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University Extension in Postgraduate Education: Science, Society, and Transformation
University extension has been playing an increasingly strategic role in Brazilian postgraduate education. More than just a complementary activity, extension has been recognized as a fundamental dimension of academic training, strengthening the integration of teaching, research, and society, and expanding the social impact of scientific output generated at universities.
In recent years, the Ministry of Education (MEC) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) have begun to consolidate specific policies aimed at integrating extension into Postgraduate Programs (PPGs). Among the most relevant initiatives is the Higher Education Extension Program in Postgraduate Studies (PROEXT-PG), developed by CAPES, with the aim of promoting extension activities linked to research, the training of master’s and doctoral students, and the expansion of the university’s social engagement.
PROEXT-PG represents an important milestone in recognizing that postgraduate education needs to engage more directly with the country’s social, environmental, cultural, and educational challenges. In this context, extension is now understood not merely as scientific dissemination, but as a space for the collective construction of knowledge, in which the university and society learn from one another.
CAPES has also been making progress in prioritizing criteria related to social impact, regional integration, civic education, and the ability of programs to engage in dialogue with different sectors of society. These aspects are expected to carry increasing weight in future evaluations of postgraduate programs, reflecting a broader and more multidimensional perspective on academic excellence.
For fields such as Ecology and Evolution, this approach is particularly relevant. Topics such as biodiversity, climate change, environmental conservation, sustainability, and science education require constant dialogue with schools, communities, social movements, public officials, museums, and different sectors of society. In this sense, outreach expands the scope and relevance of research conducted at the postgraduate level.
Extension Project “Webs of Life: Exploring Biodiversity Through the Integration of Museums and Education”
As part of this commitment to integrating science, education, and society, the Postgraduate Program in Ecology and Evolution is developing the extension project “Tramas da Vida: Explorando a Biodiversidade Através da Integração entre Museus e Educação (Webs of Life: Exploring Biodiversity Through the Integration of Museums and Education).”
The project aims to bring Unifesp, schools, museums, and the local community closer together through initiatives focused on science communication, environmental education, and the appreciation of biodiversity, promoting integration between academic research, museum spaces, and educational practices. The proposal is based on the understanding that science can and should engage with different forms of knowledge, building bridges between the university, culture, and society.
The initiative uses biological collections as a tool to promote integration between teaching, research, and outreach, seeking to create a permanent exhibition on biodiversity as a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and interactive space. Among the activities developed are exhibitions, workshops, the production of educational and science communication materials, continuing education for elementary and secondary school teachers, and educational activities aimed at the general public.
The project also works to promote museums and scientific spaces as environments for learning, dialogue, and the collective construction of knowledge. The proposed activities encourage the exchange of knowledge between the university and society, incorporating not only scientific concepts related to biodiversity and evolution, but also traditional knowledge and cultural practices associated with the environment.
In addition to contributing to the academic and civic education of graduate and postgraduate students, “Tramas da Vida” strengthens the social impact of the research conducted within the program, expanding the scope of discussions on biodiversity, conservation, and science education beyond the university setting.
The project is interdisciplinary and collaborative in nature and remains open to the participation of students, researchers, educators, and institutions interested in building joint initiatives focused on education, biodiversity, culture, and science communication.
Project Team
Project Team
Coordenation
Profa. Dra. Maria Beatriz Rossi Caruzo
Vice-coordenation
Profa. Dra. Cibele Bragagnolo
Faculty members of the collaborative team
Faculty members of the collaborative team
Profa. Dra. Fabiana Elaine Casarin dos Santos
Prof. Dr. Marcelo Jose Sturaro
Profa. Dra. Carla Poleselli Bruniera
Profa. Dra. Ilana Fichberg
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