FEUP, in partnership with its Talent Development Support Unit, is launching the new Programming Academy. The initiative, promoted by students from the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), is for 9th to 12th-grade students and aims to create a space for developing programming skills and realizing projects.
The Academy will feature a weekly work session at FEUP, with two optional components: training, for those who want to learn or deepen their programming knowledge, and mentorship, for students with project ideas they wish to develop with guidance from FEUP students.
“"More than just transmitting programming knowledge, we want students to have a different contact with Computer Engineering and realize that there is much more to explore than what they can learn in the traditional educational context."
The initiative also offers an online modality for students not residing in the Metropolitan Area of Porto, aiming to mitigate geographical and logistical barriers. Other situations for online participation may also be considered.
The Academy functions as a "peer-to-peer" project incubator, where FEUP students provide close support, sharing their own experiences and challenges. "We are students and we are going through the path that many participants intend to follow. This allows us to have a very close understanding of the difficulties that may arise and the doubts a high school student might have," explains Rafael. "Because we are 'still' students like them, communication becomes more natural, creating an environment where it's easier to ask questions, seek help, or simply talk about the experience of studying at FEUP," he adds.
Enrollment will be open year-round, allowing students to join the initiative at any time, depending on available spots. Participants will have access to mentorship resources and a "co-working" space integrated into the university environment of the Faculty of Engineering.
“"As a high school student, I believe I would have greatly valued this opportunity to experiment and create something truly my own. We want each student to explore their own interests and have the chance to turn their ideas into real projects."
Interested students can register individually through the form available on the Academy's official page, indicating whether they wish to attend only the mentorship or both components. "We would like that, at the end of this cycle, each student feels fulfilled and feels they had the opportunity to explore the provided content and technologies in a practical and interesting way," emphasizes the ACM-FEUP president. "The goal is, above all, to provide students with an experience where they have the freedom to learn, experiment, and create."
More information can be found on the Academy's official page.
