De 15 a 19 de abril de 2024, o Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa (ISEL) desafiou 27 estudantes e 13 docentes, de 7 países distintos, a refletir sobre temáticas relacionadas com a sustentabilidade ambiental, com o objetivo de motivar a uma ação local que possa ter um impacto global.
O Blended Intensive Program (BIP) denominado Sustainability: Act locally, Impact Globally (2022-1-PT01-KA131-HED-000063531-1) envolveu diferentes instituições de ensino superior europeias: Polytechnic University of Lisbon (Portugal), Frankfurt University of Apllied Sciences (Alemanha), Atlantic Technological University (República da Irlanda), University of Applied Sciences and Arts HOGENT (Bélgica), University of Applied Sciences in Tarnow (Polónia), South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Finlândia) e VSB - Technical University of Ostrava (Rep. Checa).
Os participantes foram desafiados a desenvolver ao longo de quatro dias e a apresentar no último dia soluções para diferentes problemas identificados, ao nível da sustentabilidade ambiental. Com este objetivo em mente, o programa do BIP incluiu conferências com oradores convidados, como a professora Paula Sobral, da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, especialista na problemática dos micro-plásticos com especial ênfase nos mares, assim como a investigadora Cristina Ruiz, da Universidade de Leicester, especialista em poluição da atmosfera e observação da Terra, bem como momentos de trabalho em grupo e visitas culturais.
António Serrador e Nuno Datia, docentes do ISEL e responsáveis por este BIP, afirmam que estes programas têm vantagens evidentes na medida em que permitem uma rápida integração internacional, possibilitando não só aquisição de conhecimentos técnicos, como também, o estabelecimento de uma rede de parceiros com vontade de cooperar e desenvolver projetos futuros, cimentados não só em relações institucionais, mas também, em ligações pessoais nacionais e internacionais.
No final deste programa, os parceiros deixaram gizados novos projetos a desenvolver nos próximos dois anos. Este BIP enquadra-se no âmbito da U!REKA - European University, tendo marcado presença neste evento, 4 dos 6 parceiros do projeto – IPL (Portugal), Frankfurt UAS (Alemanha), a University of Applied Sciences and Arts HOGENT e VSB - Technical University of Ostrava.
Testemunhos de estudantes que participaram no BIP:
“The Polish team would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest appreciation for organizing the BIP event this year. (...) The event was very well-organized and provided a platform to meet open and interesting people with whom we developed close friendships that will hopefully last for a long time.”
"On the behalf of the Irish team, we would like to express our appreciation for participating in the BIP. We found the program to be well-organized and enjoyable, and we gained valuable insights into sustainability that can enhance our learning. We found it engaging to interact with others, collaborate as a team, and promote cultural understanding to strengthen connections within the team. We also formed meaningful friendships during the week, both with new and old friends, and we look forward to reconnecting in the future.”
“We are students from Germany, and this was our first international exchange program (BIP). We are thrilled that our inaugural BIP experience took place in Portugal at ISEL, as it was truly unforgettable. This BIP has ignited our enthusiasm for future exchange opportunities. We are deeply grateful for this wonderful experience and the warm hospitality extended to us. The program was incredibly interesting and moving, and the organization was top-notch.”
"(...) I would 100% recommend this BIP week to future students who want to participate in this fantastic and unforgettable week. I grew so much both professionally and personally. You learn about the culture, language, music, traditional food, architectural styles, transport, nightlife...and so on. All these things you can't learn from your books and have to go and experience in real life. We got the chance to do this! We learned and talked about sustainability, its challenges, its solutions, the future.... This was a wake-up call for several of us because we need to change NOW. (…) This whole project of course happened with really cool students from all over Europe. Special friendships were formed that will hopefully last for a long time. Thank you for everything! I will never forget this! Justine Hoornaert (HOGENT)”
"For the Portuguese students, taking part in the BIP in Lisbon was a truly inspiring experience. For a week, we had the privilege of meeting students from different countries, all united by the same purpose: the sustainability of our planet. It was incredible to see how people from different cultures and backgrounds can work together to tackle global challenges. The lectures and practical activities were educational and motivating, leaving us with a new sense of environmental responsibility. But more than that, it was the spirit of community and collaboration that made this week truly unforgettable. We left the BIP event not just with knowledge, but with new friends and a renewed determination to make a difference in the world. Thank you all for this life-changing experience.”
