Students from the Professional Master’s in Public Administration (MAP) and the Executive Master’s in Business Management (MEX) of FGV’s Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration (EBAPE) participated in the International Module at Lisbon University Institute (ISCTE-IUL), regarded as one of Portugal’s most prestigious universities and a pioneer in management and business education. The theme of the course was ‘Challenges of Internationalization Processes and Policies in the context of the European Community’.

The goal was to offer all 14 participating students an overview of the main challenges faced by public and private organizations when internationalizing their activities, particularly in Europe. Coordinated by professors Roberto da Costa Pimenta (EBAPE), Nuno Crespo (ISCTE), and Marcio Amaral (ISCTE), the program was offered exclusively to MAP and MEX students. The module ultimately counted as a discipline from the professional master’s program.

Throughout the module, students attended lectures providing an overview of the differences between the Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, and Portuguese-speaking worlds, regarding the European political context, BREXIT, and the internationalization of Portuguese companies, among other related issues. The master’s candidates also visited and learned more about the logistics and organizational processes of major companies, such as ‘The Navigator Company,’ a global benchmark in the paper industry, and ‘José Maria Fonseca Vinhos,’ a traditional Portuguese wine maker, supplier of the Periquita wine – well-known in Brazil. Cultural activities included visits to the Jerônimos Monasteries, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, and Belém Tower.

According to student Marcos Paulo Montenegro, from the 2016 Intensive MAP class, the course allowed him to learn and grasp the integration of the public and private sectors in both national and international contexts of Portugal.

“The experience at ISCTE University was very rewarding. In my case, observing the state articulation model to meet the demands of the Portuguese population, as well as the support of European Union institutions for the sustainable development of the block’s countries, urged me to seek and strengthen my contact with the subject. Therefore (and within my level of expertise), I will be able to suggest the implementation of other external control approaches linked to my work,” he said.

The short-duration modules, carried out in partnership with international institutions, are offered twice a year to EBAPE professional master’s students, and have been a key advantage of the course due to the diversity of topics covered. In 2017, in addition to the course at ISCTE (Portugal), MEX and MAP students had the opportunity to participate in international modules at Rutgers Business School (USA) and ESADE Business School (Spain).

The ISCTE - Lisbon University Institute (ISCTE-IUL) is a public higher education institution established in 1972. The institution’s teaching, research, and community service activities train qualified experts, featuring cultural, scientific, and technical skills to allow them to intervene not only on each country’s sustainable development, but also on a global scale.