Jane Rutledge, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) visited the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) in Porto on January 19th, where she included a visit to the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FEP).

According to Patrícia Oliveira-Silva, FEP Board of Director for Internationalization, “Jane Rutledge's visit marks a significant step in strengthening the academic and research ties between FEP and UMBC.”

The visit aimed to explore mobility options for UMBC students. This initiative aligns perfectly with FEP’s commitment to offering comprehensive and global opportunities to international students.

During her visit, Rutledge engaged with the deans and other key contacts from the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FEP), the Católica Porto Business School (CPBS), and the School of Biotechnology (ESB).

Patrícia Oliveira-Silva talks about the importance of this visit: “There's an undeniable power in meeting our international partners in person. I see each in-person meeting with our partners as a precious opportunity to forge a stronger collaboration. As we think about internationalization, many could think about a strategy or a set of objectives. We prefer thinking about a journey of nurturing and deepening the relationship with our international partners."

An open and adaptable mindset to enthusiastically embrace diverse cultures
One of the main objectives of FEP's Strategic Development Plan for Internationalization is to create an open and adaptable mindset among the community to welcome and embrace diverse cultures enthusiastically.

"Welcoming our partners to our campus greatly favours the promotion of this mentality, as it contributes to building a relationship of trust and mutual respect, which are essential for maintaining long-term international partnerships," says the FEP Professor.

"Our commitment to internationalisation is a commitment to the future - a future where education has no borders," adds Patrícia Oliveira-Silva.