The best practices identified in ObservIST ‘s first call were awarded with a certificate this Monday. The ObservIST was created in 2015 and aims to identify, consolidate and disseminate best practices at Técnico.

Professor Arlindo Oliveira, president of Técnico, enhanced the importance of this initiative, which allows that the best practices identified can be recognised, promoted and shared. The three winning best practices of this first call were: MEGM Mentoring and QUC – Quality of Curricular Units (Higher Education thematic area), and Management Practices at AEP (Quality Assessment thematic area).

Professor Teresa Carvalho presented the project “MEGM Mentoring”, a mentoring programme for MSc students of Geological and Mining Engineering created three years ago, which allow students to have a mentor from a company, giving advice and helping them in the final stage of their studies. “This project is gaining more notoriety and the great challenge is to keep it up”. The professor also noted that this programme is “important for mentors and mentees”. “People like to go back to university and participate in school life.”

Professor Raquel Aires-Barros, president of Pedagogic Council presented “QUC – Quality of Curricular Units”. “We implemented this system several years ago and it allows us to identify the quality of curricular units and faculty of excellence, as well as best practices in teaching”, she explained. “This is an excellent tool to improve quality in education, and we are already seeing positive outcomes.”

Doctor Marta Pile presented the third best practice identified – “Management Practices at AEP [Institutional Studies and Planning Office]” – “It consists of management practices, work plan and human resource management, and we have reached good results”.