The main objective of the Education and Development Research Unit is to carry out academic and action research, and to provide education and training to researchers engaged both in the educational process – either in schools or in professional environments – and in the social, techno-scientific and human development.

The Education and Development Research Unit focuses mainly in the Science Education domain and seeks a multi-disciplinary analysis of the research objects. For this approach, the Research Unit welcomes contributions from other related domains.
Findings are expected to deepen knowledge that can support policies development (in education, professional development, human resources and organisation of scientific knowledge).

Findings are equally expected to contribute to define educational frameworks for education and training institutions (schools, learning centres, socio educative partnerships), both for their practice and at the organisational level.

A second objective is to build up a theoretical framework for the heuristic processes of the research projects.

The third objective of the Research Unit is to deliver regular seminars in advanced education and training, in cooperation with other centres, either national or international.

In the social sciences, the Unit focuses mainly on the research of themes and problems related to the teaching/learning evolution and learning models produced by social, economic and technological changes, which have visible implications on work management, professional profiles, flexibility of professional careers, issues concerning new information technology, as well as new types of social institutions. Namely, the Unit tries to understand the global impact of the new educational paradigm – lifelong learning – on education and training policies and practices.

The Education and Development Research Unit scored “Very Well” in the Research Centres evaluation made by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.