This article is a reflection about the role that the São Paulo and Paraná State Universities play in developing the academic educational process of Portuguese-speaking African or PALOP students, especially Angolan students. Working on a degree at a higher education institution fosters new dialogues and new identity syntheses made possible by different cultural practices learned in the contact with students, professors, employees, academic institutions and research institutions that ignore people's daily life conditions in Angola. This text includes views on the Angolan historical-cultural scene, the Angolan students' academic route and identity, the present student environment in Angola, the recent history of this country; the intellectuals and university professors' social positions, and the role and use of the Portuguese language in Brazil and in Angola in scholar, familiar and colloquial situations. The study has been an attempt to understand the imaginary world of young Angolan exchange students who have to face the conflicts of the temporary migrant and the war refugee stereotypes.
university; student; identity; imaginary world; exchange
