The school of the future at the FC Porto Museum | OneFootball

The new Educational Program of the FC Porto Museum was officially presented to teachers, institutions linked to education, and local authorities. Scheduled to begin in the 2026/2027 school year, aimed at all levels from preschool to secondary education, and in line with the guidelines of the Ministry of Education, the project is the result of a partnership between FC Porto and the Portuguese Catholic University. It is based on a Museum-Based Learning model, with the aim of establishing the FC Porto Museum as a benchmark space of excellence in active and interdisciplinary learning, where objects and history serve as pedagogical resources.

With the participation of the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FEP) of the Portuguese Catholic University (UCP), through the Católica Learning Innovation Lab (CLIL), the Educational Program brings the Museum’s cultural heritage closer to formal education through Pedagogical Exploration Visits (VEP). The presentation was attended by Rui Pedroto, FC Porto vice-president, Joana César Machado, member of the FC Porto Board, Mafalda Magalhães, director of the FC Porto Museum, Raquel Matos and Marta Vasconcelos, respectively director of the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Portuguese Catholic University and member of the Porto Regional Executive Committee of the Portuguese Catholic University, and João Gonçalves, director-general of the Directorate-General for School Establishments (DGEsT), as well as several local authorities and other guests.

The activities of the new Educational Program comply with the Essential Learnings, the Student Profile at the End of Compulsory Schooling (PASEO), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are also organized around the connection to the museum context through the areas of Community, Society and Citizenship; The Many Facets of Sport; and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics), with room for thematic visits, educational workshops, and VEPs. The Museum approach is based on a differentiated pedagogical perspective, encouraging critical thinking through interactive, dynamic quizzes that promote analysis, reflection, and decision-making.

With a view to framing the project within the future of education in Portugal, Joana César Machado highlighted FC Porto’s social and decisive role. “It is very important for the club to contribute to and promote education and the social well-being of students and communities in Porto and the Northern Region. FC Porto has a social mission, and this museum is much more than a space dedicated to football. It belongs to a club that is a symbol of the city and the region, with a very long history, and the different moments in that chronology make it possible to create links with the history of the city itself and beyond,” commented the FC Porto Board member.

For her part, the director of the FC Porto Museum, Mafalda Magalhães, explained: “School audiences are still reluctant to visit the Museum, either because of club loyalties or because they think there is not enough material here to develop essential learning. We decided to change that paradigm. Turning the Museum into the classroom means teachers do not need to be inside the school to meet pedagogical objectives.”

Raquel Matos believes that the Educational Program responds to the demands and challenges posed by the influence of digital technology on everyday social and school life. “We are very concerned about the current context of profound dehumanization. This interactivity and closeness to culture and to experiences that show students indicators of humanism are very important. We are very pleased,” said the director of the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Catholic University.

A view shared by Marta Vasconcelos, from the Porto Regional Executive Committee of the Catholic University: “This initiative brings an important balance. If, on the one hand, children are increasingly stimulated by technology, we must make use of those stimuli to our advantage. The available content, the interactive tools, all the activities will enable an innovative approach to knowledge.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.