On 18 March, the Polytechnic of Porto, through its Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, will host a presentation session for PlurALL, an institutional roadshow aimed at promoting a more inclusive, humane and sustainable academic environment. The session marks the public launch of the programme, presenting to the academic community the range of activities that will take place over the coming months, involving students, staff and various departments within the institution.
PlurALL was conceived as a strategic response to the growing diversity of the student population and the contemporary demands of higher education, seeking to strengthen conditions that foster well-being, participation and academic success. The programme is structured around three main pillars: well-being, accessibility and inclusion. The first pillar involves initiatives focused on promoting mental health, achieving a balance between academic and personal life, and reducing the stigma associated with seeking support. The second pillar seeks to identify and reduce physical, pedagogical and digital barriers that may limit students’ full participation. The third promotes practices that reinforce a sense of belonging and the valuing of diversity within the academic context.
The initiative is based on a participatory governance model guided by scientific evidence, incorporating mechanisms for monitoring and gathering feedback from the academic community. One of the guiding principles of the programme is the distinction between equality and equity in higher education, recognising that promoting genuine opportunities for success requires the identification and removal of specific barriers affecting different students.
The roadshow presentation session will provide an overview of the programme’s objectives and highlight PlurALL’s integration with the pedagogical innovation ecosystem of the Polytechnic of Porto, whilst capitalising on synergies created between the institution and the other higher education institutions that make up the INOV-NORTE project – Centre of Excellence for Pedagogical Innovation in the Northern Region.
This collaboration stems from the joint work and relationships established between lecturers, researchers, students and technical staff from various partner institutions, including P.PORTO, U.Porto, UCP, UTAD, IPB and ESEP, which is now part of the University of Porto. Representatives from these institutions will participate both in the presentation session and at various points in the programme throughout the roadshow, reflecting a dynamic of inter-institutional cooperation built on synergies, partnerships and personal contacts developed within the context of INOV-NORTE.
The programme’s planned initiatives include workshops, seminars, debates and participatory activities focusing on topics such as academic stress, sleep and learning, digital accessibility, linguistic and cultural inclusion, and emotional sustainability in teaching. The programme also includes spaces for students and staff to meet and share ideas, seeking to strengthen human relationships within the academic context and promote more inclusive teaching practices.
To attend the presentation session in person, you must register using the form at: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/9f9YFfspS6. The event will also be streamed online at https://plurall.cip.ipp.pt/coming-soon.
Through PlurALL, the Polytechnic of Porto aims to contribute to the creation of more accessible and participatory learning environments, where diversity is recognised as a value and where well-being and inclusion are embraced as fundamental aspects of the higher education experience. Under the motto “Every student’s success is everyone’s mission”, the programme seeks to mobilise the academic community around a shared vision of equity, care and institutional sustainability.
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PROGRAMME: PlurALL PRESENTATION
Date: 18 March
Time: 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm
3.00 pm | Opening Session
With: António Marques (Vice-President, University of Porto)
3.15 pm | Lecture
Topic: ‘Inclusive learning pathways in Higher Education’
Pedro Daniel Ferreira (U.Porto)
3.45 pm | Roundtable discussion
Topic: ‘Teaching, Learning and Belonging: Pathways to a more inclusive and equitable Higher Education’
Carla Serrão (P.PORTO)
Inês Monteiro (UCP)
Inês Ferraz (P.PORTO)
Moderator: Pedro Amaral (U.Porto)
16:45 | Presentation of PlurALL
Mário Cruz (P.PORTO)
Erika Ribeiro (P.PORTO)
Bárbara Veiga (P.PORTO)