The Faculty of Education and Psychology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) recently marked a key moment in the academic journey of its first-year doctoral students in Educational Sciences: the doctoral qualification examinations.
On 15 July, the first-year PhD students in Educational Sciences publicly presented their research projects before a panel of both internal and external researchers. This session represented the culmination of a crucial stage in their scientific development, enabling the sharing and discussion of innovative proposals that aim to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of Education.
Under the coordination of Professor Diana Soares, the day stood out for the scientific quality of the projects presented and for the thematic diversity that characterises current research in Educational Sciences.
A total of eight projects were discussed, covering a wide range of topics such as inclusion in higher education, the role of the arts in students’ socio-emotional development, learning through virtual laboratories, and alternative imaginaries of Artificial Intelligence in Education.
Titles of the projects presented:
- “From the singular to the transversal: photographs of active learning experiences in higher education” – Student: Francisca Miranda
- “Adult education and training: experiences and impacts” – Student: Juliana Soares
- “Inclusive education in higher education: implementing Universal Design for Learning” – Student: Inês Santos
- “Intelligent virtual laboratories in higher education: a neuroscientific and adaptive approach to learning” – Student: Patrícia Batista
- “Gamification and flow in higher education: a neurocognitive analysis of motivation and knowledge retention” – Student: Lara Carvalho
- “Essays on emerging and alternative imaginaries of AI in education in Africa” – Student: Oluwayemisi Elizabeth Ojo
- “The impact of the arts on students’ socio-emotional development” – Student: Liliana Nogueira
- “The teacher as a relational leader” – Student: João Trigo
According to Professor Diana Soares, coordinator of the PhD in Educational Sciences: “This is a landmark moment in the journey of our doctoral students, with the first public presentation of their research projects before a panel of internal and external researchers, whose feedback and recommendations are crucial for the development of their future doctoral theses.”
With this initiative, the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the Universidade Católica reinforces its commitment to research excellence and to training researchers capable of addressing contemporary educational challenges, within an academic environment of rigour, critical reflection, and innovation.
