A project from the Faculty of Education and Psychology, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP‑UCP) proposes an innovative solution for the inclusion of international students in schools.
The INSPIRE.Roots project, developed at the Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory (HNL) of FEP‑UCP, has been selected for the final stage of the National Showcase of Young Entrepreneurs 2026, taking place from 1 to 3 June at the Tram Car Museum in Porto.
Based on the premise that welcoming international students goes far beyond administrative integration, INSPIRE.Roots was created with the ambition of promoting educational experiences grounded in a sense of safety and belonging. The initiative is part of the INSPIRE project (Internationalisation as a Systemic Platform for Impact, Research and Evidence), which seeks to translate the research developed at HNL into practical tools to support the reception of international students in primary and secondary education.
This concern with reception and adaptation in culturally diverse contexts also stems from the team’s personal experiences. As Carolina Oliveira explains: “my experience in a sports context raised my awareness of the importance of welcoming, adaptation and belonging in culturally diverse environments. When I began working on INSPIRE.Roots, I realised that this dimension is equally essential in schools. International students need to find recognition and meaningful connections in a new educational setting.”
Developed by Margarida Barbas and Ana Shubo, Master’s students in Psychology, and Carolina Oliveira, a PhD student in Applied Psychology, under the scientific supervision of Patrícia Oliveira‑Silva, Principal Investigator of the INSPIRE project and Director of HNL, INSPIRE.Roots reflects FEP‑UCP’s commitment to applied research and to developing solutions that address concrete challenges within educational communities.
In the case of Ana Shubo, the connection to the topic is also deeply personal: “having been an international student myself has profoundly shaped the way I view INSPIRE.Roots. From my own experience, I know that arriving at a new school or in a new country means anxiously searching for a place, rediscovering one’s voice and building a sense of security. For children, and especially younger ones, the reception must be human-centred and culturally sensitive.”
An integrated solution to invisible challenges
INSPIRE.Roots proposes an approach that combines technological, pedagogical and social dimensions through a digital platform integrated with an inclusive welcome kit. The aim is to support schools, teachers, technical staff and educational communities in developing more structured and humanised integration practices.
The proposal focuses on often invisible dimensions of international students’ school experience, such as feelings of uprootedness, cultural barriers, micro‑exclusions and difficulties in establishing meaningful relationships. These concerns closely reflect the team’s research trajectory.
As Margarida Barbas notes, “when I started my Master’s degree researching internationalisation in higher education, I did not imagine that this path would also lead me to schools. However, we quickly realised that a sense of belonging starts early and that many of the experiences shaping international students in higher education are rooted in earlier educational pathways.”
The same student also highlights the personal and academic impact of the project: “participating in this project has allowed me to experience my Master’s dissertation in a broader way. It has been far more than an academic assignment.”
The scientific foundation of INSPIRE.Roots, supported by the intersection of psychology, social neuroscience and education, represents one of its main distinguishing features, enabling the development of tools that help schools better understand the emotional, social and relational dimensions associated with international mobility.
Recognition of interdisciplinary work
The selection for the National Shcowcase Young Entrepreneurs 2026 recognises the work developed by the HNL team. Organised by Fundação da Juventude, with co‑promotion by Porto City Council, the initiative brings together the highest‑rated projects as evaluated by a jury panel within the framework of the National Young Entrepreneurs Competition.
Over the three days of the showcase, teams will have the opportunity to present their projects, take part in discussion sessions, deliver an elevator pitch and engage with experts in entrepreneurship, innovation, funding and artificial intelligence.
For Patrícia Oliveira‑Silva, the INSPIRE.Roots journey illustrates the value of research with real impact: “INSPIRE.Roots is a project born from the research we were already conducting on the impact of internationalisation in higher education, but it grew through the energy and enthusiasm of a young team deeply committed to applied research. What began as a project within Católica has gained a new scale by becoming a concrete proposal to support real educational communities.” She concludes: “for me, that is what gives meaning to science.”
Participation in the showcase thus reinforces HNL’s role as a space for developing projects that bridge scientific research, innovation and societal impact, contributing to more inclusive responses to the challenges of internationalisation in education.