Professor Naomar de Almeida Filho, former dean of the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and Federal University of Southern Bahia (UFSB), was this Tuesday (24), in the main hall of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) giving a speech The lecture Educational strategies for interdisciplinary and interprofessional training, based on intervention projects aimed at the needs of the community. The event was organized by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (PRG), through the Teaching and Learning Support Space (EA)².
Full professor at the UFBA Institute of Public Health, Naomar de Almeida Filho was elected rector of the university for two terms, between 2002 and 2010. He was later appointed in 2013 as rector pro-tempore of the then newly created UFSB, a position he held until September 2017. Naomar helped to consolidate the new institution, implementing an innovative pedagogical model, and with great internalization throughout the municipalities in the southern region of the State of Bahia.
According to Naomar de Almeida, the political and economic crisis ends up being frightening within academia, as several investments made in recent years were not continued due to budget cuts. However, it is important to use the moment to reflect on the role of the university. “This moment is the opportunity to rethink the models, seeking to encourage and promote discussions like these that seek new strategies, not only for curricular organization, but also for pedagogical processes", says Professor Naomar.
The relationship between the university and society must also be rethought, seeking a closer relationship between what is developed within the institution and the needs of the community, says Naomar. To achieve this, it is necessary to overcome the conception of separation between the two entities, bringing the community into the institution's management and governance processes. “The university needs to check whether what it is doing has social relevance, and not complain that its crisis is ignored by society. The crisis ends up being ignored by society as it does not feel like it is participating in the institution's internal political process. It is an element that anticipates the discussion of curricula and pedagogical strategies, which is the issue of the university's mission in the national situation", assesses Naomar.
Naomar de Almeida was the author, during the period in which he played the role of rector of UFBA, of the proposal to restructure the Brazilian higher education system known as Universidade Nova. The proposal is inspired by the original ideas of Anísio Teixeira, a jurist and educator who helped found the first University of the Federal District between 1935 and 1939 (which, when closed, gave rise to the former Faculdade Nacional de Filosofia, later incorporated into the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro ), and in the 1960s the University of Brasília. The Universidade Nova project provides for the entry of students into higher education without the use of the traditional entrance exam, and basic interdisciplinary training before specific professional training.
During the lecture, Professor Naomar presented the experience of creating interdisciplinary bachelor's degrees and degrees as a gateway to higher education, a model that was implemented during the creation of UFSB. Another innovation was the implementation of the four-monthly multi-shift teaching regime, where the academic year is divided into three four-month periods, and academic activities can be distributed throughout the day.
All students enter a basic one-year general training cycle, with subjects from all areas of knowledge. After this period, new entrants will be directed to professional training. Naomar also highlighted in his presentation the creation of flexible curricula aligned with training cycles, the use of technological solutions inside and outside the classroom, and the integration of the university with the municipalities in the region where it is located.
Another innovation was the creation of university schools, which are advanced campuses in municipalities with more than 20 thousand inhabitants, integrated within public schools that were renovated and equipped by the university. University schools offer general training for interdisciplinary bachelor's degrees, through decentralized and meta-presential programs, with the help of tutors and the use of technological tools.
Unicamp
Professor Eliana Amaral, dean of undergraduate studies at Unicamp, highlights the importance of holding this debate on interdisciplinary and interprofessional training. "For us, this moment is important, as we are in a movement of reflection on all undergraduate courses. And this reflection leads to a proposal for 2019 and prepared for 2018, understanding that interprofessional training prepares people for the skills necessary for the exercise that comes later”, evaluates Eliana Amaral.
The dean understands that student training should not be individualized, and that the university should encourage group action, with plurality of opinions and diversity of skills and knowledge. “Interprofessionality must be the basis of training, regardless of your area. The importance of Professor Naomar's presence is that he has the specific experience of seeking to change from an institutional culture to interprofessionality”.
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