In a statement, UAlg said that it is the first higher education institution in Portugal to launch a participatory budget "that includes the entire academic community", being directed to students, non-teaching staff, teachers and researchers.

The 80 thousand euro grant, intended for projects that improve the well-being of the academic community, will be distributed as follows: 40 thousand euros to students and 40 thousand euros to teaching staff, non-teachers and researchers.

Participatory budgeting is a participatory democracy mechanism that allows citizens, in this case the academic community, to influence or decide on a particular budget.

The participation mechanism will involve the organic units, academic association, services and research centres, "through the appreciation of their opinions and capacity for reflection, with a view to developing the sense of belonging, dialogue, collective mobilization in favour of the common good, respect for different choices and increased confidence in the management of the institution."

The institution concludes that students, staff, researchers and teachers will thus be able to decide on "a significant part of their revenues and participate in a civic and active way in innovative projects, namely in the field of sustainable development, social, pedagogical, sports or cultural entrepreneurship".

UAlg will organize public sessions to disseminate this participatory budget until the end of March so that "everyone can know" its "organization and operation".

The official launch of the initiative is scheduled for Thursday, 30 March at 14:00, at the Teresa Gamto amphitheater, at the Gambelas Campus, in Faro.