Meeting Study Visit of Polish Delegation to CLAIM of Lusófona University

Lusófona University - Lisbon University Centre welcomes a Polish delegation composed of 31 representatives working in the area of support for migrant integration.

The study visit will take place in the Professor José Araújo Auditorium and will include a session for institutional sharing and exchange of experiences regarding policies and practices for migrant integration.

The session will begin with an institutional welcome by the Vice-Rector and Coordinator of the CLAIM of Lusófona University, Professor Elisabete Pinto da Costa, who will outline the University’s mission and its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social engagement.

This will be followed by a presentation of the CLAIM - Local Centre for Migrant Integration at Lusófona University, by Professor Paula Caetano, addressing the national model for migrant integration in Portugal, as well as the functioning of Lusófona University’s CLAIM, the main challenges, and constraints identified in working directly with migrant communities.

The programme will also include a dialogue and exchange of best practices, during which the Polish delegation will briefly present the system of support for migrant integration in their country. The discussion will focus on topics such as the integration of migrant children and youth into the educational system, recognition of foreign qualifications, language barriers, and labour market integration, allowing for the identification of convergences and differences between national contexts.

The visit will conclude with a tour of the CLAIM and other University facilities, providing participants with direct insight into the service’s operations and the dynamics of client engagement.

The event is organised by Lusófona University’s CLAIM, with the welcome ensured by the CLAIM CUL team – Professor Hélia Bracons, Dr Isabel Gomes, and Social Work interns Cristiana Gabriela, Ludovina Costa, and Micaela Monteiro.

This visit represents an opportunity for international cooperation, mutual learning, and strengthening of networks in the field of migrant integration, contributing to the development of more inclusive and effective responses in contexts of growing social diversity.

Programme

1. Institutional Welcome

• Formal reception by the Vice-Rector and Coordinator of CLAIM Lusófona University – Prof. Elisabete Pinto da Costa
• Institutional framework: Lusófona University’s mission and commitment to diversity and inclusion

2. Presentation of Lusófona University’s CLAIM – Prof. Paula Caetano (CLAIM CUP)

• Overview of the national model for migrant integration
• Operation of Lusófona University’s CLAIM
• Main challenges and constraints

3. Conversation/Sharing of Experiences and Best Practices

• Brief presentation of the Polish system (10–15 min by the delegation)
• Guided discussion on: integration of migrant children and youth in schools; recognition of foreign qualifications; language barriers; labour market integration; identification of convergences and structural differences.

4. Visit to the CLAIM and University Facilities

• Familiarisation with the physical space
• Presentation of the client service dynamics

Welcome team: CLAIM CUL – Prof. Hélia Bracons, Dr Isabel Gomes, and interns Cristiana Gabriela, Ludovina Costa, and Micaela Monteiro

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