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Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of Florida Polytechnic University, and Otília Macedo Reis, executive director of Fulbright Portugal, recently signed an agreement to begin an exchange of scholars and academic opportunities between Florida Poly and Portugal.

Florida Poly inks international partnership with Fulbright Portugal

April 5, 2023

Florida Polytechnic University has formalized an agreement with Fulbright Portugal to provide exceptional educational opportunities between the University and the Southwestern European nation.

The partnership means that outstanding Portuguese scholars now will be able to undertake ambitious research endeavors at Florida Poly and work with the University’s faculty and students. The Fulbright Chair Award this agreement establishes is among the most prestigious appointments offered by the Fulbright Program and will be awarded to a senior scholar with excellent teaching or research experience. This is the University’s eighth Fulbright collaboration.

“Working in partnership is embedded in the way the Fulbright Commission in Portugal operates and thrives,” said Otília Macedo Reis, executive director of Fulbright Portugal. “We are, therefore, very happy to partner with Florida Poly for the establishment of the Fulbright Chair Award, providing an excellent new opportunity to scholars to embark on a rich and meaningful scientific experience.”

The first Fulbright cohort for the next academic year will arrive on campus for the fall semester.

“By continuing to partner with members of renowned educational programs like Fulbright, Florida Poly is expanding its international presence and reputation, sharing our high-tech knowledge and resources with some of the world’s best scholars,” said Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of Florida Polytechnic University.

The University now has partnerships with Fulbright organizations in Portugal, Finland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia, Luxembourg, and Belgium.

“The growing relationship with the Fulbright Program exemplifies Florida Poly’s mission to establish an everlasting impact through global engagement and academic excellence,” said Mustapha Achoubane, senior advisor to the University president for international relations.

The international Fulbright Program, led by the U.S. Department of State, works with more than 160 nations around the globe to increase educational and cultural exchanges to study, learn, and pursue academic and professional projects. Since its creation in 1946, the program has created learning pathways for more than 400,000 scholars.

 

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Session Details

This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.

Presenter Profile

Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.