Adrielle Ferreira

The project "Academic guidance as a strategy for the integration of PEC-G students in UFOP" promoted the event "PEC-G Meeting", an activity that involved participants of the Student Program - Undergraduate Agreement (PEC-G) of the Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP) and the Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ) and participants of the Student Program - Agreement of Portuguese as a Foreign Language (PEC-PLE) of the Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ). The activity had seven students from Gabon, Angola, Colombia and Kenya. 14 students from Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Benin and Cameroon participated in the PEC-PLE in UFSJ.

The objective of the project is to promote and monitor the integration of PEC-G students during their undergraduate programs through various activities, as well as offering guidance on the resources offered. In UFOP, the activities were organized by the International Relations Office (DRI) and the Pedagogical Support Center of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (NAP/Prograd). 

Ariella Claudia Ngono, born in Cameroon, is a PEC-G student in the UFOP Medicine program and contributed to the development of the project. According to her, the action aims to implement strategies to increase the participation of PEC-G students in the academic activities offered by UFOP, in addition to offering support that enables access to opportunities and rights. "The visit was intended to broaden the students' contacts. As they are from the same continent, this creates a sense of belonging and security for the person to look around and say 'I am not alone', in addition to sharing experiences, especially for newcomers", she highlights.

The agenda began at Horto dos Contos, in the historic center of Ouro Preto, with a collective activity and breakfast. Then, the participants took a guided tour, visiting the Church of Pilar, Tiradentes Square, Soapstone Market, Inconfidência Museum  and Cine Vila Rica.

Argentinian student Andrés Roberto, a scholarship holder in the DRI Welcome Project, says that the activity is important as a mediation action and that receiving students from São João del Rei helps to strengthen bonds and form partnerships, in addition to allowing them to know what other colleagues are researching. "In my experience, I realized that those who come from other countries end up spending months without getting to know the city or making visits. I think it's a pitty, but I understand that they are focused on their studies. However, social and cultural interaction with the city is very important", he adds.

PEC-G AND PEC-PLE - The purpose of the programs is to offer students from countries that have educational and cultural agreements with Brazil, aged between 18 and 23 years, the opportunity to attend undergraduate programs in Brazilian institutions. UFOP has been participating in the program since 1971 and currently has 27 foreign students enrolled.