The title of Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour was awarded to Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior for his work in expanding partnerships and academic mobility between Brazil and France
Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior, president of the USP International Office (Aucani), received, on June 10, the insignia of Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur) from the Government of France. The ceremony was held at the official residence of the country’s Consul General in São Paulo, Alexandra Mias, and was attended by several academic, political, and governmental leaders.
The French honorary distinction was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and recognizes merits rendered to the French nation. It is considered the country’s highest order and is awarded by the President of the French Republic to military personnel, scientists, artists, and writers of outstanding merit. Among the Brazilians who have received the Legion of Honour since its creation are Dom Pedro II, Oscar Niemeyer, Gilberto Gil, Tom Jobim, Fernanda Montenegro, Sebastião Salgado, and Pelé.
The distinction recognizes Carlotti’s administration as USP president between 2022 and 2026, during which the university expanded its global projection with a focus on cutting-edge research, new technologies, and joint innovation policies. Among the milestones of this period are the visit of President Emmanuel Macron to USP and missions of the then president to France to establish new alliances.
“Although this appointment also has a personal character, it actually represents a tribute to USP, since it comes within a context of extremely significant collaboration with French institutions, allowing for a very close relationship during my term as president”, commented Carlotti. He also emphasized the role of the entire university community in this process: “All of this was only possible because, as president, I could count on the tremendous participation of the people who worked with me during my administration, including students, professors, and staff members, who contributed by building and turning into reality the joint initiatives we established with these institutions. These are transformative actions that will indeed elevate USP’s internationalization to a new level. Therefore, I hope everyone feels honored by the French government at this moment.”
The rapprochement with French centers of excellence took concrete form with the inauguration of campus offices of the Pasteur Institute, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAe) and Paris Sciences et Lettres University (PSL) on the USP campus. In education, an agreement with Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne enabled Brazilian undergraduate students to obtain the degree of Master Management of Innovation, with classes taught by French professors in São Paulo.
Climate issues were also featured on these partnerships. The forum Forests, Biodiversity and Human Societies, held within the framework of the France-Brazil Season 2025 with the São Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp) and the National Museum of Natural History of France (MNHN), brought together researchers from both countries to discuss ecosystems, forest sociobiodiversity, and evidence-based preservation guidelines.
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
