FMRP unified for a better semester: Narratives of a Pact that celebrates human values and collective commitments during the Covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic impacts on higher education in several ways, demanding creativity, and resilience in facing it. In addition to the new challenges, the scenario induced by the health crisis has also aggravated pre-existing problems, especially with regard to human relations within the university, equity in access to educational resources and training for professional development, quality of life and caring for people, among many other challenges. In this context, in search for answers to the challenges presented, different FMRP centers and committees came together and proposed the celebration of the Pact “FMRP UNIFIED FOR A BETTER SEMESTER”. The Pact was proposed to reaffirm the institution’s values, strengthen relationships and support network, minimize stress and the impact of this new reality on the health and well-being of students, staff and teachers. The purpose of this report is to present the terms and conditions that made the Pact possible, the strategies used for its execution, with integrated actions from different sectors, qualified communication, responding to the needs of the academic community. The purpose of this report is to present the terms and conditions that made the Pact possible, the strategies used for its execution, with integrated actions from different sectors, qualified communication, responding to the needs of the academic community. The pact has enabled actions to guarantee access to resources for teaching and learning, professional training and care, in addition to strengthening interpersonal relationships and between different sectors of the institution. The Pact was born in the context of the pandemic, but it calls our attention to the constant need to improve our relations, to invest in dialogue and integration. We are no longer dealing with actions for “a better semester”, but with commitments and values that we will continue to reaffirm.