Non-governmental organization created by Unesco in 1949, the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences approved the chair entitled CIPSH Chair on Digital Humanities in Education. "Humanities have a renewed role to play, addressing speeches that feed on fear, misinformation, manipulation of knowledge, fake news and denial of science," says the CIPSH in a statement.
The Chair is the result of a partnership between the School of Social Siences and Humanities of NOVA (NOVA FCSH), Universidade Aberta and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto. It also involves researchers, projects from various countries and non-academic institutions, such as the National Museum of Contemporary Art and the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth.
At NOVA FCSH, the Chair will be led by Carlos Ceia, Full Professor at this institution and director of CETAPS - Center for English, Translation and Anglo-Portuguese Studies. The Chair also has the support of the Ministry of Education and funding from the Foundation for Science and Technology through two research projects: Digital Humanities Laboratory, coordinated by the researcher Daniel Alves, and CETAPS Digital Laboratory, led by Fátima Vieira, deputy director of CETAPS and vice-chancellor of the University of Porto.
At a time that CIPSH describes as “post-human” and that the COVID-19 pandemic led to “widespread use of digital resources”, the organization argues that “universities must overcome disciplinary limits and connect with civil society ”. Increasing the potential of digital literacy and digital resources, promoting global citizenship and sustainable development and contributing to a more inclusive, equitable and intercultural world are some of the challenges proposed by this Chair.
Unesco Chairs are part of a program developed by this United Nations agency aiming to develop skills in higher education institutions through the exchange and sharing of knowledge.