After about a year and a half of activities, not counting the preparation period, the Institutional Assessment process for the period 2014 to 2018 is reaching the most interesting part when its results will be presented and discussed in the representation chambers that deal with the assessment and Unicamp's strategic planning. Today (12) and on Friday (14) the final report will be discussed at a special joint meeting of the Unicamp Institutional Strategic Planning Commission (COPEI) and the Interdisciplinary Activities Commission (CAI). It will then be deliberated at the meetings of these chambers in September and at the University Council and then forwarded to the State Education Council (CEE), as part of Unicamp's accreditation process.
This evaluation process was marked by other unprecedented situations, partly planned, partly unforeseen. In summary, the scope of the evaluation was expanded, the process itself was remodeled, the evaluation of Institutes and Faculties was integrated with the Interdisciplinary Research Centers and Nuclei and the external evaluation took place in exceptional circumstances, which had implications even outside the Unicamp.
Unicamp has been carrying out five-yearly institutional evaluation cycles since 1992. Each of these cycles used evaluation instruments that were successively improved based on the results of the previous cycle. Furthermore, the scope was being expanded. Initially restricted to the activities of Faculties and Institutes and Interdisciplinary Research Centers and Nuclei, the evaluation was later expanded to cover secondary education offered by Technical Colleges, the Higher Interdisciplinary Training Program (ProFIS) and, in the current process, it also covered Early Childhood and Complementary Education offered by Unicamp. To be complete, it still remains to include the health area, which has already carried out an initial exercise at Hospital das Clínicas, and the central administrative bodies.
In terms of process, the institutional assessment of the 2014-2018 period changed the order and format of the stages of the 2009-2013 cycle. In the latter, the internal evaluation was carried out by 48 committees (24 faculties/institutes, 21 centers and centers, 2 technical colleges and one from ProFIS) responding to forms covering the various end activities (teaching, research and extension) and means (management). Subsequently, the external evaluation was carried out by 48 peer committees. Finally, two separate Final Reports were consolidated: one relating to faculties and institutes and technical colleges, with each Pro-Rectory preparing the chapter corresponding to their area of activity; another relating to centers and nuclei made by a commission appointed by CAI/Consu. The reports were assessed separately in the chambers and at CONSU.
For the Institutional Assessment for the period 2014-2018, the assessment instruments were improved and revised in relation to the period 2009-2013, based on the analysis of the members of COPEI, CAI/CONSU, Pro-Rectors and Executive Directors. The computerized Institutional Assessment System was updated, and support data was made available so that the Internal Assessment Committees had the maximum possible support for their analyses. After this preparation stage, the internal evaluation took place in a similar way to the previous period. The big change occurred in the later stage. Instead of a fragmented external evaluation by unit, a Preliminary Report was first consolidated with the most important indicators on teaching, research, extension, innovation, graduates, internationalization and management and the reflection arising from the internal evaluation. The consolidation was carried out by a Working Group formed by representatives of the CGU and the Pro-Rectors, Executive Directors and CAI/Consu. The report was then translated into English.
An important element to be highlighted in this report was the integration of information from centers and centers and teaching and research units in the analysis of the dimensions evaluated. This is an important conceptual change regarding the role of interdisciplinary centers and nuclei, which have a strong connection with institutes and faculties, through the professors participating in each one and through the actions of researchers in establishing partnerships in research projects, in their participation in postgraduate and extension programs. In this sense, the recognition is that the centers and units contribute together so that Unicamp fulfills its mission. Two other new features of this report are the incorporation of two new chapters relating to social and technological innovations resulting from the application of knowledge generated at the university and the professional destiny of graduates from technical, undergraduate and postgraduate colleges.
