McMaster builds global partnerships through CALDO Mission to Brazil

From April 11-17, McMaster University was proud to participate in the CALDO International Mission to Brazil, a multi-institutional delegation aimed at strengthening academic collaboration, research partnerships, and international mobility between Canada and Brazil. Representing McMaster, Dr. Matheus Grasselli, Deputy Provost and Professor of Mathematics, joined colleagues from across the CALDO consortium for a week of engagement in Florianópolis and São Paulo. 

The mission began at the FAUBAI 2026 Annual Conference, hosted by the Brazilian Association for International Education (FAUBAI) on “Internationalisation for a Multipolar World.”  This flagship event brought together Brazilian and international universities to explore key themes shaping higher education such as innovation, sustainability, equity, and multilingualism. Meetings with Latin American partners, such as the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez from Chile, which earlier this year sent a group of students to McMaster for a 2-week visit, helped identify more opportunities for further collaboration. 

In São Paulo, the delegation met with leading institutions including Dr. Grasselli’s alma mater Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, and Insper Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa. These visits focused on advancing research collaboration, student mobility, and joint academic initiatives. In addition, Dr. Grasselli met with the The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) to identify shared priorities in areas like energy, environment, aerospace, and artificial intelligence in the context of the new agreement recently signed between FAPESP and NSERC.  

Strengthening McMaster’s connections across Brazil and Latin America, the mission laid the groundwork for future partnerships and collaborative projects. With discussions surrounding opportunities in international cooperation and learning, the trip reminds us of the importance of building bridges and advancing a more connected global education landscape.

“Everywhere we went, we heard the same message from universities and funding agencies in Brazil: Canada is seen as a priority partner in the changing landscape of international collaborations in a multipolar world. At McMaster, we are ready to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Dr. Grasselli.   

CALDO is a network of leading Canadian research universities working together to advance educational collaboration and student mobility across Latin America. McMaster has been a member of CALDO since 2020. Recent initiatives include the 2026 Inspiring Research short program, hosted at McMaster in collaboration with the Latin American Network at McMaster University (LANMU) and the Office of International Affairs (OIA).  

To learn more about CALDO, please click here.