The new Rector of the University of Algarve António Branco, elected this Wednesday morning, wants to join, as soon as possible, «in the movement and negotiation that the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities and the Coordinating Council of Polytechnic Institutes they are talking to the Government”.
Something that should happen as soon as he takes office, on the 18th of December, the day chosen for the Solemn Session of the Day of the University of the Algarve.
During the campaign, António Branco emphasized that the UAlg's financial problem was "also a political problem" and reaffirmed it to the Sul Informação, hours after being chosen by the members of the General Council to succeed João Guerreiro.
UAlg is among the higher education institutions in the country with the greatest difficulties and, although he has not yet had the opportunity to know the accounts in detail, António Branco believes that the solution will always come through here. "Whatever the financial situation of UALG, this is an issue that will have to be resolved politically and I want to actively participate in the search for a solution", he said.
In addition to the "top priority" that is consultation with his peers, to carry out a struggle in the political field against the successive cuts decreed by the Government in direct transfers from the State to Higher Education Institutions, the now-elected Rector will also give a special concern to the UAlg Budget for 2014, as soon as it takes office.
The document presented by the outgoing rectory team was not approved by the General Council and António Branco promises a "detailed analysis" of UAlg's accounts. At the same time, it will launch the discussion within the academy, so that there is participative governance, another of the banners of its action program. "A Dean, alone, will not be able to do anything," he said.
“The campaign for the Rectory helped the academy to become aware of the real situation of the university”, he considered, something he believes can be an incentive when its members are called to participate.
And, as the example should be given from above, António Branco will have a reduced rectory team, with just two other elements, one from the university subsystem and the other from the polytechnic. A measure that should not have a significant weight in UAlg's accounts, but that intends to send the message that everyone will have to give more of themselves, starting with the Rector and his team.
At the same time that he looks more inwards, António Branco also promises to look outwards and promote «a closer approximation to the region».
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