The next stage was the external evaluation carried out by two peer commissions to evaluate Unicamp as a whole: one for pre-university teaching activities, formed by members of the national community, and another international commission for teaching, research, extension and management at Unicamp, made up of renowned researchers working in various specialties. The external evaluation included visits by committees to Unicamp campuses and conversations with teachers, students and staff. In the case of pre-university education, this took place in mid-February and was very rich due to joint reflection and observation of conditions in daycare centers and technical colleges. The plural composition of the commission and the opinion produced brought important inputs to the planning of this area of Unicamp.
The visit by Unicamp's external teaching, research, extension and management committee scheduled for the end of March had to be canceled and reformulated. It became a fully remote process, through virtual meetings, due to the pandemic.
The experience of carrying out an external evaluation process for Unicamp by a single international committee and taking place virtually was challenging for both the committee members and the CGU team that coordinated this process. It was necessary to organize a preliminary agenda with the dimensions to be analyzed in each of the virtual meetings and the committee selected a coordinator to organize the work and produce the final opinion. To facilitate dynamics, the dimensions evaluated were divided among the members of the committee, who analyzed the information contained in the preliminary report and also requested additional information. Our local committee was responsible for asking those responsible for the specialty for answers to questions or document gaps.
The subjects of the meetings were generally requested as follows: Governance and decision structure; Graduation; Postgraduate studies; Search; Extension and culture; Management; Social and technological innovation; Internationalization; and Graduates. The virtual meetings lasted approximately 2 hours, with a brief presentation of the topic by the Unicamp representative, followed by a first phase of dialogue between those responsible for examining the topic and members of the Unicamp administration, and a second phase of dialogue with the entire external committee and again responses from the administration. All members of Unicamp's senior management were present at the meetings. After this cycle of meetings, the External Committee met privately and delivered the External Assessment Opinion in a formal meeting.
The two opinions will, for the first time, be integrated into Unicamp's Final Institutional Assessment Report, providing transparency to the advances, challenges and recommendations highlighted by the commissions.
In an objective assessment of this remote External Assessment process, it is concluded that there are losses and gains to be computed. Among the gains we can mention: a viable way to finalize the process that should have ended in March 2020; a critical view of the internal evaluation, which will generate revisions for the next period with regard to presentation details that made non-face-to-face analysis difficult for people who do not know the Brazilian public university in general and Unicamp in particular; the quality and commitment of the members of the external committee, who not only carried out an in-depth and qualified analysis of Unicamp, but who also helped to overcome the difficulties we encountered in the remote process from which everyone learned throughout the meetings. Furthermore, Unicamp's experience inspired a new CEE instruction on online visits for external evaluation (Deliberation 183/2020).
There is no doubt that among the losses is the absence of visits to the campuses, which would show a better view of the physical situation of Unicamp and, perhaps most importantly, the impossibility of interviews with professors, researchers, employees and students, which would add value to the process, as it would allow for a complementarity of visions about the university, its challenges and its stage of development.
Finally, in a very summarized way, the External Commissions' Opinions point out issues that will need to be part of Planes 2021-2025, discussions of which will soon begin, of which we highlight:
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Deepen the pedagogical practices of early childhood and complementary education units in order to reinforce the formative nature;
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Concern about university financing in the post-pandemic scenario;
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The valorization of careers and the replacement of staff necessary to maintain Unicamp as a globalized and excellent university;
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Curriculum review with an emphasis on updating curricula, with an emphasis on interdisciplinarity, reducing dropouts, expanding elective courses and curricularizing extension both in high school and undergraduate courses;
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Need to implement new educational models to qualify teaching-learning;
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The deepening of diversity and social inclusion actions in all aspects of university life, including postgraduate studies;
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Equating the centralization versus decentralization binomial in Unicamp's governance, with better alignment of academic units with the university's general strategic objectives;
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Focusing strategic planning on a few projects that really make a difference in institutional development;
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Greater and better integration with Latin American universities and communities in all aspects, teaching, research, exchange, etc.;
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Stimulating cross-cutting themes of regional problems (local and Latin American) via new priority research areas;
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Teaching updating and qualification for teaching with institutionalization of evaluation processes related to performance in teaching activities;
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Expansion of relationships with alumni;
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Advance in adapting campus infrastructure in relation to accessibility
There are numerous other recommendations that Unicamp should consider in its planning, prioritizing those with the greatest social impact and creating the conditions to evaluate these impacts. In conclusion, we can say that despite all the difficulties, the 2014-2018 Institutional Assessment process concludes with recommendations from External Committees, all relevant, and which must be analyzed within the scope of each academic unit and each administrative body, implementing many of the recommendations locally and forming the agenda for the institutional discussions that will take place throughout 2020 for the Planes review. Undoubtedly, Unicamp has a lot to thank the committees for their collaboration and the seriousness with which they conducted the process.
