On February 6, the first planning meeting for the Ibero-American Pedagogical Olympics was held. This innovative initiative, promoted by the Bolivarian University of Ecuador (UBE), will bring together students and higher education institutions from various countries in a space for sharing, collaborative learning, and the enhancement of pedagogical knowledge. This meeting marked the launch of a pioneering international project in the field of education, aimed at promoting teaching creativity, teamwork, and the development of pedagogical and technological skills in a virtual environment.

ISEC Lisboa was invited to join this initiative by the World Parliament of Education, represented by Dr. María Fernanda Gualotuña, an invitation extended within the framework of the activities developed by the UNESCO Chair “The City that Educates and Transforms”. This participation reinforces the institute’s commitment to internationalization, educational innovation and academic cooperation among Ibero-American institutions.

Within the scope of the First Ibero-American Pedagogical Olympiads, ISEC Lisboa will be represented by a team of five students from the 2nd year of the Master’s Degree in Pre-School Education and Primary Education: Ana Beatriz Torcato, Ana Luísa Gomes, Catarina Inácio, Joana Lopes and Inês Vilar. The participation will be coordinated by Professor Doctor Isabel Baltazar, lecturer and researcher at ISEC Lisboa and Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair “The City that Educates and Transforms”.

This academic event, designed as a pedagogical competition with a formative character, will take place in two stages: a qualifying phase in virtual mode and a final face-to-face stage, involving teams from different countries and institutions. The adopted methodology is based on principles of gamification and collaborative learning, using digital platforms and educational challenges aimed at encouraging active participation and the comprehensive development of future educators.

More than a competition, the Ibero-American Pedagogical Olympiads present themselves as a space for meeting and celebrating knowledge, fostering professional identity, a spirit of cooperation and cultural exchange among students and teachers. ISEC Lisboa’s participation in this project therefore represents another significant step in affirming the UNESCO Chair as a platform for dialogue, innovation and educational transformation, contributing to the construction of an increasingly inclusive, collaborative and socially impactful education.