On 16 and 17 July, the Higher School of Music and Performing Arts (ESMAE) hosted the first edition of the Polytechnic of Porto’s Internal Conference on Pedagogical Innovation (JIIP’26), an initiative organised by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation (CIP) at the Polytechnic of Porto (P.PORTO), which brought together 187 participants – including lecturers, researchers, students, academic leaders, professionals and experts – for two days of reflection, sharing of experiences and collective development centred on pedagogical innovation in higher education.
Throughout the conference, the academic community had the opportunity to learn about projects, discuss innovative pedagogical practices and reflect on the current challenges facing higher education, as part of a programme that included scientific presentations, parallel sessions, workshops, poster presentations, lectures and panel discussions. In total, there were 247 participants across the various activities, highlighting the strong support from the academic community for this first edition.
The opening session featured speeches by Paulo Pereira, President of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, and Joaquim Mourato, Chair of the Governing Board of the Institute for Higher Education, I.P., who emphasised the strategic importance of pedagogical innovation for the development and quality of higher education.
This was followed by the artistic performance “Malgré tout, nous sommes là.”, created and performed by students from the School of Music and Performing Arts, Isadora Dantas and António Martim Gouveia. This moment highlighted that pedagogical innovation is also expressed through artistic creation, valuing the arts as an essential dimension of training, research and experimentation in higher education, and symbolically underscoring ESMAE’s role as the host institution for this first edition of the Conference.
The programme continued with the presentation of the P.PORTO Doctoral Programme Model, a key project for the institution, followed by the plenary lecture ‘Fundamentals of artistic research and its impact on higher education in the arts’, delivered by Rui Penha, a lecturer at ESMAE, moderated by Fernando Remião, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Learning at the University of Porto and a member of the Executive Board of INOV-NORTE.
The academic sessions addressed topics such as artificial intelligence applied to teaching, active learning methodologies, curriculum innovation, assessment and academic integrity, pedagogical development, inclusion, student participation and digital learning environments, reflecting the disciplinary diversity and the wealth of experiences developed across the various Schools of the Polytechnic of Porto.
The practical aspect of the conference was reinforced through five thematic workshops dedicated to artificial intelligence in higher education, creativity and lateral thinking, cooperative learning, supervision of work placements, and inclusion and professional integration, providing opportunities for experimentation, collaboration and knowledge-sharing amongst participants.
On the second day, the round-table discussion ‘Pedagogical Innovation at P.PORTO: assessment, challenges and future prospects’ brought together representatives from the Pedagogical Councils, Technical-Scientific Councils, students and a representative from the University of Porto. Participants included Joana Santos (E2S), Carla Serrão (ESE), Sandra Vasconcelos (ESHT), Joaquim Santos (ISEP), Inês Campos (AE ISCAP), Mário Silva (AE ESE) and Sónia Valente Rodrigues (Faculty of Arts, University of Porto), with the discussion moderated by the student Ana Castro (ESE). The debate provided an opportunity to take stock of the progress made in the field of pedagogical innovation and to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for the institution’s future.
The programme also included the international conference “The State of Doctoral Education in Europe: Insights from the 2025 EUA-CDE Survey”, presented online by Simon Marti, Chair of the Council of the European University Association – Council for Doctoral Education (EUA-CDE), and moderated by Carlos Ramos, Vice-President for International Relations at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto.
The closing session of the conference included the presentation of the Final Report by Luciana Oliveira, Erika Ribeiro and Rita Roselho, followed by the presentation of the Strategic Action Lines for pedagogical innovation. The session featured speeches by Celda Morgado, Vice-President of the Polytechnic of Porto, and Manuel João Costa, Vice-President of the National Council for Pedagogical Innovation in Higher Education (CNIPES). The occasion symbolically coincided with the publication of Decree-Law No. 145/2026 of 17 July, which establishes the Technical University of Porto, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to pedagogical innovation, inter-institutional collaboration and the continuous improvement of the quality of teaching and learning.
The Centre for Pedagogical Innovation would like to thank all the speakers, moderators, authors of papers and posters, workshop facilitators, students, lecturers, researchers, higher education professionals and other participants who contributed to the success of this first edition. Special thanks are also extended to the Higher School of Music and Performing Arts (ESMAE), its President, Marco Conceição, and Professor Paulo Perfeito, for their willingness to help, warm welcome and collaboration in organising JIIP’26.
The conference was also characterised by strong collaboration between all the Schools of the Polytechnic of Porto, reflecting the richness and complementarity of the institution’s various academic disciplines. The Centre for Pedagogical Innovation would like to thank the representatives from each School on the Organising Committee for their commitment; their dedication made it possible to put together a truly multidisciplinary programme that reflects the academic diversity of P.PORTO. We also acknowledge the contribution of the Scientific Committee, whose work ensured the scientific and pedagogical quality of the conference.
During the closing session, special recognition was also given to the technical and support teams, whose professionalism and dedication are fundamental to the implementation of the initiatives promoted by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation and to the success of the Polytechnic of Porto’s educational mission. Tribute was also paid to the work carried out by the Director of the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, Mário Cruz, and his coordinators, for the commitment, leadership and vision demonstrated throughout this cycle of the CIP, which were crucial in establishing pedagogical innovation as a strategic pillar of the institution.
Thanks were also extended to Professor Sónia Valente Rodrigues, PhD, for her contribution to the leadership of the INOV-NORTE consortium throughout the term of office that has now come to an end, as well as to the team of Portuguese Sign Language interpreters from the Office for Academic Success and Employability, whose constant presence at events organised by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation and by various schools at the Polytechnic of Porto exemplifies the institution’s commitment to accessibility, inclusion and the full participation of the entire academic community.
Finally, thanks were extended to all those who consistently participate in, collaborate on and enrich the initiatives promoted by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, contributing to the development of an increasingly innovative, collaborative and inclusive academic community.
JIIP’26 has thus established itself as a meeting place for the academic community to reflect on, experiment with and shape the future of pedagogical innovation in higher education. At the closing ceremony, it was also announced that JIIP’27 will take place at the Porto Higher Institute of Accounting and Administration (ISCAP), the future Faculty of Business Sciences (FCE) of the Technical University of Porto.