It's UPTo You: A pedagogical project to promote academic adaptation and education for sustainable development

Abstract

This paper presents the pedagogical project "It's UPTo You" implemented at Portucalense University (UPT) to promote the academic integration of first-year students while encouraging education for sustainable development. The initiative is part of a broader project called +Sucesso@UPortucalense, funded by the General Directorate for Higher Education (DGES) and the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). The project "It's UPTo You" aims to promote the integration of 1st year students at UPT through the implementation of a practical and collaborative activity/challenge by teams of 1st year students, during the first week of the 1st semester. In addition to contributing to the motivation of 1st year students, the project aims to encourage reflection, innovation and the application of knowledge related to the course in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper describes the project objectives, activities, participants’ roles, resources and evaluation process that supported the implementation of the project. The project’s results and academic implications are also discussed.