ISMT Participation in the International Congress of Lusophony, Public Policies and Social Work

2026-05-13

ISMT faculty member Sónia Ribeiro presented her research on the impacts of political dynamics on social workers at a scientific gathering in Coimbra

The Instituto Superior Miguel Torga (ISMT) attended the International Congress of Lusophony, Public Policies and Social Work, which took place between the 13th and 15th of May 2026 at the University of Coimbra. The event, themed "Democracy, Social Justice and Sustainability", gathered researchers and professionals to debate the impact of global dynamics on social policies, the defence of human rights, and governance models within the Lusophone space.

During the congress, lecturer Sónia Ribeiro delivered the oral presentation titled "Political dynamics (2015–2025) and their effects on the stress and engagement of social workers in Portugal". The study was co-authored with Helena Teles from the Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP), and Nelson Ramalho from Lusófona University (Lisbon Centre). The presentation aligned with the event's thematic axes, contributing to the critical analysis of transformations in public policies in contemporary contexts.

The institution's participation extended to the presentation of three additional works, also co-authored by lecturer Sónia Ribeiro. A notable aspect was the research carried out by ISMT students, materialized in the presentation of the scientific poster "Integration of migrants: contributions from a municipal study". The work was presented by Maria Pires as part of her final-year research project for the degree in Social Work. Furthermore, the studies "International cooperation and social work", part of the co-supervision of Karian Cezar's PhD, and "Well-being, hope and conflict management styles of social workers in Portugal (2024–2025): challenges for professional intervention and social justice", co-authored with Helena Teles (ISCSP) and Eva Chaves (Lusófona University — Porto Centre), were also presented.