On 18 March, the Polytechnic of Porto presented the PlurALL programme, an initiative of the P.PORTO Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, which aims to promote more inclusive, accessible and well-being-focused academic environments. The event brought together lecturers, students, support staff and institutional representatives, demonstrating strong engagement from the academic community on these issues.
The session began with a speech by Vice-President António Marques, who strategically framed the programme within the institutional context. This was followed by the lecture “Inclusive Learning Pathways in Higher Education”, delivered by Pedro Daniel Ferreira, from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Porto, who highlighted the need to transform principles of inclusion into effective practices in everyday academic life.
The round table “Teaching, Learning and Belonging: Pathways to a more inclusive and equitable Higher Education” reinforced the importance of diverse perspectives in developing solutions. Participants in this session included Carla Serrão (School of Education, University of Porto), Inês Monteiro (Portuguese Catholic University) and Inês Ferraz (School of Health Sciences, University of Porto), with Pedro Amaral, a student at the Faculty of Arts, University of Porto, acting as moderator. The debate highlighted the central importance of active listening, student participation and the creation of genuine conditions of belonging in higher education.
The presentation of the PlurALL programme, led by Mário Cruz, Bárbara Veiga and Erika Ribeiro from the CIP at P.PORTO, outlined the programme’s conceptual model and operational framework. Structured around three interconnected dimensions—well-being, inclusion and accessibility— PlurALL proposes an integrated, preventive and evidence-based approach, aligned with national and international recommendations, including guidelines from the European Union and UNESCO, as well as the initiative led by the European University Association, which brings together 900 members and affiliates from universities, associations and National Rectors’ Conferences across 48 European countries.
This roadshow has been organised in response to structural challenges identified in higher education, such as rising levels of academic stress, the diversity of student profiles and the fragmentation of support services. Through a diverse range of initiatives, from capacity-building sessions and sharing forums to pedagogical training and actions to promote accessibility, PlurALL aims to strengthen institutional coherence and contribute to more equitable and sustainable academic experiences.
During the session, attention was also drawn to the work carried out as part of the INOV-NORTE project – Centre of Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation, funded by the PRR, in which the Polytechnic Institute of Porto is involved. By the end of June, this project will provide new infrastructure to support teaching and learning, namely the Digital Hub, designed to meet high standards of usability and digital accessibility, and the Teaching and Learning Support Laboratory, which will incorporate the future Assistive Technologies Laboratory and the Quiet Room.
At the closing ceremony, the collaborative nature of the programme was also highlighted, evidenced by the synergies created within the scope of INOV-NORTE, involving lecturers, students and technical staff from various institutions, as well as through coordination with the internal community of the Polytechnic of Porto, including schools and central services, notably through the contribution of staff to training activities and support in areas such as interpretation in Portuguese Sign Language.
The launch of PlurALL comes at a time of transformation in higher education, marked by the institutional evolution of the Polytechnic of Porto into the Technical University of Porto. In this context, the programme stands as a foundational initiative, aligned with international trends that recognise pedagogical innovation, inclusion, accessibility and well-being as central dimensions of educational quality.
With PlurALL, P.PORTO is reinforcing its commitment to creating the right conditions for academic success, recognising that learning, participating and remaining in higher education depend on environments that value diversity and foster a sense of belonging.