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"An unforgettable and enriching experience" – As a Montgelas Fellow in Brazil
TUM Global, News |
There were many reasons of connection for a stay in São Paulo. The Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP) is an important strategic partner of TUM; together with the University of Queensland in Brisbane and TUM, it is also a founding member of the Global Bioeconomy Alliance. Additionally, TUM maintains a liaison office in São Paulo to facilitate scientific exchange with Latin America.
Insights into academic collaboration
Melanie Frank’s role at the TUM Graduate School is to support doctoral candidates in internationalizing their research, for example, through a joint Summer/Winter School from TUM and UNESP, which took place for the first time in 2024.
Melanie Frank's stay was organized so that she could accompany the joint TUM/UNESP Summer School at UNESP on-site, allowing her to gain valuable insights into the design of interdisciplinary programs for doctoral candidates as well as the organization of academic events. "The exchange with my UNESP colleagues about different approaches to evaluating our joint event was particularly helpful in planning the Winter School, which later that year took place at TUM", says Melanie Frank.
Meeting with colleagues from UNESP in São José dos Campos. Image: Bruno Tanaka/UNESP
UNESP campus in Rio Claro. Image: Dr. Melanie Frank / TUM
Participants of the TUM/UNESP Summer School at the São Martinho Bioethanol Production Plant. Image: UNESP
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Networking events and future projects
In addition to the Summer School, Melanie Frank participated in networking meetings and workshops, which included discussions on different doctoral models in Germany and Brazil. She also took the opportunity to learn about the work of TUM Liaison Officer Sören Metz, whose office is based at the German House for Research and Innovation (DWIH) in São Paulo. The DWIH brings together various stakeholders from the German research landscape.
Melanie Frank also met Dr. Christina Peters, Head of the DFG Office, Laura Redondo de Campos, Head of the Liaison Office of the University of Münster, and Marcio Weichert, Head of Programme at the DWIH. "I learned a lot about the immense potential of collaboration with Brazil," says Melanie Frank. "It is crucial to understand both the administrative and cultural differences between the two countries. This will be very beneficial for my future work."
The Montgelas Program: International experience for TUM staff
The Maximilian Graf Montgelas Program enables all TUM employees from administrative and service units to gain experience working at international partner institutions. Since 2022, fellows have visited more than 30 universities worldwide. Interested candidates can submit applications by March 15, as well as in June and October.