Jorge Ferreira, Associate Professor with Aggregation at Iscte - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. Aggregation in January 2024, on "Questioning Social Work as a Social Science" "Training/research in Social Work". PhD in Social Work in the speciality of Social Work, Social Policies and Society, (Approved with Distinction and Praise) carried out in association between ISCTE/ISSSL, on the theme: Social Work and Child Welfare Models. Modus Operandi of the Social Worker in Promoting Child and Family Protection. Master's Degree in Social Work on the theme: Social Intervention and Judicial Intervention in the Problem of Abused Children. Relation and/or Intersection (ISSSL:1998), after graduating in Social Work (ISSSL: 1990). Completed a postgraduate course at the Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada - History of Ideas and Major Doctrines in Criminology (ISPA: 1993), attended year zero "Systemic Approach" of the Family Therapy course (Associação Portuguesa de terapia Familiar: 1997), took the Pedagogical Aptitude and Scientific Capacity tests (ISSSL: 2000) on the subject of Mediation and Social Intervention in Justice. Further practical training after graduation abroad, in Psychiatric Rehabilitation at the Waterheuvel Foundation, Amsterdam / Holland (1993), in Psychiatric Rehabilitation at the Société Parisiene d'aide á lá Santé mental - SPASM .Paris (1993); Reintegration and Professional Integration at the Scottish Association for mental health . Scotland (1994). Participation in research programmes and projects in the areas of the Transfer of Action profiles, training, for the development of the helping relationship with people in situations of abandonment (Children, Adolescents); Social Work in Europe. Comparative Model in Romance Languages and in the fields of the Child Protection System; Children's Rights, Social Policies for Children and Social Intervention with Families. He has published 13 scientific articles and several papers at national and international seminars and conferences. He is a contributor to the Katálisis magazine (a biannual magazine that circulates in Spanish-speaking countries and Portugal and is aimed at social workers and professionals in related areas, teachers and researchers). Professor of different curricular units at 1st and 2nd cycle level. Visiting Professor at the Complutense University of Madrid (Escuela de Trabajo Social) and the University of Granada (Escuela de Trabajo Social), collaborator with higher education institutions in Portugal (Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. ISCTE) and in the scientific cooperation programmes of lecturers at the Lusíada University of Lisbon (Instituto Politécnico da Guarda, Instituto Politécnico de Beja, Universidade dos Açores). In 2009, Accredited External Evaluator for New Opportunities. Member of the Jury for the Public Administration's 2nd level middle manager competition. Pedagogical and scientific coordinator and teacher of the Technological Specialisation Course (CET) "Reception in Institutions". (2008/2010). Several participations in the Socrates Erasmus Programme (teacher mobility) with European universities: Complutense de Madrid Spain, University of Kalmar Sweden, University of Mastrich, Netherlands, Bicocca University Milan Italy and University of Granada Spain. Stradinsk University Letavia. Scientific Areas of Training: Theory and Methodology of Social Work, Critical Theory and Social Work, Research in Social Work, Seminars in Social Work Practice, Evaluation of Social Policy Programmes, International Social Work; Research Methodologies, Specific Intervention Methodologies in Social Gerontology, Social Intervention in Situations of Risk, Social Intervention with Abusive Families, Network Intervention, Deviant Behaviours, Introduction to Criminology and Victimology.

-PhD in Social Work, ISCTE - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Research area - Health - Social Work in Palliative Care Social context) -Advanced Studies Diploma, PhD in Social Work, ISCTE - IUL -Master's Degree in Palliative Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon -Postgraduate Intervention in the Bereavement Process in Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon -Postgraduate Diploma in Bereavement in Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon -Supervision Course in Social Work - CRIAP -Degree in Social Work from Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon   Social Worker at the Santa Maria Local Health Unit (ULSSM); Specialist Social Worker in Palliative Care at the ULSSM Palliative Medicine Unit since 2008; Coordinator/Director of the ULSSM Psychosocial Support Team - Comprehensive Support Programme for People with Advanced Illnesses - Humaniza Programme, ‘la Caixa’ Foundation; Coordinator of the ULSSM Social Work Training, Research and Supervision Centre and head of the ULSSM SS Supervision Group.   Visiting Assistant Professor at ISCTE; Postgraduate Professor in Social Work in Health at IPPS, Iscte; Associate Researcher at CIES; Member of Iscte Saúde and Sociodigital Lab for Public Policy; Visiting Lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Portuguese Catholic University - Master's Programme in Palliative Care, in the Module: Social, Spiritual and Religious Care, Dignity and Suffering; Visiting Lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Portuguese Catholic University - Master's Programme in Palliative Care, in the Module: Social, Spiritual and Religious Care, Dignity and Suffering.  

Cristina Camilo is an Invited Assistant Professor at ISCTE-IUL, Executive Manager of Iscte_Saúde and Invited Researcher at CIS-IUL. She holds a PhD in Psychology, and develops research in the area of the impact of social relationships on health and well-being, namely on the processes that mediate this association.  She also studies the interpersonal processes of regulation of negative emotions in situations of illness. She is coordinator of the Global Diagnostic Study, developed in collaboration with Childhood Cancer International (CCI) and co-coordinator of the program developed with SICAD in the context of the program "Eu e os Outros".  

