We were honored to host Professor Ana Qiao from the Department of Portuguese at Hebei Normal University (HNU) during her week-long visit to our university, from November 13th to 17th. Professor Qiao, who also serves as the Chinese Director of the Confucius Classroom at the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), engaged in a series of enriching activities aimed at fostering collaboration between Brazil and China. 

One of the highlights of her visit was the insightful lecture titled “Academic Exchanges Brazil-China: Past, Present, and Future,” held on November 14th. In this compelling presentation, Professor Qiao not only shed light on the historical context but also outlined the current opportunities and future prospects for academic exchanges between our communities.  

In addition to her engaging lecture, Professor Qiao actively participated in strategic meetings with various departments, facilitating a constructive dialogue on potential avenues for collaboration. She was bestowed with the prestigious title of “Distinguished Visitor” by UFSM. 

Professor Ana Qiao’s influence extends beyond her role at HNU. As the driving force behind the cooperation between the UFSM and Chinese higher education institutions, she has been instrumental in facilitating Chinese language and cultural courses. Over the past five semesters, these courses have benefited 818 students from both our academic community and partner universities in Rio Grande do Sul. 

We express our heartfelt gratitude to Professor Ana Qiao for her invaluable contributions and look forward to a continued partnership that promises mutual growth and understanding between our academic communities.