Unesc signs Letter of Intent with the Polytechnic University of Lisbon for international cooperation in Education

The internationalization of the Graduate Program in Education at Unesc has taken a new step in Lisbon. On Tuesday (October 6), the Letter of Intent was signed between the Graduate Program in Education (PPGE) of the University and the Higher School of Education of Lisbon (ESELx), one of the units of the Polytechnic University of Lisbon (UPL).

The mission was coordinated and accompanied in Lisbon by the Vice-Rector for Teaching and researcher of the PPGE, Graziela Giacomazzo, and the Higher School of Education of Lisbon (ESELx), represented by its president Carla Cristina Santos Correia Rocha, with the presence and mediation of the Higher Institute of Accounting and Administration of Lisbon (ISCAL), represented by its president, Pedro Miguel Baptista.

Among the initiatives outlined in the established partnership is the creation of conditions for post-doctoral internships, allowing PPGE professors to conduct research periods at ESELx and ISCAL, with support and scientific supervision, and for Portuguese researchers to do the reverse at Unesc. Additionally, the document also mentions the reciprocal invitation for faculty from both institutions to participate in thesis defense committees for master's dissertations and doctoral theses, either in person or remotely, which is expected to enrich academic debate and enhance the international visibility of the programs. 

In the field of research, the institutions aim to develop and submit joint projects to Brazilian funding agencies, such as the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes), the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and the Foundation for Research and Innovation Support of the State of Santa Catarina (Fapesc). The partnership also targets the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and European scientific cooperation programs, including Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe. The results of these initiatives are expected to lead to shared productions, with the publication of articles in qualified journals, book chapters, and collective works. 

For the Vice-Rector, the agreement consolidates a long-term path. "It is a partnership that unites research, training, and the production of knowledge and joint methodologies. A great opportunity for our master's students, doctoral candidates, and faculty," says Graziela.