When you hear about Albufeira, the association with tourism is natural, but there is much more to happen in that municipality. It was this diversity that the Council of Albufeira showed the rector, in another visit by the head of the University of the Algarve (UAlg) to a municipality in the region, which took place on Tuesday.
António Branco and his entourage were received by the executive led by Carlos Silva and Sousa, and, despite having also visited tourist projects existing in that municipality, they also got to know entities and companies that work in the area of social solidarity, health, winemaking and even in research, linked to the marine sector.
During the visit, António Branco met many former students of UAlg, something that has been recurrent in the tour launched over a month ago. In addition, he collected suggestions and challenges, to take with him to the Algarve public higher education institution.
«At Santa Casa da Misericórdia in Albufeira, we were presented with very interesting projects and proposals and challenges for collaboration in training, which we found not only interesting, but also feasible. We bring ideas to the university to organize courses together with SCM Albufeira, which has a very important action in this area», revealed the dean of UAlg, on the sidelines of the visit.
This is just one example of what could come out of this visit, which the municipal executive from Albufeiren saw “with very good eyes”. «This initiative by the rector is to be welcomed, because the university, by approaching the local authorities, is giving a signal of openness to the Algarve and the Algarve», revealed the mayor of Albufeira Carlos Silva e Sousa.
«We tried to give a vision of what the municipality of Albufeira is in its various aspects. We went from the social area to tourism and we will also focus on agriculture at the Cliff Richards farm and the production of wines in the Algarve. We wanted to give a global vision of the council, so that the dean can take this information into the university», he summed up.
In this tour, which began with a session in Paços do Concelho, the UAlg delegation visited the Santa Casa da Misericórdia in Albufeira, where a special focus was given to the «En'Contacto» project.
Then, there were visits to the Hospital Particular de Albufeira and the Hotel Epic Sana, in Praia da Falésia, before heading to Zoomarine, a family park that combines the «tourist side, but also research» and whose head «is one of the first students to be trained by UAlg», highlighted António Branco.
The group also visited Adega do Cantor, which was built with the aim of producing Vida Nova and Onda Nova wines, by British singer Cliff Richards. The visit ended with a stop at Futebol Clube de Ferreiras.
“In many of the institutions we visited, we found UAlg former students, some of them in high positions, which immediately gives a note of great harmony with the region and its businessmen”, said Carlos Silva e Sousa.
There was even "praise" from some companies for the quality of training at the university, namely at the Hospital, "where the quality of nurses was highlighted" and "in the hotel units", who also consider the training useful to their staff. at UAlg, according to the mayor.
Dean makes a "very positive assessment" of the path taken so far
Before the Easter break, the UAlg rector makes a «very positive» balance of the visits he has already made to seven municipalities. “I believe that with the collaboration we have had from the media, as time passes, it will become even more positive”, he believes.
"I believe that the municipalities have already realized that our intention is genuine and that we are really interested in spending this day with those responsible for the municipality and that they show us what they consider to be most important in their territories," he added.
Before Albufeira, António Branco had already visited Loulé, Lagoa, Castro Marim, São Brás de Alportel, Lagos and Alcoutim. Until June, there will be trips to other municipalities in the region.
«University is a very important factor for the Algarve in terms of education, training and science. If we want to evolve and train future generations well, we have to invest heavily in the University of Algarve», considered, for his part, Carlos Silva e Sousa.
"Whether on the part of the rector, or on my part, as the mayor of Albufeira, we will have every opening so that we can collaborate more and more in the various domains," said the mayor.
One of these areas will be the contribution of the university with research work and studies. «We have been talking to Mr. president on the possibility of collaborating in this area of research in more traditional tourism», from Sol e Praia, revealed António Branco. As for niches, the «university can contribute to the development of tourism with its research and studies, something it already does».
In addition to tourism, the sea that bathes the beach is one of the main focuses of UAlg in the field of research, through “well-known research centers”. “We saw, in these visits to several municipalities, very interesting experiences, namely the transfer of knowledge in this economic area”, he revealed.
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