Elsa Justino, a Portuguese Social Worker, holds a PhD in Social Work, with a Master's degree and a degree in the same area. She's an assistant professor at the Department of Political Science and Public Policies at the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) and an integrated research member at the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES/Iscte - IUL). From 2019 to 2022, she was on the Board of the Hospital Center in the Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (CHTMAD). From 2016 to 2022, she was an Invited Professor at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD). Among other leading positions, she was a University Administrator at the UTAD and Manager of the University Social Services (2008-2019), Head of Office of the Secretary of State for Employment and Vocational Training (2006-2008), Deputy Director of the Directorate General for Higher Education from 2002 to 2006 (Ministry of Science Technology and Higher Education) and Vice-President of the Student Support Fund (Ministry of Education) from 1998 to 2002.

PhD in Social Work from ISCTE and a degree in Social Work from Instituto Superior de Serviço Social de Lisboa,  Specialization in Family Mediation and Conflict Management   Postgraduate in Health Governance from ENSP Specialized training in Supporting Behavioural Change in the Self-Management of Chronic Illness by the Egas Moniz School of Health & Science. She is a hospital social worker at ULSS José,  Visiting Assistant Professor at ISCTE.  Associate Researcher at CIES,  integrated researcher at CLISSIS. Family Mediator in the Public Mediation Systems of the Directorate-General for Justice Policy (DGPJ). Coordinating Professor of the Postgraduate Course in Social Work in Health at IPPS-ISCTE. Member of the Supervisory Board of the Order of Social Workers  Member of the Governing Bodies of the Portuguese Association for Integrated Care (PAFIC) She is a member of the national team as a Social Worker at ULSSJOSE - Join Action transfer of best praCtices InpRimary CarE (CIRCE-JA), in the development of an individual care plan for the chronically ill, based on the good practices of Andalusia (Spain) coordinated by ACSS as the national representative in a European project. 2023 to 2025. Several publications in national and international journals in the fields of care integration, operational instruments of the profession and Social Work 

Maria Inês Amaro is PhD in Social Work and MA in Communication, Culture and Information Technology. Professor at the bachelor, master and doctorate in Social Work at University Institute of Lisbon. She co-ordinated Social Work bachelor and master degree at Catholic University of Portugal. Supervises master and PhD dissertations and thesis in Social Work. She is researcher at the CIES-IUL, Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology and reviewer of UCE (Catholic University Press) for Social Work publications. She founding member of the European Association for Social Work Research was part of the host committee for the 6th European Conference for Social Work Research (Lisbon, 2016). Has research interests in the areas of theory and practice of Social Work, Social Policy and Social Work, Society and Technology and Labour and Social Exclusion. Consultant in the area of social planning and evaluation. Author of books, chapters and articles in the above-mentioned fields. Since 2019, commissioner at the Institute of Social Security, where is Head of Social Development Department, with national responsibilities over the impkmentation and development of public policy in the fields of children and youth, cooperation with third sector and charities, and social intervention. President of the National Commission of the National System for Child Early intervention; of the National Council for Adoption (years 2024-2026); evaluation jury for Programa Escolhas (projects to prevent and combat youth delinquency), 2023 edition; is member of the National Council of Cooperation; Single Operational Group, for the reception of asylum-seekers; of the National Council for Migrations; of the Commission for Inclusive Policies for People with Disabilities; of the executive group for the Implementation, Monitoring and Assessment of the National Strategy for the Integration of People Experiencing Homelessness, and, among others,of the Follow-up Commission of the National Strategy for Fighting Poverty; is the national oficial link to civil protection.

Rodrigo Vieira de Assis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Research Methods at Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon and an Integrated Researcher at the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES-Iscte). He is currently a member of the Pedagogical Council of Iscte and of the Pedagogical Committee of the School of Sociology and Public Policy (ESPP). He also serves as an alternate member of the Ethics Council of the Portuguese Sociological Association (APS). Throughout his career, he has participated in national and international research projects developed in institutions across different countries (e.g., Portugal, Brazil, United States). His recent publications have focused on issues related to social inequalities, labour precariousness, everyday life in urban peripheries, and youth sociability dynamics in socially vulnerable contexts. His current research interests include the dynamics of social inequality reproduction, the socio-political attitudes of social classes, and the relationship between labour precariousness and social protection gaps. He is committed to analysing social phenomena across multiple scales: at the micro level, he explores social trajectories, life narratives and processes of individuation, seeking to understand experiences, perceptions and everyday practices; at the macro level, he investigates the reproduction of social inequalities, as well as patterns, trends and structural changes in attitudes, perceptions and practices within stratified societies. Methodologically, he privileges multifaceted approaches, guided by both intensive and extensive research designs, including mixed methods. His experience encompasses studies based on questionnaire surveys, interview-based surveys, participant observation and urban ethnographies, applying a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods supported by specialised software (SPSS, JAMOVI, MAXQDA, among others). Consequently, he has also been dedicated to methodological innovation in the social sciences, through the design and teaching of courses and modules, as well as the development of publications aimed at improving and disseminating best practices in the use of quantitative and qualitative methods for data analysis in sociology.