But it's not over yet. As part of the 2014-2018 Institutional Assessment process, it is planned to carry out a meta-assessment, that is, an assessment of the assessment itself, with the aim of evaluating the assessment processes and products and suggesting improvements for the next cycles.
Ana Maria Carneiro She is a researcher at the Center for Public Policy Studies where she has worked since 2010 on the topics of higher education and evaluation of results and impacts. She has been an advisor for Institutional Assessment at the University's General Coordinator since 2018.
Teresa Dib Zambon Atvars She is a full professor at the Institute of Chemistry where she has been teaching since 1978 in the area of Physical Chemistry, she was Pro-Rector of Postgraduate Studies 2005-2009, Pro-Rector of University Development 2013-2016 and has been General Coordinator of the University since 2017. She was the first woman to hold the positions of Pro-Rector and General Coordinator at Unicamp.
Composition of External Committees
External pre-university education evaluation committee
Huyra Estevão de Araújo
Professor, Coordinator of Integrated High School at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of São Paulo (IFSP), Coordinator of the INOVA-IFSP Research Project, Researcher and Member of the International Exchange Alumini and the American Ceramic Society. Graduated in Physics from UFSCar, Master in Materials Science and PhD in the area of Materials Science and Engineering with studies in the development of proton conductive ceramics with the potential for solid electrolytes for Fuel Cells.
Maria Helena Guimarães de Castro
Sociologist and Master in Political Science from UNICAMP, she is a retired professor from this University/IFCH, where she also worked as a researcher at the Public Policy Studies Center/NEPP. She was President of INEP, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Head Advisor of the São Paulo State Education Council, Executive Director of the SEADE Foundation, Secretary of Education of São Paulo, Secretary of Social Assistance and Development and Secretary of Science, Technology and Development Economic of this same State. President of the Brazilian Association of Educational Assessment/ABAVE. She participated in the Movement for the National Common Curricular Base, in several international committees linked to education at UNESCO and the OECD. Member of the Brazilian Academy of Education since 2005 and of
Academia Paulista de Educação since 2015.
Isnard Domingos Ferraz
Director of the Application College (COLUNI) at the Federal University of Viçosa. Bachelor and Degree in Physics, Master in Agricultural Engineering and Doctor in Applied Physics from the Federal University of Viçosa. He is an effective teacher in the Basic, Technical and Technological Education Career. He worked, as an effective professor of Physics, from March 1993 to April 2005 at the Center for Teaching and Agricultural Development of Florestal (CEDAF) of the Agrotechnical School of the Federal University of Viçosa, located on the campus of Florestal, MG. Since 2005 he has worked at COLUNI.
José Vitório Sacilotto
He was Pedagogical Coordinator, Coordinator, Supervisor and Director of the Trajano Camargo State Technical School of the Souza State Center for Technological Education, where he currently works as a specialist in planning and management. He has a degree in Pedagogy from the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas with a qualification in School Supervision and Educational Guidance; He also has a qualification in School Administration from the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of São Caetano do Sul and a Master's degree in Education from the State University of Campinas and a PhD in Education in the Area of Policies, Administration and Educational Systems from the Faculty of Education at Unicamp.
