A professor of a polytechnic higher education institution and another of a university subsystem agreed yesterday on the need to reward the merit of the students.
In the opening session of the 1st Forum on Entrepreneurship organised by the Nursing School of Coimbra, Luís Pinto de Andrade, professor of the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, referred to the importance of «implementing formal awarding mechanisms for the students», either through the assignment of credits, or through the recognition of competences (annexed to the diploma, which is issued to the student at the end of the course).
Andrade, who is also responsible for the Poliempreende - contest of business ideas, developed amongst the polytechnic higher education institutions, argued that nowadays «enterprises prefer transversal competences» over a graduate's basic training.
In this sense, he stressed that this new culture, which ultimately influences «the whole formative strategy», «needs to be encouraged by the teachers».
Also Professor Dr. Norberto Pires, of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra, pointed out that «those who take the initiative deserve to be awarded».
«We do not encourage students to go further than required in the programme», stated Engineer Norberto Pires, the president of the Coimbra Inovação Parque, which is also related to «the spirit of Bologna».
Professor Dr. Pedro Parreira of the host institution referred that «Portugal continues to occupy a low position» in the ranking of countries with the most entrepreneurial activity and that «the education system does not prepare students for new business opportunities».
«At the level of the institutions, things will have to change», promoting curricula which foment the acquisition of new competences», stated the professor of the ESEnfC, responsible for the promotion of an Entrepreneurship Department at one of the most traditional institutions of Nursing education in Portugal.
Yesterday's meeting is part of the activities which the ESEnfC is developing in view of stimulating and informing the school community for the change of the organisational culture and for the development of entrepreneurial competences.
