A Sociedade Mineira de Engenheiros (SME) estrutura uma iniciativa de intercâmbio técnico-profissional voltada à formação prática em engenharia e à inserção internacional de estudantes e profissionais, em articulação com universidades, setor produtivo e instituições.

A proposta já avança em sua estruturação institucional, com articulações em curso junto a diferentes atores do ecossistema da engenharia, incluindo interlocução com universidades internacionais, evoluindo de forma orgânica a partir da integração progressiva dessas parcerias.

Nesse contexto, a SME, por meio de sua Presidente, Virginia Campos, realiza agenda de articulação internacional, incluindo visita técnica à University of Kentucky, com foco na viabilização do projeto piloto.

Trata-se de uma agenda em desenvolvimento, que já se consolida progressivamente como um programa estruturado da SME, com identidade própria e foco na engenharia aplicada.

Proposta de Valor:
✓ Conectar formação acadêmica às demandas reais do setor produtivo
✓ Promover experiências em ambientes reais de engenharia
✓ Ampliar a inserção internacional de estudantes e profissionais
✓ Fortalecer a formação para atuação em contextos complexos

Minas Gerais se posiciona como território estratégico de aprendizado, reunindo diversidade operacional, cadeias produtivas robustas e ambiente propício à engenharia aplicada.

Modelo de Atuação:

A iniciativa se estrutura em rede, com atuação integrada:
✓ SME: coordenação estratégica e articulação institucional
✓ Empresas: ambientes reais de prática e aprendizado
✓ Academia: formação, seleção e acompanhamento
✓ Sistema profissional: reconhecimento técnico das atividades
✓ Projeto Piloto (em estruturação)
✓ Implementação em Minas Gerais (alinhamento com calendário acadêmico internacional)
✓ Participação inicial de estudantes e empresas
✓ Foco em: infraestrutura, energia, mineração e meio ambiente

Objetivos do piloto:

✓ Validar o modelo operacional
✓ Gerar evidências de impacto
✓ Consolidar base para expansão
✓ Escala e Consolidação

A iniciativa avança de forma progressiva, incorporando novos parceiros e territórios, e se consolida como uma agenda estratégica para o fortalecimento da engenharia brasileira, com potencial de expansão nacional e inserção internacional.

A SME convida universidades (brasileiras e internacionais) empresas e instituições a integrarem essa construção conjunta, por meio de:

✓ oferta de ambientes de aprendizado
✓ articulação acadêmica e institucional
✓ desenvolvimento de projetos
✓ mentoria e apoio técnico
✓ Engenharia, articulação e desenvolvimento

A iniciativa reforça o papel da engenharia como instrumento de desenvolvimento, contribuindo para:

✓ qualificação do capital humano
✓ aumento da competitividade
✓ fortalecimento institucional
✓ desenvolvimento sustentável

Mais do que um programa, trata-se de uma agenda em construção, já em curso, baseada na prática, na cooperação e na atuação em rede.

SME: Technical-Professional Exchange Program

Connecting Engineering, Minas Gerais, and the World

The Sociedade Mineira de Engenharia (SME), in coordination with the Brazilian Society for Engineering Education (Abenge), presents an innovative international exchange program. This initiative integrates academia, the productive sector, and professional institutions, promoting practical experiences in real engineering environments and positioning Minas Gerais as a strategic territory for global learning.

OBJECTIVES
✓ Qualify human capital in engineering.
✓ Expand the international presence of Minas Gerais and Brazil within the global engineering ecosystem.
✓ Connect academic training to the real demands of the productive sector.
✓ Strengthen the capacity to execute international collaboration projects.
✓ Contribute to sustainable development agendas.

The Program will be initiated through a Pilot in Minas Gerais, conceived as a strategic stage to consolidate the model.
✓ START: SUMMER HOLIDAYS 2027 (aligned with the international academic calendar).
✓ PARTICIPANTS: 3 to 5 students and 2 to 3 companies.
✓ ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP: In collaboration with the University of Kentucky, strengthening the connection between North American expertise and the Brazilian engineering landscape.
✓ PRIORITY AREAS: * Infrastructure
o Energy
o Mining
o Environment

THE PILOT WILL ALLOW:
✓ Validation of the operational model.
✓ Identification of adjustments and opportunities.
✓ Generation of evidence of impact.
✓ Structuring the foundation for national expansion.

NETWORK OPERATION
✓ SME: Coordinates the engineering ecosystem in Minas Gerais.
✓ COMPANIES: Provide real learning and practical environments.
✓ ACADEMIA (Abengue & University of Kentucky): Responsible for training, global selection, and academic monitoring.
This inclusion reinforces the goal of expanding the international presence of Minas Gerais within the global engineering ecosystem and prepares the state to serve as a high-level technical hub.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The integration of the University of Kentucky (UKY) into the pilot phase aims to achieve the following strategic outcomes:
✓ Global Professional Formation: Training of engineering professionals equipped with a global vision and international technical standards.
✓ Regional Strengthening: Fortification of the engineering sector within Minas Gerais through cross-border knowledge transfer.
✓ Strategic Hub Consolidation: Establishing Minas Gerais as the primary national hub for high-level technical-professional exchanges.
✓ Productive Sector Competitiveness: Enhancing the global competitiveness of local companies through interaction with international talent.
✓ Institutional Synergy (SME, Abenge, and UKY): Strengthening the institutional bond between SME, Abenge, and the University of Kentucky to create a sustainable framework for future collaboration.
✓ Scalability for Students and Staff: Creating a proven operational model that allows for the future expansion of the program, offering exchange opportunities to a significantly larger number of students and UKY faculty/staff.
✓ National Expansion Model: Providing a structured, validated blueprint for expanding the program to a national level across Brazil.

SCALE AND THE FUTURE
✓ Short Term (2027): Execution of the Pilot Project in Minas Gerais in partnership with the University of Kentucky.
✓ Medium Term: Expansion of the partnership to include more diverse academic departments and other Brazilian states.
✓ Long Term: Consolidation as a structural national program with a permanent bridge for continuous exchange of researchers, staff, and students between Brazil and the University of Kentucky

NETWORK OPERATION
✓ SME: Coordinates the engineering ecosystem in Minas Gerais.
✓ Companies: Offer real environments for learning and practice.
✓ Academia: Responsible for training, selection, and monitoring. Planned Activities:
✓ Participation in real projects.
✓ Technical visits.
✓ Interaction with multidisciplinary teams.
✓ Inclusion in technical and institutional events.

MINAS GERAIS AS A STRATEGIC HUB
The state establishes itself as a hub for applied engineering, connecting different territories and productive sectors:
✓ Strong presence in infrastructure, mining, energy, and environment.
✓ Territorial diversity and operational complexity.
✓ Consolidated technical ecosystem.
✓ Strategic geographical positioning with integrated logistics.
✓ One of the largest GDPs in Brazil with a diversified economy.

✓ Strong participation in national industry (mining, steel, energy, and construction).

SME – Advancing Engineering for Society

Engineering, Coordination, and Development

The SME leads the consolidation of this Program, proactively coordinating the public sector, the productive sector, and civil society to implement this strategic agenda for sustainable development and national institutional strengthening.

This initiative reaffirms the institution’s commitment to professional training and the development of engineering through technical excellence and transformative volunteer work. The Program is also part of the celebrations for the 95th anniversary of this civil society organization.