Extensão universitária na área da saúde da UFPB: perfil e alinhamento a indicadores de desempenho institucional e nacional

Abstract

University extension constitutes one of the pillars of Brazilian higher education, as it promotes a transformative interaction between the university and society and generates social impact. At the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), a significant growth in extension activities has been observed in recent years, especially in the Health area, reinforcing the need for a systematic evaluation of these initiatives. This study aimed to analyze the profile of extension activities carried out in the Centers for Medical Sciences (CCM) and Health Sciences (CCS) at UFPB between 2018 and 2023, as well as their alignment with the National University Extension Policy (Forproex) and the Institutional Development Plan (PDI 2019–2023). This is a documentary research with a quantitative approach, based on the analysis of secondary data obtained from the university’s integrated academic and administrative management systems (SIGAA, SIGRH, PROEX Observatory, and PDI). The results showed that extension activities in the Health area represented a significant portion of UFPB’s total extension initiatives (38,9%) over the five-year period analyzed. This reflects a strong engagement of the Health area in extension at UFPB, with an average real audience reached above the institutional mean. The CCS stood out for its high and consistent faculty participation, while the CCM presented lower but stable performance throughout the five years. There was institutional growth in extension activities, with a pandemic inflection, marked by a gradual increase in the total number of projects at UFPB, a decline in 2020, and a peak in 2023. Regarding the Forproex and PDI indicators, both Health centers exceeded the institutional goal for expanding extension scholarships, though with low representativeness in thematic diversity, registration of technical products, and internationalization. The rate of curricular integration also remained incipient, due to the small number of programs with formalized credit recognition and the slow updating of undergraduate pedagogical projects. It was also observed that the CCS, as well as UFPB as a whole, showed positive growth in the number of extension activities, while the CCM remained stable; however, the number of municipalities served by CCS showed a declining trend. The extension profile of UFPB appeared to be largely sustained by the project modality, accounting for approximately 90% of the total. It is concluded that the Health area holds a central role in UFPB’s extension activities, with a high number of initiatives, strong social outreach, faculty engagement, and scholarship allocation. There was partial adherence to the Forproex and PDI guidelines, considering the still limited levels of thematic diversity, product registration, internationalization, and curricular integration.