Meeting International Congress “Inclusive Education: Questions and Answers”

The 9th International Congress of Pró-Inclusão – National Association of Special Education Teachers is dedicated to the theme “Inclusive Education: Questions and Answers”. We come together to reflect, with seriousness and proximity, on what inclusion means today in a school environment marked by rapid changes, growing demands, and challenges present in every classroom.

It is impossible to ignore the questions raised by teachers, school leaders, technicians, and families: Is inclusion truly possible under current conditions? How can quality, rigor, and equity be balanced? How can diversity be addressed when resources, time, support, and stability are lacking? In many conversations, a harsh but real statement emerges: “inclusion is a utopia.” This Congress does not avoid these doubts — it embraces them.

Programme

July 23 | Thursday

3:00 PM | Secretariat Opening / Welcome

4:30 PM | Poetry and Music: Voices of Childhood Reciting Poetry from Their Culture and People

5:00 PM | Opening Ceremony

6:00 PM | Roundtable: Inclusive Education... New Ideas for Old Problems?

• Speakers:
  João Costa | Director of the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education / EASNIE
  To be confirmed
  To be confirmed
  David Rodrigues | Education Adviser, University of Lisbon

July 24 | Friday

8:30 AM | Welcome

9:00 AM | Conference

9:45 AM | Roundtable: Small Differences and Big Differences... Profile and Intervention of Special Education Teachers and Specialized Training?

• Speakers:
  Fátima Almeida | Contributions to a Profile for the Special Education Teacher
  Cristina Simões | Recommendations for Changes to the Legal Framework of Specialized Training in Special Education
  To be confirmed

11:00 AM | Coffee Break

11:30 AM | Focus Groups

1:00 PM | Lunch

2:30 PM | Conference

• Speaker:
  Sandra Marques | Inclusion Europe - BE

3:15 PM | Roundtable: School... And Mental Health?

• Speakers:
  José H. Ornelas | ISPA - APPsyCI – Applied Psychology Research Center Capabilities & Inclusion
  Carina Lobato Faria | ISCTE - Executive Education
  To be confirmed

4:45 PM | Coffee Break

5:15 PM | Oral Presentations 1

6:30 PM | End of Sessions

July 25 | Saturday

8:30 AM | Welcome

9:00 AM | Conference

• Speaker:
  Sofie Sergeant | Utrecht University of Applied Sciences - NL

9:45 AM | Roundtable: Organising Schools for Inclusion... How Can Belonging and Human Rights Be Ensured?

• Speakers:
  Maria João Hortas | ESE-IPLisboa
  Marco Martin | Senior Project Coordinator at Aga Khan Development Network
  To be confirmed

11:00 AM | Coffee Break

11:30 AM | Oral Presentations 2

1:00 PM | Lunch

2:30 PM | Conclusions

4:00 PM | Conference

• Speaker:
  David Rodrigues | University of Lisbon / National Education Council

4:45 PM | Closing Ceremony

5:15 PM | Music: Percussion and Voices from Mozambique

5:45 PM | Closing of the Congress

7:30 PM | End of Sessions