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UEL strengthens alliances in Brazil

Thursday 16 June 2011

Fernando Telles Ribeiro

UEL’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patrick McGhee and Pro-Vice Chancellor International, John Shaw, conferred an honorary Doctorate of the Arts on Brazilian athlete, educator, businessman and sporting facilities planner, Fernando Telles Ribeiro, at a ceremony which took place at the São Paulo Hilton, today.

The delegation is in Brazil to firm-up academic partnerships with key institutions in the country. They have already visited the University of São Paulo and Fundação Getulio Vargas (one of the top private universities in Brazil), aand following the honorary awards reception this evening they will travel to Rio de Janeiro tomorrow to meet the President of of the National Olympic Academy for Rio 2016.

Professor Patrick McGhee, said: “This year we are announcing four full tuition fee scholarships for Brazilian students to study postgraduate programmes and are investing both financially and academically in the country. To this end, we are dedicated to establishing a long-term relationship with Brazil and its academic institutions and our visit here this week is a significant milestone in an on-going relationship which will benefit higher education and young people in both countries.

I was also delighted to award Fernando Telles Ribeiro an honorary doctorate of the arts today. He is an athlete and educator whose core values and passion for ensuring young people are given the opportunities to develop their talents very much mirror my own and those of the University of East London. I wish him my personal congratulations on the award.”

Fernando Ribeiro, after whom one of the four scholarships will be named, said: “I feel deeply honoured and proud to accept this award. I believe that my access to the legacy and urban regeneration studies developed by the University of East London and the successful dissemination of these concepts in both the sporting and academic communities in Brazil will prove important contributions to  a significant and positive legacy for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.”

Ribeiro is something of a local sporting legend, spotted diving off cliffs at a beach near Rio he was invited to train at a local club. Within 18 months he was part of the Brazilian Olympic team, competing in Melbourne and again four years later in Rome. Fernando was four times South American champion and also competed on a number of occasions in the Pan-American Games.

More recently he has been instrumental in establishing the research partnership between UEL (London East Research Institute) and the Architectural and Urban Technology Research Nucleus (AUTRN) of  the University of São Paulo. The partnership has been set up to to explore the potential positive social benefits in housing, health and wellbeing of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, by drawing upon case studies in both London and Rio.

For further information on this partnership visit the London-Rio: Olympic Cities website, here. http://megaeventcities.wordpress.com

Image of University of São Paulo by Hamilton Furtado

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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