Respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity and innovation. These are the five values that guide the behaviours expected from the Técnico community, summarised in the document “Guiding Values – fostering an open and welcoming environment”, presented to the School this week, in a social media campaign and at the various campi. The document, coordinated by the Ombudsman’s Office at Instituto Superior Técnico, aims to help improve the way we work, treat others, teach and do research at the School.
The definition of these values and behaviours was open to the community and involved the participation of 82 volunteers – students, technical and administrative staff, professors and researchers, in nine discussion group sessions. The process also included 55 contributions via an online form.

After identifying the need to map the perceptions and needs of the Técnico community concerning the Values and Behaviours expected from each member, the Técnico Vice-President for Administrative Management, Helena Geirinhas Ramos, set up an independent working group in June 2021 to design and develop a guide compiling the guiding values and behaviours aligned with the institution’s mission and values.

The Working Group was led by the Técnico professor and Education Ombudsman Raquel Aires de Barros, and included a student, three members of staff, two professors and a researcher. Five fundamental values were identified (respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity and innovation) and a call was made to the community to actively contribute to the development of this work, defining the behaviours and attitudes to be encouraged, as well as identifying inappropriate or undesirable conduct.

The result was compiled in the document “Guiding Values – fostering an open and welcoming environment”, whose full version is available on the ombudsman’s website. Printed versions are also available at the reception desks of the Técnico campi. The guide has the express support of the school’s Governing Board.

“We hope that this guide will help improve how we work, how we treat each other, how we teach and do research, and that these values will become an integral part of our DNA,” explains Raquel Aires de Barros. “Our Values and Behaviours are at the heart of everything we do. They guide our behaviour as a community. By defining these Values and Behaviours and applying them to our daily work and study life, we can better understand what is expected of us, which is to recognise and support positive behaviour, and actively address inappropriate behaviours.”

Any non-compliance with the values and behaviours can be reported to the Ombudsman’s Office via the contacts provided.

 Brochure “Guiding Values – fostering an open and welcoming environment”