The Lens

Founded in 1959, the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR) is a comprehensive, confessional, private, non-profit communitarian University operated by the Marist Group. With 64 years of dedicated commitment to higher education and research, PUCPR stands as the largest private institution of higher learning in Paraná and one of the most esteemed universities in Brazil. PUCPR offers a portfolio comprising more than 80 undergraduate programs, over 100 Continuing Education programs, as well as 16 Master's and 13 PhD programs, spanning its campuses in Curitiba, Londrina, and Toledo.

PUCPR is a leader in internationalization efforts among its Brazilian counterparts, notably through its pioneering Global Classes Program, which offers more than 200 courses in multiple languages. The university also proudly boasts 300+ student mobility agreements with institutions worldwide and 30+ double degree agreements with universities in countries such as Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, and South Korea.

Among its various internationalization initiatives, PUCPR made history by becoming the first Brazilian institution to join the QS MoveOn community, encompassing over 340 global partners. In a conversation with a representative from PUCPR, here are the primary reasons they selected MoveON as their technology partner for managing mobility and internationalization.

What challenges led you to procure the QS MoveOn solution?

The challenges that prompted us to acquire MoveOn included the absence of centralized, concise, and transparent reporting and difficulties in aggregating new data over time. Additionally, there was a collective lack of proficiency in handling Excel files and conducting real-time data analysis.

What set QS MoveON apart from other options you may have evaluated during your decision-making process?

We couldn't identify any other software with comparable potential despite seeking input from Brazilian partners sharing a similar profile to PUCPR: none presented an alternative system. It helped a lot that QS has developed the MoveOn solution; the QS brand and all the support provided during the prospective phase were critical to guiding our decision.

How do you see QS MoveON contributing to your long-term international goals?

We anticipate that the "flagship" initiatives in internationalization, situated at the intersection of different areas, will experience a positive impact. This is because MoveON's precise management of international agreements and in-and-out mobility will generate comprehensive reports, graphs, and a seamless flow of information. Through this, we can delve into the historical data of our inter-university cooperation status, providing valuable insights into our prospects.

In a nutshell, we expect that MoveOn will foster increased collaboration among analyst teams, empowering them with greater autonomy and trust.

It will also enable more informed decision-making when strategically evaluating partners and assessing the outcomes of these collaborations. Finally, it will allow us to place a sharper focus on continents and partners where there is an imbalance, whether in terms of mobility or the number of partner Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).