By Andrea Hargraves 
The Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education visits the College of Applied Arts in Portalegre, next Monday morning, October 17, to participate in the ceremonial opening session of the academic year 2022/2023.
The event marking the beginning of the academic year takes place on the Polytechnic campus. Interventions by Minister Elvira Fortunato are planned; President of the Polytechnic of Portalegre, Louis Loris; Portalegre City Council President, Firmilinda Carvalho, and student representing the Academic Society, Carolina Henrichs.
Integration activities for new students continue throughout the week, with moments of coexistence and connection to the city, to showcase the local culture (traditions and heritage), especially for the displaced students.
The “Welcome Week’22” event is an initiative of the Polytechnic of Portalegre, in which the Academic Society participates, which has programmed several integration actions, a solidarity exercise – “Portalegre, the White City” – taking place in the 20th and consisting of painting the walls of vacant buildings.
Welcome activities end on Thursday with a sunset party And announcing/handing over the “Best Integration Activity” award promoted by the core academic association.
At the beginning of the academic year, the four schools of the Polytechnic of Portalegre carried out initial activities to integrate new students, under the responsibility of each school’s management and course coordinators, focusing on the academic context. With the program now announced, as has already happened in Elvas, students go “out of doors” to learn about and interact with the city that welcomes them.
The student welcome initiatives of Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas were carried out at the end of September, on the 26th and 27th.
New students of Escola Superior Agrária are invited to participate in hand paper “Discover Elvas”, as well as in solidarity activities: providing veterinary nursing care for animals in the municipal kennel and preparing sauces from aromatic herbs, which, after drying, will be distributed by the IPSS in the municipality.
Integration activities included a visit to the Elvas Military Museum and the Equestrian and Animation Training Center, as well as a friendly late afternoon meeting/stay in the school’s central outdoor space.