Academic internationalization of Brazilian students in the Agricultural Sciences and labor opportunities in Brazil and abroad

This research focuses on the Brazilian experience of the Science without Borders (Ciências sem Fronteiras - CsF) Program, launched in 2011 and terminated in 2017 after strong criticism from different sectors of society. The Program’s objective was to promote scientific and technological development through the funding of an international exchange program for undergraduate and graduate students. The international academic qualification is discussed in this context as public policy and individual strategy of acquisition of competences and differentiation in the labor market. This article aims to discuss how the students evaluate their experience while participating in the program and the influence that CsF had in those youths’ career projects. Once Brazilian economy relies on agricultural products and their exportation, the agricultural sciences were included in the program. Thus, given the importance of agriculture in the country’s economy and the program, this study concentrated on students from agricultural sciences graduation courses. The data collection was conducted through literature and document research and a survey. The survey was performed through the application of a questionnaire to a sample of 31 students from the agricultural sciences graduation courses of the Federal University of Viçosa, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The results points to a positive evaluation of the international experience provided by the program considering personal and subjective aspects, language learning, and scientific and technological capacitation. However, the students highlighted the differences between Brazil and the other countries in terms of social valorization of rural producers and other professionals that work in the agriculture and farming sector. From the students’ point-of-view, the economic, social and political crisis, and the lack of public policies focused on the sustainable rural development in Brazil are the obstacles to a professional fulfillment project and consequently reduce the intention of remaining in the country.