In a month marked by education-related activities, September 12 has strengthened that concept with the signing of a bilateral agreement for recognition and validation of graduation diplomas in the areas of Medicine between the University of Lisbon and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Signed by Professors Fausto J. Pinto, Director of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, and Roberto Medronho, Director of the Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, the protocol emerges following previously signed agreements by the respective deans. The purposes are clear for Fausto J. Pinto, as it “allows us to forge closer ties between the institutions and create a completely new and innovative system. This system will start with 4 students at their respective universities, whose degrees shall be recognised by both parties. It shall be the beginning of a very important path, not only for both institutions, but also for the medical academy.”

Entailing a lot of dedication and patiently prepared behind the scenes, this agreement shall start with Medicine and afterwards be extended to other areas of knowledge, further strengthening the connection between both countries. “This will benefit the medical, research and teaching areas through greater development. But it also benefits another type of heritage: the Portuguese language,” states Fausto J. Pinto, Director of the Faculty of Medicine.

Roberto Medronho, Director of the Faculty of Medicine of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, highlighted the lines that bring these two countries together: “we share an umbilical connection, the language is our heritage, but closer ties must be forged. United as one unit, we shall be stronger in this global world.” Proud of the institution he represents, he recalled that this year sees the celebration of 210 years of history as the first Higher Education School in Brazil. “Our Faculty has trained many great internationally recognised names in the field of Medicine, like Osvaldo Cruz (1872-1917, bacteriologist, epidemiologist and scientist), who gives his name to a very important research Foundation in the area of health; or Carlos Chagas (1879-1934, biologist, health physician, bacteriologist and scientist), who spoke about the whole process of the disease until the discovery of Trypanosoma cruzi, a name that he created to pay tribute to his friend Oswaldo Cruz, having also discovered the American trypanosomiasis, known as Chagas disease. Throughout these years we have tried to contribute to the health of our population, that being our fundamental mission. Before anything else, we must be citizens, because a physician must know more than just Medicine, has to be trained in other human areas, like arts. This means we seek well-trained people on a technical basis, but also provide a strong ethical training, which is a characteristic of our great masters.”

Being sorry for the current situation of the country and hoping that the future shows that history is cyclic and will come around, Roberto Medronho once again highlighted the Faculty of Medicine of Rio as “the institution that most contributed to the discovery of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the congenital infection of the Zika virus.”

This ceremony was attended by the Professors Eduardo Pereira (vice-dean of the University of Lisbon in representation of the Dean), Mamede Carvalho (sub-Director of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon), José Melo Cristino (chairman of the Scientific Committee), Joaquim Ferreira (chairman of the Pedagogical Committee), João Forjaz Lacerda (coordinator of the International Cooperation Office), Carmo Fonseca (chairman of the Molecular Medicine Institute), Dr. Carlos Martins (chairman of the Board of Directors of the Northern Lisbon Hospital Centre) and student Andreia Daniel (president of the Student Association). As representatives of the Brazilian Institution, the ceremony was attended by Professors Jorge Alberto Costa e Silva, chairman of the Brazilian National Medicine Academy and Antônio Ledo, Professor and ex-vice Dean of UFRJ, and predecessor of Professor Medronho in directing that University’s Faculty of Medicine.

Joana Sousa

Editorial Team