Framework

The University of Lisbon (ULisboa) fosters equal opportunities and inclusion for members of its academic community, as reflected in the Charter of Rights and Guarantees and the Code of Conduct and Good Practices, which require individual compliance with standards of ethics, justice and equal opportunities.

The ULisboa Schools have created Committees for Gender Equality, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination to identify the most relevant targets and indicators and issue recommendations to reduce inequalities at ULisboa.

 

The Commission for Equality, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination of the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (CIGI-ISA) was set up by decision of the Management Board (order no. 8492/2022, July 11, 2022). CIGI-ISA's mission is to promote an institutional environment and culture that respects diversity and equal opportunities. This mission encompasses strengthening and consolidation of gender equality, development of mechanisms that enable equal opportunities and the inclusion in university life of disabled people or with incapacity due to a medical condition, or those with few resources. The aim of CIGI_ISA is to combat all forms of discrimination based on gender identity, age, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, language, territory of origin, religion or belief, social group or political or other opinion, social and/or economic situation, physical condition or other factors of a discriminatory nature, rejecting all forms of violence or harassment.

This Commission is made up of 12 members and 12 substitute members representing the ISA community, including six professors and researchers, three administrative staff and three students, co-opted on a voluntary basis following an invitation from the School Assembly. The Coordinator of CIGI-ISA is Ana Caperta, who was elected for the 2022-2025 term.

 

Contact: e-mail: cigi@isa.ulisboa.pt

CIGI-ISA was set up based on the Plan for Gender Equality, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination of the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (PIGI-ISA) created in 2022, available for consultation on the ISA website (https://www.isa.ulisboa.pt/files/cg/pub/Plano_para_a_Igualdade_de_Genero_e_a_Inclusao_ISA_2022.pdf). PIGI-ISA is part of the European Union's and Portugal's strategy of assuming collective responsibility for citizenship rights and defending empathy towards others.

PIGI-ISA is organized into a first topic of Common Rights, encompassing cross-cutting areas and measures that apply to citizenship rights, followed by three AXES according to the main citizenship rights to which PIGI refers:

- Equality between genders (AXIS I);

- Combating racism and discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity (AXIS II);

- Inclusion of disabled people (AXIS III).

These three Axes correspond to three areas of action in which 44 measures and actions have been outlined to respond to the general objectives set. This plan will run from 2022 to 2024 and will be evaluated and revised at the end of this period.

 

Other useful addresses and documents:

- Academia Acessível - Project to promote and foster access to higher education for people impaired visually.

- Portuguese Anxiety Disorders Association https://perturbacoesansiedade.pt/

- ULisboa's Charter of Rights and Guarantees and Code of Conduct and Good Practices (Order no. 6441/2015) Declaration of rectification no. 650/2015

- ISA Regulation on Support for Students with Special Educational Needs available at https://www.isa.ulisboa.pt/files/da/pub/docs/regulamentos/Regulamento_Estudante_-NEE_ISA_2022.pdf

- Anxiety and Depression Campaign flyer available at https://www.estadio.ulisboa.pt/sites/estadio.ulisboa.pt/files/activity/docs/flyer_ansiedade_depressao.pdf

 

Factsheets Regulations for Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia

Factsheets 

Regulations for Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia 

Considering that the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) strives to implement an inclusion policy by actively working to remove obstacles to the full success and participation of students with special educational needs (SEN students) in academic, social, sporting, and cultural life. 

Who can apply? 

1 - Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN students) are categorized according to definitions by the OECD, CTN. A and CTN. B, as follows: 

a) Transnational Category A (CTN. A): This includes students with disabilities or impairments that are considered, in medical terms, as organic disorders attributable to organic pathologies. This category may include conditions associated with sensory, motor, or neurological impairments. The educational needs primarily arise from issues related to these disabilities. 

b) Transnational Category B (CTN. B): This includes students with behavioral or emotional disorders or specific learning difficulties. The educational needs primarily arise from challenges in the interaction between the student and the educational context. 

2 - These regulations apply to SEN students in all study programs provided by the ISA. 

3 - If the SEN student wishes, their status as a SEN student should be kept confidential, except for those involved in the procedures arising from the application of this regulation, who are bound by the duty of confidentiality under penalty of disciplinary proceedings and/or other legally prescribed sanctions. 

4 - SEN students have the right to the protection of their personal data, including health data, under the terms of general law. 

How to grant the SEN Student Status? 

1.        The applications should be submitted to the Academic Division at the beginning of the academic year, unless the condition arises later or is the result of an occurrence early in the academic year. 

2 - The application must be accompanied by supporting reports or assessments issued by specialists, such as doctors, psychologists, speech therapists, or other relevant experts, detailing the implications of the student's specific needs on their academic work according to the requirements of their course or study program. The report should also specify whether the condition is permanent or temporary. 

3 - For SEN students with permanent conditions, the application mentioned in the previous paragraph only needs to be submitted once, and the status remains valid as long as the student is enrolled and registered at ISA. 

4 - For SEN students with temporary conditions, the student must periodically provide proof of the condition. 

5 - The specialist reports or assessments must be substantiated, explaining the type and severity of the condition in relation to the student's academic work during their university attendance, specifically in one of the following areas: 

a) Sight; 

b) Hearing; 

c) Motor skills; 

d) Chronic illness; 

e) Psychological/Psychiatric; 

f) Learning difficulties; 

g) Other objectively limiting conditions with implications for the teaching-learning context. 

6 - Additional documents may be requested as needed to complete each student's individual file. 

7 - Recognition of SEN student status, where the condition that determined its attribution is temporary, is reviewed annually. 

Accompanying SEN Students 

1 - The Service and individuals responsible for welcoming and supporting SEN students at ISA, including a designated faculty member, are appointed by order of the President of ISA.  

Special Attendance Conditions for SEN Students 

1 - SEN students may, upon request, receive priority in any registration, enrollment, class/timetable selection, and academic record activities. 

2 - Teachers with SEN students in their classes should endeavor to support them according to their specific needs, including offering tutorial hours for personalized assistance. 

3 - SEN students may be allowed to record lessons for academic purposes only, provided they have the teacher's permission. If the teacher does not authorize recording, they must provide the student with the lesson content in advance. 

4 - For a master's dissertation or doctoral thesis, SEN students may receive specific writing support, either from the supervisor of the master's thesis or doctoral dissertation or from specialized and approved external entities, validated by the supervisor. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the student's content and knowledge are not altered. 

5 - If necessary, the presence of a companion in classes, exams, and field trips to assist the SEN student is authorized, in a manner to be defined, as well as an assistance dog, under the terms of Decree-Law No. 74/2007, of 27 March. 

6 - Considering the specific constraints of some SEN students, the home loan periods offered by the ISA library may be extended on a case-by-case basis. 

7 - In cases duly justified by the specialists mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 2, and upon request, the use of resources associated with platforms used in distance learning and interactivity with mobile or portable technological devices may be promoted, along with adapted forms of teaching in the course or study program.