Análise do desenvolvimento da extensão universitária no Instituto de Nutrição da UERJ no período 1990-2014

Abstract

The university extension has been institutionalized in Brazilian public universities. But little is known about its development in academic units. This work aimed to analyze the development of university extension in the Institute of Nutrition of UERJ (NUT) in the 1990 to 2014 period. It is a historiographical study, based on literature review and analysis of the collected documents in archives and institutional records of UERJ, supplemented by interviews with key informants. Analysis of the material raised encompassed: systematization of extension institutionalization history in UERJ, characterization of the projects developed in NUT until 2014 and analysis of active projects in the period 2005-2014 with at least five years of activity. The characterization of the projects considered, among others, the categories: subject area, keyword, geographical coverage, partnerships, curriculum situation and project team. The analysis of the projects was performed through the systematization of their reports and through their mutual comparison with the lines of extension proposed by FORPROEX and the guidelines of the National Policy for Food and Nutrition (PNAN) and the National Policy on Food and Nutritional Security (PNSAN). In recent decades, there have been major advances in the institutionalization of the extension at UERJ. From 1990 to 2014 we identified 73 extension projects developed in the NUT. It was observed expansion of the number of involved faculty and the hours allocated by them in extension activities. The growing number of extension projects existing each year and the public they achieved were remarkable. The profile of the NUT extension projects have been focused primarily to the thematic areas of health and education in coordination, converging with the classic fields of nutrition activities and the traditional aspects of university extension. A wide range of topics is covered in the projects, highlighting those related to health care, with emphasis on diseases and specific population groups, health promotion and education / training. The geographical scope of the project has expanded over the years. Most of them partnered primarily with health care units and public institutions. Only in a minority of them we observe conjunction with the undergraduate curriculum, and part of them related to research. The analysis of active projects in the 2005-2014 period indicated that most of them are concentrated in the lines Human Health, Professional Education and Food Security and that, with regard to the interface with the PNAN and PNSAN, the predominant approaches focus on nutritional care in the health care network, in food and nutrition education and in continuing education. The trajectory of extension in NUT identifies the following challenges for development: progress in the extension of the insertion in the pedagogical projects of undergraduate course; translate in practice the principle of indivisibility teach-research-extension; strengthen the interface between the extension and public policies; broaden the scope of partnerships. Windows of opportunity must be sought and paths must be traversed collectively towards overcoming these challenges with a view to extension practice that transforms university and society.