Welcome to the USP-China Center! As part of the University of São Paulo’s global strategy, we drive international collaboration and advance science, technology, and innovation with Chinese institutions. The China Center serve as a hub for groundbreaking research, involving a leading higher education university in Latin America and prominent Chinese universities, companies and research institutes. Join us on our journey of discovery and innovation, where we bridge continents and cultures to shape a sustainable and prosperous future.

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Our Mission and Vision

The Center’s mission is to serve as the primary liaison between USP and Chinese institutions, coordinating and facilitating academic activities and partnerships between the University and its counterparts in China. Our vision is to become the leading reference point in the Global South for fostering academic collaboration between Brazil and China.

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Priority Themes of the

USP-China Center

The USP-China Center connects the University of São Paulo with leading Chinese institutions, fostering academic, scientific, and technological cooperation. With a focus on Agriculture, Natural Sciences, Health, Engineering and Architecture, and Humanities, and taking advantage of the most recent developments in big data and artificial intelligence, we promote joint research, knowledge exchange, and innovative solutions for global challenges.

Strategy Packages

01. Research Activities

USP-China Center as a Catalyst for Strategic Projects

We actively identify and cultivate opportunities for research and academic exchanges that drive innovation and collaborative projects between the University of São Paulo (USP) and leading Chinese institutions. By fostering these partnerships, we aim to advance knowledge, promote cultural understanding, and address global challenges through joint initiatives.

02. Cordination and Managment

USP-China Center as an International Cooperation Hub

We provide comprehensive support and oversight for cooperation projects, ensuring effective implementation and performance monitoring of joint initiatives between USP and Chinese partners. Our commitment is to ensure that each collaboration meets the highest standards of excellence and impact.

03. Dissemination and Cultural Atctivities

USP-China Center as a Promoter of Sino-Brazilian Relations


We develop and implement strategies to advance collaboration and dissemination in academic and cultural domains, thereby strengthening bilateral relations between Brazil and China. Through cultural events, educational programs, and exchange initiatives, we seek to deepen mutual understanding and celebrate the richness of both nations’ cultures.

Work fronts

The center is fundamental in 5 work axes

Agricultural Sciences

Due to the roles of Brazil and China in agriculture as major food producers, input suppliers, and trade partners, the thematic axis encompassing Agriculture, Food, and Environment assumes a strategic role in international cooperation. Despite inherent differences in the organization of each country's production chains, considering public authorities and private organizations, the transition of production systems in response to climate change is unequivocal. Global geopolitics affect both the international division of production and trade and the dynamics of collaboration for innovation in agri-food systems. Joint activities under the USP-China Center could elevate the country's strategic importance nationally and internationally. The following fronts will guide the joint activities to be developed:

Geosciences and Environment

China is a major commercial partner of Brazil in mining, especially iron, as well as oil and natural gas, due to its enormous demand for raw materials for industry and energy generation. Recently, the demand for base metals (such as aluminum and copper) and rare earths has also increased significantly due to advancements in the energy transition, where China is a world leader. In the geological past, parts of China and Brazil were part of the same continent, impacting the models of mineral deposit genesis in both countries. Collaboration between USP and Chinese institutions has involved four main themes in recent years.

Languages, Cinema, Design, and Architecture

The Humanities are strategically positioned in the academic relations between Brazil and China, particularly regarding the exchange of faculty and students between higher education institutions. The collaborations planned within the USP-China Center should focus primarily on:

Health Sciences

China shares several common interests with Brazil in Health Sciences, including cross-cutting areas such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Precision Medicine, Global Health studies, Megacities, and Smart Cities, as well as research conducted in various translational centers, mainly at Peking and Tongji Universities, covering Neurosciences, Stem Cells, Cardiology, Oncology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology. Both countries are key players in Planetary Health due to the size of their economies, populations, and territories. Both USP and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Institute of Urban Environment) are members of the Planetary Health Alliance, where USP has played a prominent role.

Astronomy and Space Sciences.

These fields are effectively strategic in Brazil-China relations as they drive scientific and technological advancements of global interest. China and Brazil have already established strategic joint programs in astronomy and space sciences, as exemplified by initiatives such as the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS) program, which demonstrates the complementary strengths of both nations in remote sensing, satellite development, and astronomical research. The inherent multidisciplinarity of these fields facilitates direct collaboration between exact sciences, engineering, and other knowledge areas, reinforcing innovation and knowledge exchange. By leveraging their respective capabilities, Brazil and China may continue to enhance their cooperation in space exploration, satellite technology, and astronomical observation, strengthening their scientific ties and global impact.

Organization
structure

The Center is managed by a Management Committee composed of coordinators and professors from strategic areas. It is guided by an International Advisory Board, consisting of distinguished researchers from both Brazil and China.

The Center is located at the Butantã campus, but will also count with offices in the interior campuses to host Chinese researchers, promote bilateral meetings between USP and Chinese institutions, and organize seminars, lectures, and events related to scientific and cultural relations between Brazil and China.

Academic Staff

President

Prof. Dr. Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior

Vice-President

Prof. Dr. Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda

Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Ricardo Ivan Ferreira da Trindade

ricardo.trindade@iag.usp.br

Vice-Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Thais Maria Ferreira de Souza Vieira

tvieira@usp.br