Maria Antonia Ramos de Azevedo
Vice-Director of the Biosciences Institute and Professor of the Pedagogy course. She has a degree in Pedagogy from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo; Master's degree in Education from the Federal University of Santa Maria; PhD in Education from the University of São Paulo.
External commission on teaching, research, extension and culture and management at Unicamp
Valentin A. Bazhanov, born (1953) in Kazan, Russia, USSR. He received his Kandidature (Ph.D.) from Leningrad (since 1991 St-Petersburg) University and was awarded the degree of Dr. Sci. in Philosophy from Institute of Philosophy of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (Moscow) in 1988. He has been on the faculty of Philosophy at Kazan University since 1979 until 1993. Since 1993 he is at Ulyanovsk branch of Moscow State University (Ulyanovsk State University since 1996), department of Philosophy chairperson, the Dean of the Humanities (1993 - 1995), chief research fellow at Academia Kantiana, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, deputy chairperson at Russia's Foundation for Basic Research (Humanities and Social Studies Department). Since 2002 he is a member of the International Academy of Philosophy of Sciences. Member of editorial board of Russian Academy of Sciences journals: Problems of Philosophy (Voprosy Philosophii), Epistemology and Philosophy of Sciences, Philosophy of Science and Technics (Philosophia Nauki I Tekhniki), Kantian Journal (Kaliningrad).
Andres Bernasconi is Professor of Education at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and director of its Center of Advanced Studies in Educational Justice. He is interested in higher education policy, university governance and administration, and the academic profession, and has authored over 100 publications in these fields. In his career he has served in administration as Dean, Vice-President for Research and Graduate Programs, and Academic Vice-Rector, in three universities in Chile. His degrees are from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Law), Harvard University (Master of Public Policy) and Boston University (Ph.D. in Sociology of Organizations)
Silvia E. Braslavsky. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She conducted Chemistry studies and doctoral studies at the College of Exact and Natural Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). In 1966, after the Night of the Long Sticks, she moved to the University of Chile. Two years later, she completed the requirements of the doctoral degree at the UBA. Later, she did post-doctoral work at Penn State University (USA). From 1972 to 1975 she served as Professor of Chemistry at the University of Rio Cuarto (Argentina). After, during 1975-76 she worked as Research Assistant at the University of Edmonton (Canada.) Since 1976 and until her retirement in 2007, she was the Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Radiation Chemistry (Mülheim/Ruhr, Germany) . She has more than 200 publications on Photochemistry and Light Interaction with Biological Pigments. During 2000-18, she served as Chairwoman of the Sub-Committee on Photochemistry at the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). After 1984, she has maintained strong interactions with Argentinian and Latin-American scientists. Among several awards, she has received the Raíces Cooperation Award (Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovative Production, Argentina), Dr. Honoris Causa at Universidad Ramon Llull (Barcelona, Spain) and Dr. Honoris Causa at UBA. Also, she was recipient of the Finsen Medal (International Union of Photobiology) in Barcelona, and the Senior Prize (International Photoacoustic and Photothermal Association) in Moscow. She has acted as evaluator of Ph.D. theses, projects and institutions in several countries. She has daughters and four grandchildren.
Naziema B. Jappie, born in South Africa, is employed as a Director at the University of Cape Town and is the Honorary Consul of the Maldives. Prior to this she worked as a teacher; the National Education Officer (Clothing & Textile Workers Union); a lecturer at the Institute of Women's Study Lahore, Pakistan and Dean of Students at the Durban University of Technology and the University of the Witwatersrand. With over 30 years of experience as an activist and an academic she offers a unique blend in fields of educational management, conflict resolution and gender equality. She has a master's degree in Social Science; a post graduate Higher Education Diploma; she completed a Fellowship Program at the University of Iowa, USA and most recently received an Emerging Research Scholar Award. Jappie served as President of the SA Student Affairs Association; a member of the Gender Equity Task Team; Vice Chair of Higher Education AIDS Program and Higher Education Quality Committee for institutional evaluations and audits for the National Department of Higher Education. She is a member of the National Council on Measurement in Education; South African Institute of International Affairs and World Education and Research Association and serves as a Board member for Deneb Investments; Hoskens Passenger Logistics & Rail and Montauk Energy.
