The rector of Unicamp, Antonio José de Almeida Meirelles, and the executive director of the Health Area, Oswaldo Grassiotto, were received this Thursday (6) afternoon by the Secretary of Government of São Paulo, Gilberto Kassab. According to the rector, the hearing dealt with several issues, including the limitation of teaching and staff positions at universities, as well as greater interaction between the University and the health and education sectors. The Rectory's Governmental and Institutional Relations advisor, William Alexandre de Oliveira, also participated in the meeting.
“We talked about issues that have worried the University, such as the limitation of teaching and staff positions”, revealed the dean. “This difficulty has been restricting the possibility of replacing retiring staff and preventing any plans to open new courses and expand vacancies”, he explained.
In the morning, Meirelles participated in the signing of a protocol of intentions between Cruesp (Council of Rectors of São Paulo State Universities) — Unicamp, USP (University of São Paulo) and Unesp (Paulista State University) — and the government of the state of São Paulo , for the implementation and management of accessibility policies for people with disabilities. According to the protocol, these policies will focus on the development of assistive technologies. The Technological Research Institute (IPT) also participates in the project.
The rector expressed to the Government Secretary, Gilberto Kassab, Unicamp's willingness to collaborate in the development and formulation of public policies “that meet the demands of the population of our state”, mentioning three examples of collaboration already defined or under study. The protocol of intentions in the area of the rights of people with disabilities signed in the morning, the joint action with the state secretary of Health in initiatives in the Regional Health Departments close to Campinas and the possibility, already under analysis with the secretary of Education, of greater interaction with the state's public high school.
New partnerships
The rector also held an audience in the afternoon with the Secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Vahan Agopyan. The general coordinator of Unicamp, Maria Luiza Moretti, the rector and vice-rector of Unesp, Pasqual Barretti and Maysa Furlan, and the rector of USP, Carlos Carlotti, were present. The Secretariat team was present with Carlos Graeff, Higher Education Coordinator, Edson Wendland, Science, Technology and Innovation Coordinator, and Executive Secretary Thiago Liporaci.
The agenda was the discussion of new collaborations between the government and universities. The main theme was the proposal to prepare a joint action plan, to be mediated by the Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation together with the state government and the other Secretariats, for the collaboration of the three state universities in the development of public policies that benefit the state's population.
In addition to the actions involving the three state universities already underway — such as the partnership with the Secretariat for the Rights of People with Disabilities and Education — possibilities for new collaborations with the Secretariats of Agriculture and Health were evaluated.
Furthermore, a joint action by the three universities and the Secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation was discussed in the effort to internationalize higher education in São Paulo. One of the possibilities is the joint participation of institutions in international forums, such as, for example, in future events of the Conference of the Parties (COP – Conference of the Parties) on climate change.
