Between 30 June and 3 July, the Porto Campus hosted another edition of the Teen Academy, featuring the programme “Discovering Law”, which challenged pupils in Years 10 to 12 to explore the legal world and the various professions associated with it.
Under the guidance of lawyer Rui da Silva Leal, the 30 secondary school pupils explored legal concepts in greater depth, learnt about the different stages of legal proceedings and put their knowledge into practice through mock trials. With lecturer Ana Andrade, they developed their argumentation skills and critical thinking, and reflected on issues that shape the law and contemporary society.
Unsurprisingly, the experience extended beyond the classroom. Accompanied by supervisors, the participants attended two trials at the Porto District Court, witnessed the justice system in action in a real-life setting, and gained an understanding of the roles of lawyers, judges and public prosecutors. The programme also included a visit to Foz Velha and the Santa Cruz do Bispo Women’s Prison, which enabled them to understand the reality of the prison system and appreciate the importance of social reintegration as part of serving a sentence.
For Marta Portocarrero, the Teen Academy embodies what sets the Faculty of Law at the Portuguese Catholic University apart: “I think that, in some way, this week reflects what characterises our Faculty: we demand a strong technical component, but we also have a strong practical component. Nevertheless, what we aim for above all is to make it very clear that law is about people, about responsibility, ethics, commitment to the lives of others, and about justice; and I hope that this has been brought home to them.”
Among the participants was Samuel Borges, an 11th-year student, still undecided between studying Law and Economics. At the end of the experience, he made no secret of his enthusiasm: “I can say, without any regret, that I took part in this programme. Anyone who takes part in Teen Academy gains a wealth of experience!”
With yet another edition of Teen Academy now over, many of the participants returned home with new knowledge, memorable experiences and, in many cases, the certainty that their next steps in law could include the Undergraduate Degree in Law, at the Faculty of Law of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa.