The objective of the Science and Technology Week is to highlight Portuguese scientists, their research, and their contributions to the advancement of knowledge, promotion of scientific culture, progress, and the well-being of society.

Among the various science and technology outreach activities organized by scientific institutions, universities, schools, museums, and science centers across the country, OP.Edu, in its effort to share knowledge about education and training policies and practices with the general public, joined this week by promoting an online colloquium. This event was held in collaboration with the CDCC – Citizen Science Doctoral College – CeiED, as part of the "25th of April 50 Years Cycle: Looking at the Past, Thinking about the Future," and was themed "The Educational System and the Fulfillment of April: Contributions to Mitigating Socioeducational Inequalities."

The colloquium took place on November 24, National Scientific Culture Day, with an opening by Teresa Teixeira Lopo (Op.Edu/CeiED) and moderation by Rui Gomes (Op.Edu/CES). Researchers Gil Nata, Tiago Neves, Hélder Ferraz, and Andreia Correia from CIIE – Center for Research and Intervention in Education of the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto, presented and discussed with the public the results of their research on inequalities and ways to make the educational system more fair and equitable. They focused on three main themes: 1) access to higher education and equity, highlighting issues related to grade inflation (discrepancies) between public and private schools (with and without association contracts) and mechanisms of ranking and comparability in access to higher education; 2) the Portuguese compensatory education policy (TEIP) and tracking/guidance towards vocational pathways; 3) and the consequences for equity of different monitoring and accountability instruments in the educational system.

A video recording of the colloquium will soon be available on the CeiED and OP.Edu websites.