IMPA Expands Academic Horizons Through Exchange Programs with China

IMPA (Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics) has been consistently expanding its cooperation with China to enhance the education of young people, from elementary school through doctoral studies. This year, IMPA doctoral students, IMPA Tech undergraduates, and medalists from OBMEP (Brazilian Public School Mathematics Olympiad) will participate in exchange programs at Chinese universities. The first group departs this Wednesday (the 8th) from Rio de Janeiro International Airport.

In recent years, China has stepped up its investment in science and has become the world leader in total (public and private) spending on research and development (R&D), reaching $1.03 trillion in 2024, according to the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). The partnership with China reinforces IMPA’s internationalization strategy and strengthens the training of young talent in mathematics.

“China has established itself as one of the world’s leading scientific powers, and being part of this ecosystem is essential for IMPA. We want our students to have direct access to the most advanced technology and innovation, bringing this knowledge back to strengthen Brazilian science,” said Marcelo Viana, director-general of IMPA.

IMPA doctoral students are set to depart for China on Wednesday (8)

A group of 15 doctoral students from IMPA is all set to embark on an academic and cultural exchange program at Beihang University in Hangzhou. The initiative is part of the Brazil-China Program for Leaders in Scientific and Technological Innovation, organized by CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) in partnership with the Chinese university and with the participation of institutions from both countries.

For one month, the students will participate in academic activities in the Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence group, including mini-courses, group research projects, and cultural programming. “The program’s goal is to promote academic and cultural exchange. This type of experience broadens academic training, strengthens cooperation between institutions, and creates connections that can lead to future partnerships. For IMPA, it is also an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Beihang University and reinforce our presence in international initiatives,” explained Francisco Ganacim, a project scientist at IMPA who is accompanying the group.

Ph.D. candidate Marcelo Carneiro was drawn to the academic and cultural opportunities. “I wanted to go to China because it’s a very different opportunity from the ones we usually have. It will be my third trip through IMPA—I’ve been to Chile and Uruguay before—but, in a way, those destinations were still familiar environments. China represents a broader experience, both academically and culturally. I think it will be an opportunity to explore areas related to my research, delve into new topics, meet researchers from other fields, and, of course, experience a completely different culture,” he said.

IMPA Tech Group to Spend a Semester in China

In August, 12 students from the Class of 2024 of the Bachelor’s in Mathematics program at Tecnologia e Inovação will embark on a semester-long exchange program in China. The students will be divided between two leading institutions: Peking University and Beihang University. Each university will host six Brazilian students, who will take courses and participate in research activities throughout the semester. The participants are from the Mathematics, Data Science, and Computer Science tracks, with their placement aligned with the academic profiles of the Chinese institutions. They will return to Rio de Janeiro in January 2027.

The initiative also calls for hosting Chinese students at IMPA, thereby strengthening bilateral academic mobility. “This is an important initiative both for putting IMPA Tech on the international map and for the students’ education. I am pleased to represent this partnership from an institutional standpoint. We want to become a highly internationalized institution,” said Rafael Beraldo, skills development manager at IMPA Tech.

For undergraduate student Thayná Drummond, the experience bridges her academic education and her professional future. “This is my first time traveling abroad, and I’m really excited. China is a country I’ve been very interested in visiting; I’ve been studying Mandarin for a while. Even before the exchange program, I was already very interested in the country and the language. China is a major power that’s growing more and more. I think this will be very important for our future, especially in the fields of data science and artificial intelligence. Doing this exchange program through a university with strong ties to technology will be a great experience,” she said.

Trip for OBMEP Medalists

As an organizer of OBMEP since 2005, IMPA has established a partnership with China focused on medalists from the competition, which is the world’s largest knowledge olympiad, with more than 23 million participants annually. There are 26 spots available for gold medalists from the 20th edition of OBMEP to participate in a two-week exchange program in China. The call for applications, including the rules, will be released shortly.

The group will depart in late November and participate in academic and cultural activities as part of an immersion program at leading institutions. This initiative is part of IMPA’s broader efforts to train and encourage young talent in mathematics, connecting students in K-12 education to international academic environments of excellence.