A dinâmica da relação de acolhimento entre intercambistas acadêmicos estrangeiros e acolhedores institucionais

Abstract

Considering the expansion and valorization of the internationalization process of higher education institutions, there is the diffusion of academic mobility programs aligned with the strongly globalized scenario, the information age and the accelerated constant transformations. Seeing this context, the present study has as its object of study the identification of signals of the welcoming dynamics that are installed between foreign exchange students and institutional hosts, being considered the voice of the welcomed students. The aim is to analyze how the institution, as a Collective welcoming body, is systematically organized for the welcoming relationship with its foreign academic exchange students, considering their potential for learning and development. The research, in the case study modality, is defined as predominantly qualitative, with hermeneutic approach. The analytical-interpretative process of the collected data was guided by the enunciative discursive analysis associated with the content analysis. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 foreign undergraduate students from the University of Caxias do Sul participating in temporary academic mobility programs, resulting from bilateral agreements and / or interinstitutional cooperation networks. The exchange students come from countries in Latin America, North America, Africa and Europe. Interviews revolved around five axes, focusing on reasons for traveling abroad, marks of arrival at UCS and early experiences, highlights of positive aspects and aspects to be improved at destination, marks of welcoming in the experience as an exchange student and highlights to anyone interested in coming to UCS as an exchange student. According to the voice of the interviewed subjects, it is generally evidenced a positive valence in mentioning the experiences lived abroad. The prevalent references in the verbalizations refer to the physical, organizational and functional structure of the University, to the scientific-pedagogical institutional qualification, but mainly to the social-human relations established there, especially the actions taken by the International Affairs Office upon arrival and interactions with teachers throughout the exchange period. Still, integration difficulties are mentioned, particularly regarding to the class colleagues, figuring out that the regular student does not seem to enjoy, as expected, this experience and opportunity to join the Other (the international fellows), allowed due to the exchange program. Testimonies present that the reception qualifies the “academic meeting”, in the sense of enhancing learning resulting from the cultural, scientific, technological, pedagogical exchange, but especially those derived from human-social relations. The results corroborate the positivity of the host exchange relations of foreign exchange students by the institution analyzed as a Collective welcoming body, as both can develop cognitive, affective and relational learning.