Under the theme «Co-creating Higher Education», the event, organised by the National Council for Pedagogical Innovation in Higher Education (CNIPES), encouraged dialogue, participation and the collaborative development of ideas for the future of higher education institutions.
Held on 29 October, the event opened with an address by UTP Rector Paulo Pereira, who highlighted the importance of this opportunity to meet and reflect on student involvement in pedagogical innovation and the improvement of the educational experience. He also emphasised the role of students as active partners in shaping their institutions through their participation in institutional bodies, councils and committees, helping to drive the urgent and essential transformation that higher education must undergo.
The opening session also featured addresses by Fernando Remião, Vice-Rector of the University of Porto and leader of the INOV-NORTE project, and Francisco Porto Fernandes, President of the Porto Academic Federation, who stressed the importance of student participation in developing more inclusive, collaborative and innovative academic communities.
In his talk on «AI in Higher Education», guest speaker Arlindo Oliveira invited participants to reflect on how artificial intelligence is redefining teaching and learning processes, particularly knowledge production and assessment methods. He emphasised the need for an informed approach and the responsible adoption of these technologies in academic settings.
Throughout the day, participants were invited to discuss new forms of shared leadership between students and institutions in response to the challenges of pedagogical innovation, contributing to the development of CNIPES' programme of activities for its new strategic cycle. The sessions sought to highlight the potential of collaboration to promote more meaningful learning experiences and jointly develop responses to the challenges currently facing higher education. Collaborative work thus took centre stage through a participatory and inclusive approach.
By hosting this initiative, the Technical University of Porto reaffirmed its commitment to student participation, pedagogical innovation and the co-creation of solutions for the future of higher education, recognising the contribution of students and student association leaders as active agents of change and institutional development.