Seminar on studying in Portugal with a “positive” balance – O Jornal Económico
The director of the National Erasmus + Education and Training Agency gives a “positive” balance of the two-day seminar on “Studying and Researching in Portugal” which took place this month at the Portugal Pavilion, at Expo Dubai.
“I take a positive view, especially as it is a type of event that is not exactly specialized,” he told Lusa Cristina Perdigão, emphasizing that there is also no expectation of having much assistance.
The seminars “Studying and Researching in Portugal”, promoted by CRUP – Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities and CCISP – Coordinating Council of Polytechnic Institutes, took place at Expo 2020 Dubai on 13 and 14 December.
On no first day were they responsible for the work being done by Portugal Space, the AIR Center and two projects related to agrifood: Mobfood (University of Minho) and ChestWine (Polytechnic Institute of Bragança).
On the second and last day, two projects related to the sea were needed, one more from the perspective of economic exploitation and the other from the perspective of biodiversity (ValorMar – University of Porto / Sonae and BiodivAMP – MARE / ISPA) and two others in the health area CBMmeter / Polytechnic Institute of Leiria and Blue Stain / CESPU.
“We wanted to be sure that we were able to use the availability of the Pavilion [de Portugal] to present what is best done in Portugal in teaching and research and this I think was a very positive balance”, added the person in charge of the ‘Study & Research in Portugal’ seminars.
In addition, “the sample that managed to organize”, already in a situation of somewhat adverse conditions because of the covid-19, with a phase of restriction and reception of some people not being able to return if they tested, was of “very good quality, with a lot of level”, which is “very positive”.
Therefore, “I think we should be proud of this participation”, concluded Cristina Perdigão.
“We essentially have assistance from higher education institutions,” added the director of the National Erasmus + Education and Training Agency.
The event was organized by the Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (AICEP) by invitation.
“We don’t exactly know the audience that is going to pass, although I could, if that were the case and express an interest” in knowing how higher education and research works in Portugal, attend the event.
“We had universities in the area [Emirados], international universities that work in the area and some European partners as well, Czech Republic, Malta, also Brazil, some partners assisting Brazilians”, told Cristina Perdigão, emphasizing that it was a “very interesting experience”.
These seminars were born “in the context of a group that had been meeting under the supervision of the Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Higher Education with a view to preparing some events to promote higher education institutions, the work they do abroad”, in ideas, proposals, challenges arise, explained to the person in charge.
“And one of those put forward by the Secretariat of State for Internationalization, which is one of the organizations that is part of this group, was precisely the participation in Dubai,” he added.
Taking into account the characteristics of the fair [mundial], what the Secretary of State for Internationalization proposed is that a concerted presentation be made, that is, that it would be very difficult to welcome each of the institutions by themselves (…) and that it would be much easier and more adequate to the format of the fair that will be held. in a coordinated and organized way”, he added.
The topic was being discussed until it converged on the knowledge week (‘learning and knowledge’), which at Expo Dubai hosted a large event linked to the world exhibition, RewirEd, where topics related to general education were discussed.
Therefore, according to the official, it was expected that, in addition to the normal audience at Expo 2020 Dubai, there would also be a specialist audience at that time.