The Best Practices Observatory at Instituto Superior Técnico (ObservIST) organised the 6th ‘ObservIST Meeting’, on 14th November, at the Técnico Congress Centre, in the Civil Engineering Building, aiming to “disseminate initiatives that contribute positively and efficiently to strengthening the strategic areas” of Técnico. The 8th call of ObservIST recognised 13 Best Practices presented during the event and awarded with a certificate.
The “Técnico makes a difference” project, developed by the “Técnico Sustentável” initiative, was awarded the Best Practice of the Year. The project consists of a model and operational plan for urban solid waste management at the School, which involves an innovative separation and selective collection procedure on Técnico campi.
“All these projects share one thing in common: they are only possible because those who promote them do so beyond their working hours”, said Rogério Colaço, president of Técnico, during his speech at the end of the event. “There are many exceptional practices underway in the various departments”, he pointed out, and that’s why “people are positively encouraged to reach higher levels, which is deeply rooted in the Técnico’s culture”, he said.
Alongside the Best Practice of the Year, the other projects highlighted as Best Practices were presented during the meeting.
Best Practices on “Societal Impact”
- Técnico Partner Network – Created to respond to the challenges of strengthening links with industry, its main objective is to establish and develop strategic partnerships with the best-positioned companies;
- Pan European Seal Young Professionals Programme – Técnico is a member of the European Patent Office and European Union Intellectual Property Office. The initiative aims to allow students and recent graduates to work for a year at these two institutions;
- “110 Histórias, 110 Objetos”– The podcast tells the history of Instituto Superior Técnico through the stories of its assets with recognised cultural, scientific, historical and/or pedagogical value;
- Welcome Day for new Technical and Administrative Staff (1st edition) – Organised in 2022, the project aimed to welcome the new technical and administrative staff who started to work at Técnico during that year;
- Técnico Open Day – First organised in 2022, the initiative opened the doors of the departments, research units and services to the public, including visits, lectures and experimental activities;
- Internal Training Programme organised by the Human Resources Division (HRD) – Created in 2021, the initiative aims to empower all HRD staff with new skills and expand specific knowledge;
- Técnico PhD Hub (previously known as “Técnico PhD Student Club”) – Created in the 2020/2021 academic year to maximise the potential of PhD students and PhD graduates. The project consists of a communication platform across all PhD programmes, departments and research units.
Best Practices on “Education”
- Biomedical Engineering Experiments Supported by Mobile Devices, Cloud Services and the Internet of Things – The initiative created tools to enrich the teaching experience in Biomedical Engineering study cycles, using mobile devices, iCloud services and the Internet of Things;
- Mobility Open Day – The event aims to raise awareness of all international mobility programmes implemented by the Mobility and International Cooperation Office, where members of the Técnico community who experienced international mobility are given voice;
- Training and Professional Development Programme – Launched in 2019, the project aims to promote, empower and support the development of professional and interpersonal skills of Técnico professors and researchers;
- Notebook with Hexagons – Joint project between the Técnico professor Dulce Simão and Secção de Folhas da AEIST. The notebook with hexagons facilitates the drawing of chemical structures in Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering;
- FOSTWOM: an Erasmus+ project with impact in female STEM public – The Erasmus project developed a MOOC in the field of machine learning aimed to attract girls into STEM areas and keep them motivated along the courses.
For the first time, the ‘ObservIST Meeting’ included a lecture given by a guest speaker. The Técnico professor Miguel Amaral gave the lecture “O valor das boas práticas numa escola inovadora e sustentável” (“The importance of best practices in an innovative and sustainable school”).
