At the National Space Centre, UFSM students took some creative photos.
All it takes is one walk around DMU’s campus for one to realise that the University has a bit of everything when it comes to the peoples of the world. As it is inside the campus, outside of it, DMU tries to embrace culture and diversity.
Recently DMU has had big news regarding its international visibility. The Vice-Chancellor (VC) “Dominic Shellard has followed in the footsteps of former US president Bill Clinton and the Dalai Lama as a recipient of the Mahatma Gandhi Seva Medal, for services to society.” – (See more at: http://dft.ba/-71UJ). Also, the Mile2 (Square Mile) project and its “distinguished contributions” to the community was given the Mahtma Gandhi International Award. The ceremony was presented and held by the Gandhi Global Family, an international charity institute.
When receiving the awards, Prof. Shellard said: “I have been overwhelmed by the gracious way in which these awards have been presented. The kindness of the Gandhi Global Family, the generosity of their members, and their interest in the concept of public good at our university is humbling in every sense of the word.”
Recent events following the awards ceremony have again confirmed how DMU presents itself as an active party of supporting causes throughout the world.
On 27 January 2013 the world was struck when more than 240 people lost their lives in a devastating fire in a Brazilian nightclub. In Santa Maria, located in the southern region of the country, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) was one of the entities that lost the most. Among the victims of the fire, 150 were its students.
As sympathy response to such tragedy, Prof. Shellard was keen on building a better future, and creating opportunities for every student from UFSM that could receive it. Such project began with the visit of 11 students and 3 university staff this week to participate in valuable cultural and educational experiences that would inspire their personal journeys as well as offer an introduction to UK culture. By the end of the week, DMU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor David Wilson, along with UFSM’s V.C equivalent, the Rector Felipe Martins Muller, signed a Memorandum of Co-operation (MOC) which will enrich the lives of many students from both DMU and UFSM.
The visit was successful in all its potential. On the next day of their arrival the students attended state-of-the-art lectures on DMU’s top research and development facilities like Gaming Design, Cyber Security and Holograms Production. Keen on giving them a full English experience, Events staff Holli Norton and Lynette Williamstook took the students to some of Leiceter’s most precious sights like the Curve or the Space Centre. A full VIP matchday tour was given by former player Leicester City Player Ally Mauchlen on Saturday the 19th, followed by LCFC 2-1 victory over Huddersfield.
When in the Space Centre Occupational Therapy student Débora de Oliveira said “I’d never seen anything like this”. A certain quote by one of the students, around when their time here was getting to an end, said everything there is to know about what DMU and UFSM built together, on top of the ashes – Matheus Souza said “this is magnificent”.