Patti McGill Peterson is senior fellow at the American Council on Education (ACE), the coordinating association for higher education in the United States. She has extensive experience as an educator and administrator in the US and abroad. From 2011-2017, she led ACE's internationalization and global engagement initiatives. Prior to joining ACE, she was senior associate at the Institute for Higher Education Policy. She served as executive director of the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) from 1997 to 2007. CIES coordinated international academic exchange with 155 nations and administered the US government's Fulbright Scholar Program. She is president emerita of Wells College and St. Lawrence University, two liberal arts and science institutions where she held presidencies from 1980 to 1997. Dr. Peterson has a BA from the Pennsylvania State University, MA and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and did post-graduate studies at Harvard University. She was a Research Fellow at Cornell University's Institute for Public Affairs. She has served as chair of the US-Canada Commission for Educational Exchange, National Women's College Coalition, the Public Leadership Education Network, Salzburg Seminar on International Academic Mobility, and she is a past president of the Association of Colleges and Universities of the State of new York
Thomas Mack is Professor Emeritus of Physiology and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC). He received his MD degree (1961) from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FMUSP) and holds a doctorate degree in Nephrology (1980) from the Escola Paulista de Medicina. He was recruited by the Department of Physiology of WCMC in 1969, attaining the rank of Full Professor in 1977. His research work focused on renal handling of proteins and polypeptide hormones and on the structure and function of natriuretic peptides. He has published more than 100 articles and book chapters that received approximately 9000 citations (h index =43). He participated in the design of a new medical curriculum at WCMC and was Chair of the Basic Sciences Curriculum Committee, member of the Medical Education Council, and director of major integrated basic science courses. He was Chair and councilor of the General Faculty Council (1976-1985) and director of the Physiology and Biophysics Graduate Program (1971-1990). Also, he has served as invited consultant, visiting professor, or visiting scientist in areas of his expertise in several countries. Included in his honors are membership in the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, several teaching awards at WCMC, Professor Emeritus FMUSP and the honorary title of “Citizen of the Port of Santos” conferred in 2010 by the United Unions of the Port of Santos.
Francisco Marmolejo is since February 2020, Education Advisor of Qatar Foundation (QF), providing support and advice towards the enhancement of the overall education strategy of QF and its eco-system of innovative education. Previously (2012-20), he worked at the World Bank, where he served as the Global Higher Education Coordinator, based in Washington, DC., and more recently as Lead Higher Education Specialist for India and South Asia, based in Delhi. From 1995 to 2002, he served as founding Executive Director of the Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration, a network of more than 160 universities mainly from Canada, USA and Mexico, based at the University of Arizona, where he also worked as Assistant Vice President, Affiliated Researcher at the Center for the Study of Higher Education, and Affiliate Faculty at the Center for Latin American Studies. Previously, he has been an American Council on Education Fellow at the University of Massachusetts, Academic Vice President of the University of the Americas in Mexico, and International Consultant at OECD in Paris. He has received honorary doctorate degrees from his Alma Mater, the University of San Luis Potosi, and the University of Guadalajara in Mexico.
Luiz Enrique Orozco-Silva is full professor at Universidad de los Andes in Colombia and director of the area of Public Policies and Management at the Faculty of Business Administration. At UniAndes, he has been Academic Vice President and director of the UNESCO Chair on Latin American Higher Education. Currently, he serves as a member of the Governing Board at Universidad de Ibagué in Colombia. He has been an advisor to several governments and international organizations, and is also the author of several books and articles specialized in higher education. He studied a bachelor's degree in Philosophy at the Pontifical Javeriana University in Colombia, and a doctorate degree in Philosophy at Lovaine University in Belgium.
