establishment of numerous contacts between the members of the delegation and representatives of higher education institutions and participant countries, allowing expectations on their impact in the future.
The next NAFSA will take place in 2015, in Boston, under the theme “New Horizons in International Education”.
