Crossing Boundaries:
Uniting Cultures
for Sustainability.
An innovative collaboration between Durham University and UFRJ, bringing students together to solve global SDG challenges through COIL methodology.
Preparing the Next Generation of Scientists
The Crossing Boundaries project is not merely about chemistry or biology; it is fundamentally about internationalisation.
Our mission is to democratise the global experience, ensuring that the new generation of Brazilian and British scientists develops critical intercultural competencies. By connecting research laboratories across virtual and physical borders, we prepare students not only to execute experiments but to lead diverse global teams in solving the greatest challenges of the 21st century.
The Project Explained
Digital Connection
Virtually paired classrooms working on identical problems with different cultural perspectives.
Peer-to-Peer Interaction
Students manage time zones, languages, and working methods in real joint tasks.
Scientific Co-creation
The ultimate goal is not an essay, but a viable prototype for agriculture and sustainability.
Context and
Motivation
The complexity of contemporary challenges demands a reshaping of how new scientists are trained. Problems such as food security and soil contamination do not respect geopolitical borders.
Our actions aim for concrete outcomes in Transnational Education (TNE), creating learning ecosystems that benefit institutions and societies bidirectionally.
Projects & Innovation
Developing tangible solutions, uniting nanotechnology and biology for sustainable agriculture (SDGs 2 and 15).
International Learning
Fostering intercultural competence, overcoming linguistic barriers, and shaping multidisciplinary teams.
Institutional Collaboration
Strengthening relationships between Global North and South universities through the support of funding agencies.
Latest Updates
Minds Behind the Project
Dr. Alan Smith
Principal Investigator (UK)
Dr. Maria Costa
Principal Investigator (BR)
Dra. Ana Sousa
Intercultural Lead