With the aim of bringing science and public health to schools, the NOVA National School of Public Health of Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (NOVA NSPH) has signed a set of memorandums of understanding with several organisations, which will allow it to continue the Partnerships for Science Education (PAFSE) project, coordinated by NOVA NSPH and which has helped to prepare the school community for the challenges in these areas.
The memorandums of understanding with the Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, the Global Compact Network Portugal, Auchan Retail Portugal and Farmácias Holon were signed on 3 July at NOVA NSPH. The protocols systematise the partnerships developed and ensure the stability and continuity of the European PAFSE project, with everyone involved cooperating in the project’s sustainability.
PAFSE is a European project in science education that aims to prepare for public health challenges, financed with 1.46 million euros by the Horizon 2020 program from the European Commission, supporting research and innovation. The project brings together schools, universities, research centers, laboratories, companies, foundations, associations and representatives of civil society, involving them in efforts to enrich public health education, to promote education in the so-called STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
“This is a clear example of academia of academia’s approach to society with excellent results and which deserves to be encouraged. With the memorandums of understanding that we have now signed, we have conditions to continue bringing more Science and more Public Health to schools, making teachers aware of the importance of this learning, encouraging students to better understand the practical impact of this knowledge and, who knows, motivating them to follow a profession they had not considered before,” says the director of NOVA NSPH, Sónia Dias.
The project is led by NOVA NSPH and has Carolina Santos, a professor at NOVA NSPH, as principal investigator. The consortium has the support of the Directorate-General for Education and the Directorate-General for Health and includes three other countries (Greece, Cyprus and Poland) and nine institutions. More protocols will be signed soon, namely with the Regional Energy Directorate of the Government of the Azores, Expolab, the AMI Foundation, Águas de Portugal and Sporting Club de Portugal.