The Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies, a new institute that provides students the opportunity to explore Brazilian culture on campus, is hosting its inauguration Oct. 15.

Joseph Love, interim director of the institute, said its purpose was to promote the understanding of Brazilian cultures, institutions and social structures.

Jorge Paulo Lemann, a Brazilian entrepreneur, donated $14 million to the University to create the institute. It is located at the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, a division of LAS.

"It benefits the students because a number of them will have the opportunity to go and study in Brazil," Love said. "There will be conferences that will be open to the public that the students can attend, they can participate in research activities, especially the graduate students."

Love said the center is open to all disciplines: political science, history, economics, law, agriculture, engineering and more.

The institute also allows students to learn the Portuguese language and to study abroad in Brazil on scholarship.

The Lemann institute will host many cultural events such as conferences on Brazilian topics, academic research activities and music group performances.

The Lemann institute will be hosting a roundtable discussion called "Brazil's Rising Status in the 21st Century" prior to its inauguration. The discussion will be held at 3:00 p.m. at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, 1205 W. Clark Street, Urbana in room 1122. The inauguration ceremony and reception will follow at 5:00 p.m. in the center's auditorium.