The first edition of the School Assembly Seminar Series took place from 5th to 7th September, at Técnico – Alameda campus (Congress Centre). The event was open to the entire Técnico community and several students, researchers, professors and staff joined the event.
“It is the right time to discuss relevant topics and give an input to the new Strategic Plan of the School”, said the President of the School Assembly, professor Ana Teresa Freitas, during the opening session.
According to the President of Técnico, professor Rogério Colaço, “it is necessary to plan our future and to do so we must listen to the School”. During his speech, the President of Técnico referred to the 14th anniversary of the School Assembly, the start of the new academic year and the implementation of the new teaching model. Professor Rogério Colaço also listed some of the school’s challenges such as the Técnico Innovation Centre, the promotion of the Partner Network, Advanced Training and the staff renewal.
The first day of the Seminar Series welcomed 22 speakers who discussed, in four panels, the topic “Education – Improving the learning experience and students’ results”. Among the various topics under discussion were: digital tools as a teaching support, student learning processes, the importance of extra-curricular activities in a student’s life, the advantages of business partnerships, mobility best practices, the academic path of professors and their career progression, and how to improve talent retention. During the first day, it was also addressed, as a case study, the Polytechnic University of Milan, which has strongly invested in MOOCs, and the Pedagogical Innovation Projects.
The second day of the event centered on the theme “Research – Promoting a research focused on solving real-world problems”. The 22 speakers and the audience discussed topics such as: the impact of internationalisation in promoting excellence in research, the importance of diversity in training, the need to diversify funding sources, collaboration with companies, and the need to find more time for research. At the level of research, some factors have been identified that allow it to become fertile, such as people, funding, collaboration, time and infrastructure. The research carried out at Técnico was highlighted as a powerful element in the promotion of the School and also the need of science communication training, taking as an example of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of Universidade Nova de Lisboa that offers a Master in Communication Science. The importance of students and professors spend time in companies and the positive impact of the Técnico Partner Network was also addressed.
The “Societal impact – strengthening the community’s spirit of belonging and its impact on society” was the topic discussed on the last day. The 24 speakers were divided into different panels and addressed topics such as the importance of finding the right balance between study, work and personal life, the importance of having a sense of community, sharing experiences, mentoring and training. The specific training for students, MOOCs and gamification, and the need to professionalize some of the initiatives that already exist were other topics under discussion.
“The School Assembly will be keen to follow up the suggestions included in the new Strategic Plan”, said the President of the School Assembly, professor Ana Teresa de Freitas. “This was an extraordinary event that allowed us to see Técnico in its different aspects”, said the President of Técnico.
The Técnico Strategic Plan 2020 – 2030 is currently available for consultation until September 20, on the school council’s website.
