Unicamp will probably launch the Institute for Advanced Studies (Idea) in mid-December, a body linked to the Rector's Office. The objective of Idea is “to promote collaborative reflection, aimed at creating advanced knowledge, with a view to the development of different fields of research”. The announcement was made this Wednesday morning (22) by rector Marcelo Knobel and former rector Carlos Vogt, who will be president of Idea's Scientific-Cultural Council.
According to Marcelo Knobel, the purpose of the Institute is to discuss issues relating to research practices and the issues that most concern society at the moment, such as global climate change. Carlos Vogt said that the official launch of Idea should take place on December 18th. “We are consulting the counselors’ agendas to finalize the date,” he explained.
According to the former dean and president of the Scientific-Cultural Council, the first official event to be promoted by the body is a seminar whose main theme will be “Post-truth”, with the collaboration of the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo. “Our purpose is to work with themes that are at the frontier of knowledge, exploring to the maximum the experience of researchers and artists from different geographic, cultural and academic origins, without there being pre-established templates”, defined Carlos Vogt.
Idea, he continued, will resume two important programs, Resident Artist and Resident Researcher. Through them, Unicamp will invite prominent names in various areas to carry out part of their work at the University, where they will also develop activities with students and young researchers, in order to create an environment conducive to the advancement of knowledge. The coordinator of the Institute is Professor Alcir Pécora, from the Institute of Language Studies (IEL), and the deputy coordinator is Professor Anderson Campos Fauth, from the Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics (IFGW). Idea's headquarters will be in a property located close to the Rectory.
History
Idea succeeds two other bodies that also had, among their respective responsibilities, the purpose of encouraging reflection on themes fundamental to the advancement of science and humanities: the Center for Advanced Studies (CEAv) and the Strategic Thinking Forum (Penses). Both developed several events in this regard, addressing topics such as Higher Education, Brazil-China Relationship, Sustainability, Prison System, Cultural Management, Social Inclusion and Health, among others.
