The Symposium of Academic Exchange (SAE) is aimed at non-Anglophone high-school, undergraduate and graduate students from all areas of knowledge. Young researchers are challenged to present their works (conducted within research projects at UFSM) in English in up to five minutes, in an engaging way, so that it can be understood by a non-specialist academic audience. Inspired by the international Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, the event aims to 1) boost academic literacies in English; and 2) develop young scientists’ ability to present their research to multidisciplinary audiences, highlighting the potential impact on the community. The best presentations receive certificates of academic distinction in categories such as Time Management, Social Impact, Best Slide, Popularization of Science, Linguistic Accuracy and Fluency, and the three best presentations receive awards. The SAE is orgnized by Laboratório de Pesquisa e Ensino de Leitura e Redação (LabLeR – DLEM) and Programa Línguas no Campus, in partnership with the Diretoria de Relações Internacionais (DRI) and the Provost Office for Graduate Studies and Research (PRPGP) of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria.

The V SAE is articulated by by the Simpósio de Intercâmbio Acadêmico 2025 (SIA) as one of the branches of the Internationalization Research Summit (InteRSummit). InteRSummit is a new institutional platform designed to connect, strengthen, and give visibility to internationalization activities developed at UFSM. InteRSummit will bring together ongoing initiatives from LabLeR, Rede Andifes-IsF/Português, DRI, and PRPGP, and explicitly highlight their interconnections.