Institutional - Action Programme

This axis aims to improve the structure and organisation of the Services, their quality and the enhancement of human resources while at the same time investing in economic sustainability.

After the pandemic, the impact of physical and social isolation on the educational community became evident. Different measures were instituted to mitigate these effects, from improving individual psychological care at the FCNAUP facilities to other preventive measures offered to the community. But beyond these, it is necessary to go further because the digital and formative strategy of the FCNAUP contemplates personal contact and distance learning.

The relationship with health institutions and others within the food system is decisive for the quality of teaching and the connection to research. Thus, the relationship between students, teachers, non-teaching staff and services and between the faculty and other stakeholders (health units, other HEIs, companies, scientific societies, professional orders, Alumni, family members, etc.) should increasingly merit an intentional strategy that supports a vibrant community that gets to know each other.

The teaching of Nutrition Sciences follows its conceptual framework that needs to be better defined and discussed. The FCNAUP as a leading institution in the learning of Nutritional Sciences, now with a post-graduation in the area of Food Education, as well as in the area of Public Health and Paediatric Nutrition and with responsibilities in transformative teaching, in the empowerment of citizens and the dissemination of quality information on nutrition and food, should aspire to become a reference in this area.

In the last four years, the FCNAUP has initiated and updated its scientific mapping to identify areas with more significant investment. It subsequently identifies spaces to occupy and their distribution by the different scientific areas defining a strategy to achieve these objectives. This strategy must be continued and improved.

FCNAUP, intervening in the area of food and nutrition, central areas of well-being and health of communities, but also areas of intense economic, social and cultural dynamism in the region, will need to fulfil more effectively the third mission of the university contributing to provide services to the community and to identify and create more effective links to society, particularly in areas that allow the improvement of the state of health and well-being of populations.

In this context, the space dedicated to consultations at the FCNAUP will be central as a training instrument and support structure for collecting research data and serving the community. On the other hand, the FCNAUP should continue to build its training, scientific and community service objectives in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The new FCNAUP facilities deserve special attention. The FCNAUP will only be able to develop by its expectations if it knows how to maximise its facilities and use them to enhance higher quality teaching and research, attract more resources and investment, improve the quality of life of those who use them and make the space open to the outside, inclusive and attractive.

Reducing national students will require a growing internationalisation capacity and a connection strategy with international entities capable of generating joint projects, training equivalences and increasing the exchange of workers and students in diligent and bilingual service formats.

"Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto", "FCNAUP", "Escola de Nutrição do Porto" or "Casa da Nutrição" are more than nomenclatures. They are symbols of quality and reputation. It is intended to improve the brand strategy that, besides being robust, should integrate and align all dimensions - communication, brand or positioning.