The public launch of the Portuguese Network for Critical Thinking in Higher Education CrithinkNet took place on January 19, 2024, at the Student Hub of the University of Coimbra, with more than 110 participants.

From North to South, right down to the islands, the Portuguese Network for Critical Thinking in Higher Education CriThinkNet wants to develop key competences that equip students for the global challenges of the 21st century. In the midst of the European Year of Competences, this network has already involved more than 130 teachers from 45 public and private institutions. 

The public launch session was attended by the Vice-Rector for Teaching and Attractiveness of the UC, Cristina Albuquerque; the President of the Polytechnic College, APESP, José Manuel Silva; the Vice-President of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, CCISP, Daniel Roque Gomes; the Pro-Rector of UTAD, João Paulo Moura; and the Director General of Higher Education, Joaquim Mourato.

The round table featured Ronald Barnett, emeritus professor at the Institute of Education at the University of London, and Cassie Hague, representative of the OECD project "Fostering and assessing students' creative and critical thinking skills in higher education", who brought global perspectives that attest to the importance of critical thinking in the international academic context. Professor Rita Payan-Carreira from the University of Évora and UTAD student André Luís Santos Ribeiro also took part.

In the context of CriThinkNet, the Institutional Critical Thinking Day was held at Lusófona University on February 22. 76 students from various courses took part, including a degree in Educational Sciences - Social Education; a degree in European Studies and International Relations; a degree in Political Science and International Relations; a degree in Applied Communication: Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations; a master's degree in Educational Administration and Regulation of Education; a master's degree in Educational Science and Special Education - Cognitive and Motor Sciences; a master's degree in Comparative and International Education and a master's degree in Educational Sciences. The students were accompanied by 11 teachers and specialists in the development of the proposed activities.

Critical Thinking Day is fundamental because it stimulates students' ability to analyze, evaluate and create innovative solutions to real challenges, promoting education that is more engaging, practical and connected to the needs of the contemporary world.

Following on from this activity, the Interinstitutional Critical Thinking Day took place on April 19, in which 64 students took part, accompanied by 24 teachers and experts. The activity challenged and inspired students from all areas and study cycles, as well as confronting them with other perspectives in order to rethink how to tackle the problems of today's world.