South-South Academic Cooperation and Human Capital Development: The Case of Mozambican Students Studying in Brazil under the PEC-G/PEC-PG Framework

This paper examines the dynamics, structure, and developmental impact of the academic cooperation program linking Brazil and Mozambique through the Programa de Estudantes-Convênio de Graduação (PEC-G) and the Programa de Estudantes-Convênio de Pós-Graduação (PEC-PG). Drawing on primary audiovisual evidence—including testimonials from Mozambican scholarship recipients, statements from the Brazilian Ambassador in Maputo, and declarations by Mozambique’s Minister of Education and Culture—alongside a comprehensive review of literature on South-South cooperation (SSC), internationalization of higher education, and human capital theory, the study argues that the Brazil-Mozambique educational partnership constitutes a sustainable, policy-embedded, and reciprocal modality of SSC. The analysis reveals that over 8,000 Mozambican scholarship holders have studied in Brazil over the past 10–15 years, and that more than 30% of Mozambique’s senior scientific personnel hold postgraduate degrees from Brazilian universities. The paper further highlights challenges related to provincial inclusion, brain drain risks, and the geopolitical dimensions of bilateral academic flows, while affirming that such programs meaningfully contribute to Mozambique’s human capital, institutional capacity, and national development agenda.