Insper conducted a new activity of internationalization through COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning), this time in the Master's in Public Policy (MPP). The Public Management Fundamentals class debated with researchers and students from the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE), one of the most important institutions of education and research in social sciences in Mexico. "Our students had contact with professionals from a quality institution, which is a reference in research, and this was important for their development," said Professor Marcelo Marchesini, who organized the meeting together with researchers Elizabeth Pérez Chiqués and Oliver D. Meza.

 

The session focused on the topic of corruption, the research subject of these two professors from CIDE. The Brazilian case of 'Lava Jato' was discussed based on the studies by Chiqués and Meza. The class dynamics included the prior reading of three common articles, both for Brazilians and Mexicans. All students and guests could get to know each other beforehand through a virtual mural of presentations and photos.

 

The meeting began with a brief explanation by Professor Marcelo Marchesini about Lava Jato, followed by two sessions of debates in mixed groups of participants from Insper and CIDE, interspersed with a plenary session with all gathered. "Professors Chiqués and Meza brought a more theoretical and conceptual analysis on ways to identify, deal with, and prevent corruption," said Marchesini.

 

Insper MPP student and lawyer Larissa Longo highlights the opportunity to share perceptions about corruption in both countries. "We were able to identify some similarities between corruption scandals in Brazil and Mexico, such as the greater involvement of certain sectors and failures in bidding processes," says Longo, who works with tax policy research. "Identifying these similarities is relevant because, as researchers and public policy makers, we can direct our efforts to understand the failures and suggest improvements."

 

For administrator Carlos Pignatari, also an MPP student, it was significant how Mexican colleagues identify and classify corruption based on their repertoire. "I believe that sharing experiences is always a good way to understand different points of view and also to know that even when we build a theory, it is still difficult to understand all aspects of the process," says Pignatari.

 

This was the first COIL experience in the Master's in Public Policy, which could lead to further conversations in the coming years. "Both the people here and the students and professors in Mexico indicated that the experience was very positive," said Marchesini. "Beyond this hour-and-a-half meeting, they shared information that could eventually foster relationships for future research, professional contacts, and even friendships and personal bonds."

 

The COIL activity is a planned collaboration between two or more professors from different universities and countries with the common goal of bringing to their respective classes an international perspective on one or more topics addressed. In 2021, there were two COIL activities at Insper, one on artificial intelligence (developed by Professor André Filipe de Moraes Batista with the Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile) and another on sustainable supply chains in the Amazon (a course formulated by Professors Vinícius Picanço and Priscila Claro with Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University, the Federal University of Pará, and the Federal University of Western Pará).

 

This type of initiative is part of the strategic planning for the internationalization of Insper's programs. "With simple actions like this, it is possible to bring different perspectives on the same topic, opening a plethora of possibilities for students and professors, whether by developing innovative, complementary, and multidisciplinary teaching actions, bringing cultural aspects of each country and region, or by the possibility of networking, establishing research and other activities," says Matheus Morais Matos Furtado, one of the people responsible for developing COIL actions at Insper. "The use of COIL also democratizes access to international experiences for all students and helps in the development of essential 21st-century skills, such as working in teams with professionals from different countries."