CLIL has a new project Católica in! Innovate to Include
Católica's Pedagogical Innovation Lab has a new project in the area of inclusive education. Strengthening strategies to improve the integration and academic success of first-year undergraduate students are the main objectives of "Católica in! Innovate to Include", the new project of the Católica Learning Innovation Lab (CLIL) of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
"With this project, we want to strengthen the various initiatives underway at UCP, which aim to promote the transition, adaptation and academic success of students at the University, particularly in the first year of higher education, considered to be a critical period for dealing with the demands and challenges of the university context", says Diana Soares, member of the coordination team of "Católica in! Innovate to Include" and professor at the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FEP) of Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
To carry out this purpose, four actions will be developed during the second semester of the 2022/2023 academic year and the first semester of 2023/2024, in Oporto and Braga campi.
The first two activities contemplate the survey and characterisation of the initiatives already underway at the University of Peer Mentoring and Tutoring by Lecturers, in which students and lecturers of Universidade Católica volunteer to accompany first year undergraduate students who join these initiatives.
"With this survey, we want to analyse to what extent these practices meet the needs of first-year students and promote their integration into academic life. Based on this analysis, we aim to build references to support the training of mentors and tutors, to expand and consolidate the experiences already underway at the University", says Armanda Gonçalves, from the project coordination team and Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences (FFCS) of UCP.
Strategies to improve the follow-up of students at risk of failure and dropping out
Besides the first two actions, the "Católica in! Inovar para Incluir" also foresees the organisation of specific Workshops for students who are at higher risk of dropping out and/or academic failure, and the creation of a platform that will gather the information already collected on situations of academic failure in both campi of Oporto and Braga.
All activities aim at developing and increasing policies and practices that allow monitoring and supporting students, being in line with the principles of inclusive education.
This project joins "Skills 4 Post-COVID - Skills for the future in Higher Education", a CLIL project, also developed in the scope of the HC OP. The project is experimenting and testing innovative pedagogical approaches, with the collaboration of teachers and students from Universidade Católica and elements from business and civil society.
The "Católica in! Inovar para Incluir" is funded by Portugal 2020, under the OP CH - Human Capital Operational Programme, through the ESF - European Social Fund.