Self-Evaluation of the Graduate Program in Classical Languages - USP: 2024 Report

 

Process
 

The self-evaluation process of the Graduate Program in Classical Languages - USP took place throughout the first semester of 2024 and was conducted by the Self-Evaluation Committee, composed of Adriane da Silva Duarte, faculty member and coordinator; Thais Rocha Carvalho, student member; and Lucas Toriani, technical-administrative staff member.

The Committee utilized the following resources to conduct the process: a) document analysis, including the Program Regulations; CPG Bylaws; Academic Project of the Unit and Department; Lattes Curricula; Sucupira Platform; Meeting Minutes; b) formulation and application of evaluative questionnaires for faculty, students, and alumni—it's worth noting that the opinion collection was anonymous to safeguard the freedom of response (the Questionnaires are included in Appendices A, B, C of this report); c) organization of the 1st Self-Evaluation Seminar of the Graduate Program in Classical Languages, an in-person event that brought together professors, students, and alumni, with staff also invited to learn about and discuss the data resulting from the questionnaire responses—this event took place on the afternoon of May 10 in Room 102 of the Faculty of Letters at USP and was widely publicized.

Immediately, this process resulted in a thorough diagnosis of the current situation of the Program, the creation of a new and updated alumni registry, and a set of suggestions for its overall improvement.

 

Strengths
 

Almost unanimously, the members of the PPG, both faculty and students, identified the qualifications of the professors as its greatest asset, highlighting the specialized training of the faculty. As a result, the PPG, faculty, and students contribute to the development of Classical Studies in Brazil through the publication of critical texts and translations of Greco-Latin works, as well as through the training of new researchers, which is evidenced by the significant portion of alumni who have a primary occupation in academia, serving as Greek or Latin teachers at universities across the country. It is important to remember that the PPG in Classical Languages - USP, alongside the PPG in Classical Languages - UFRJ, are the only postgraduate programs entirely focused on classical literatures in Brazil, which allows them to select faculty and develop research committed to this field.

 

Weaknesses and Suggested Actions to Address Them
 

The main deficiency identified in the Program is promoting engagement among its diverse members in the activities it organizes. This is evident in the participation rates in the self-evaluative process. For example, only 64% of students (37 out of 58 in total) responded to the questionnaire, despite significant efforts to emphasize the importance of the process and extending the data collection period. Among faculty, the response rate was better, with 86% (19 out of 22), but still insufficient, as all should engage in a process aimed at improving the program. The Self-Evaluation Seminar had low participation, especially from students—there were more alumni than enrolled students present for the discussion.

This low attendance is not limited to this specific activity but is also noticeable in events organized or supported by the PPG and even in requests for updates to Lattes Curricula. Therefore, during the Seminar, the need to engage faculty and students in the Program’s activities was emphasized. Students suggested creating a collective study space where they can interact and share academic experiences more directly, increasing their presence on campus. This is a great suggestion, but it depends on expanding the building of the Faculty of Letters, as space has been a chronic issue in the current building, which is planned for the coming years. Similarly, faculty members have requested renovations in their offices to better serve their guidance and research functions, which would involve upgrading furniture, replacing old computers with newer ones, and climate control in the environment.

Among the weaknesses, faculty pointed out the low enrollment of new students, which creates a disproportion between the number of available advisors and advisees. Among the actions suggested to combat this problem, it was mentioned in the Seminar that the PPG recently established a new research line on the "Reception of Greco-Latin Literature," which accepts students who do not necessarily master the ancient languages but wish to develop their research based on reception theory of the classics. This aims to attract a larger number of students while incorporating new research methodologies.

Students and alumni evaluated the courses offered by the program positively in qualitative aspects but considered them insufficient in number—currently, only one course completion is required for the doctorate—which often results in students not finding courses directly related to their research projects, reflecting more the interests of the faculty. Other students would like to see foundational courses offered mandatorily to all newcomers, particularly those covering theory and methodology or aimed at an advanced level of linguistic studies. Although there are obstacles to expanding the number of courses offered per semester, the most relevant being the relatively low number of new entrants, the faculty agreed to study a possible reform of the curriculum, which includes considering offering courses at alternative times to facilitate alignment with work schedules—currently, classes are offered in the afternoon, but this change once again encounters the physical limits of the building.

 

Final Considerations
 

The self-evaluation process fulfilled the role of allowing the various stakeholders of the Program to express their perceptions of how the Program operates and reflect on how it can still improve, depending, as became evident during the Seminar, on everyone acting to put new ideas into practice and maintain what is well-evaluated: academic excellence.

 

Adriane da Silva Duarte
Coordinator of the Self-Evaluation Committee
of the Graduate Program in Classical Languages – USP

 

São Paulo, May 27, 2024.