Production Engineering student prepares to study in France.

Today, more than ever, earning a degree is a turning point in one's career, especially from a university that provides comprehensive academic and professional support, along with a strong and competitive education for the job market. ESEG – Etapa Group College It is always at the forefront, providing its students with a wide range of opportunities, including exchange programs at renowned universities around the world.

The student who will be having an enriching experience abroad in the coming days is the 9th semester student of Production Engineering, Geovana Sousa de Lima, 22 years old. The student is making preparations for her exchange program in France, which she considers one of the greatest experiences of her personal and academic life so far. An intern in Business Analytics at a financial institution, the future engineer will study for a semester in the city of Lieusaint, France, at the Institut Catholique d'Arts et Métiers – Icam Campus Grand Paris Sud.

Geovana explains how the opportunity arose: “I found out about it from Professor Dr. João Chang during classes, as ESEG was finalizing a partnership with Icam.” The student says that the support from the professor and the entire academic body was fundamental to the progress of the process. “I spoke with the professor, who helped me a lot from the beginning in all stages, acting as a bridge between the institutions and introducing me to the professor responsible for the research area at Icam. This encouraged me to carry out the process and helped me to finalize the details of course exemptions with ESEG,” she explains.

The opportunity to participate in an exchange program adds value to the course and career, in addition to being a highly important personal learning experience. “I believe it will be a turning point, and being able to carry out a large-scale project at an internationally recognized institute will be excellent preparation for continuing my studies. Furthermore, I can learn a new language and experience a new culture in a country with diverse career opportunities, thus creating a vast network of contacts that, in the future, can help me enter the job market abroad,” says Geovana.

According to Professor Dr. João Chang Júnior, university exchange programs are a unique experience, as they enrich the curriculum, open new academic and professional horizons, allow for learning about another culture, and provide the opportunity to make new friends. The professor explains that, in Geovana's case, she will take courses at Icam that will give her the equivalent credits for the semester she would be taking at ESEG. "Recently, our Faculty established an agreement with the Institut Catholique des Arts et Métiers – Icam – on the Paris-Sénart campus, in view of my participation in research in the area of hospital quality with Professor Paul-Eric for the past 10 years," says Chang.

The professor also recounts how he contributed to Geovana having this opportunity. “I met the student this semester, as she had taken the Quality Engineering 1 and 2 courses. From the beginning of the semester, I realized she had the profile to successfully participate in this program, considering her dedication to her studies and academic performance in all the subjects she took. This motivated me to recommend Geovana for this exchange program,” says João Chang.

The expectations and support of the family and the Faculty.

The student will depart in January 2023, with a planned return in July of the same year. Expectations are high regarding the experience in another country. "I'm super excited, anxious for this trip, but I'm also apprehensive about how everything will go, how I'll perform in the activities I'll be doing there. But I confess that the happiness of having this opportunity is much greater than the nervousness," the student emphasizes.

Currently, Geovana is finalizing all the details of the trip with Icam, in addition to all the necessary documentation for an exchange program abroad. “It has always been my dream to study in another country, but I always faced financial constraints among the available options. So, when this opportunity arose and with all the help from ESEG, I didn't think twice.”.

The coordinator of the Production Engineering course, Professor Dr. Marcelo Dias, explains that the best way to encourage exchange programs is through interaction between students and professors in the execution of some academic or professional work. “We believe that exchange programs, whether cultural or academic, help students with their complete education. The cultural background and technical knowledge acquired through experiences like this can result, for example, in real job opportunities in large companies abroad and in Brazil in prominent positions,” comments Marcelo Dias.

Through the program ESEG International, The Faculty assists in the entire process, from choosing the university and navigating bureaucratic procedures to intervening in undergraduate studies to adjust the course schedule. In this program, undergraduates receive guidance from course coordinators on international study programs and opportunities, in partnership with academic institutions globally. Thus, students will find all the necessary support, from guidance on finding the most suitable school abroad and the application and course selection processes to the travel arrangements.

Geovana's sister, Fernanda Sousa, leaves a message about the importance of the experience: "I think that, in addition to getting to know new places and cultures, you learn and work in the profession you want to pursue. Nowadays, exchange programs are very important for opening up new opportunities," Fernanda emphasizes.

To ensure her studies are not compromised, Geovana will continue taking Production Engineering classes and will carry out a research project applying Artificial Intelligence to Industry 4.0, which will further enhance her academic resume.

Want to know more about exchange programs and how to... ESEG It can help you leverage your careerSchedule a meeting with the course coordinator.

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