Stronger Together: Fleming College and Fundação Victor Dequech Advance a Vision for Education, Opportunity, and Community Impact
PETERBOROUGH, ON – (October 14, 2026) – Fleming College has welcomed a delegation from Brazil’s Fundação Victor Dequech (FVD) to its Sutherland and Frost Campuses this week. The travel to Canada highlights a growing international partnership focused on education, workforce development, community impact, and cultural exchange.
As a non-profit organization, FVD empowers young adults, fosters mineral culture, and promotes scientific and social development through continuing education and research, specializing in the mineral engineering sector. They join Fleming in prioritizing skilled trades training in resources drilling and blasting, applied learning, research and innovation, and career readiness.
The visit marks an important next step in a relationship that Fleming and FVD have cultivated over the past year. Together, they will explore collaborative initiatives that create meaningful opportunities for learners, employers, and mining industries in Canada and Brazil.
Over the next week, leaders from education, government, business, and community organizations will join the conversations to identify where their respective strengths and expertise align and where future collaboration could have the greatest impact. These meetings will connect Fleming and FVD’s partnership with broader regional priorities and perspectives.
“Bringing delegates from Fleming and FVD together gives both organizations an important opportunity to build on the work already underway and have more focused conversations about what this partnership can achieve,” said Dr. Theresa Knott, Interim President of Fleming College. “By sharing expertise, understanding each other’s priorities, and engaging with community partners, this visit helps to identify meaningful areas for future collaboration.”
“This relationship represents much more than cooperation between institutions in Brazil and Canada,” said Antonio Padua V Chaves, President of FVD. “It reflects a shared conviction that education, professional development, innovation, and collaboration are powerful instruments for transforming lives, strengthening industries, and creating sustainable opportunities for future generations.”
By uniting Fleming’s expertise in Canadian post-secondary education and workforce development, alongside its globally recognized resources drilling and blasting education programs, with FVD’s experience in Brazilian training, research, and innovation in the mining industry, both organizations are positioned to expand their global reach and drive meaningful growth in the mining sector in their respective regions.
Additional Quotes
“Partnerships like this one raise the region’s profile around the world. Fleming College’s work with Fundação Victor Dequech is helping to shape learning and workforce development in Brazil, strengthening the ties between our communities. We look forward to seeing this partnership grow.”
– Mayor Jeff Leal, City of Peterborough
“Our communities can take pride in this partnership, sharing world-class local expertise and opening doors to international collaborations that will benefit both our countries.”
– Mayor Doug Elmslie, City of Kawartha Lakes
More information:
communications@flemingcollege.ca