While being one of the pillars of public universities, extension has less prestige and is often undervalued. To reverse this scenario, a change in the current model is needed. “Research, teaching and dissemination”. This is the tripod that solidifies the foundation of our public universities. I don’t necessarily see a problem with any of these three pillars, but I think the asymmetry in dosages and consequently the difference in the evaluation of each of them is worth making fun of.
What do I mean by this? Well, I had the opportunity to graduate in economics from USP, one of the best universities in Brazil and in the world. Since the beginning of my degree, I have found myself completely in love with extension.
I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but by doing the good old “get your hands dirty,” I was privileged to complete my education and learn things my peers didn’t have the opportunity to learn in class.
I’ve had a few professors admire me and appreciate my hands-on work outside the university walls. However, sadly, I sensed an air of underestimation from most of the others. As if everything that takes place outside the “research” and “teaching” pillars is simply irrelevant, commendable and admirable.
I managed to hang on and had a lot of trouble finding the balance between the purely academic world and the practical universe of the extension. The result was several failures in disciplines and at times a feeling that I simply didn’t deserve to be there to fill my vacancy and that it wasn’t for me. There have been times when I have tried to fit in completely but for that I would have had to stop being who I am.
Today, fortunately, I think I’ve found the balance. I understand that we must not discount the theory. The formal and theoretical foundation, while it may seem boring and trivial to some, is incredibly important. However, we also cannot underestimate the scope and power of “getting our hands dirty”.
waste of talent
In addition to my own experience, I confess that I can’t help but worry about the amount of talent the current university model might lose. I find myself constantly thinking about how many university students may feel displaced at this precise moment and believe that university is not for them simply because they have latent within them the curiosity, the will – perhaps even the need – to continue their education at the outside the classroom.
The more critical reader might now be thinking, “Oh, that’s bullshit. If you want, just do it. There are so many extension opportunities and projects.” YES. Your thinking is not wrong, but it fails to think beyond.
The problem here is that the extension is often squeezed by the other two pillars. Overall, it’s just not valued in the same way as research and teaching. I think one reason is that the faculty is made up almost exclusively of researchers. These, agents who have dedicated their lives to research. This, in turn, is not usually associated with practice and “getting your hands dirty”. I often find myself thinking about how much our universities have the potential to do for the communities of the cities where their campuses are located. I’m not saying they do nothing, but I see huge potential idle and totally driven by the devaluation of the extension.
Faced with this scenario, another problem arises: the difficulty of conciliation, and I write here recalling my case. Nothing I did outside the walls officially counted towards my academic education. Therefore, as I preferred extension, I naturally did poorly in subjects, which were overly academic, and felt very sad and incompetent. The fact that I felt out of place and incapable also had the effect, on some level, of further withdrawing me from the subjects in the classroom.
I think there are different student profiles. Yes, there are, including close friends, those who love the model of learning only with theoretical lessons, reading and writing articles and participating in lessons and congresses. However, there are others that are simply not like this.
For example, there is a medical student who would like to have the opportunity to participate in a public health conference in outlying communities. However, there is also another who would, without a second thought, trade the conference for the opportunity to visit real communities and participate or help set up a project with people.
What is the best? Which will he learn more? Who is a top-ranking student at our top public universities?
I think the discussion these questions provoke do not lead us to an intelligent or strategic dialogue. Indeed, they should be replaced by:
How to make these two students feel represented at the university? How to make both have space, resources and feel valued enough to evolve and contribute to both academia and society?
And the main question: how can the university promote real integration between these two profiles?
I know there is no simple answer to this. Given that, after all, these are changes to a model that has existed for decades. Furthermore, realistically, not only are many not open to dialogue, but they will defend the current model tooth and nail.
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Vozes da Educação is a fortnightly column written by the youth of Safeguard, a voluntary social program that helps Brazilian public school students enter university. The founder of the program, Vinícius De Andrade, and the students assisted by Safeguard in all the states of the federation alternate in drafting the texts. Follow the profile of the program on Instagram @salvaguarda1
Text reflects the author’s opinion, not necessarily DW’s.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
