ON THE CIRCULARIZATION OF EXTENSION IN PEDAGOGIC PROJECTS OF LAW COURSES[1]

SOBRE A CURRICULARIZAÇÃO DA EXTENSÃO NOS PROJETOS PEDAGÓGICOS DOS CURSOS DE DIREITO

DOI: 10.19135/revista.consinter.00017.11

Recebido/Received 24/03/2023 – Aprovado/Approved 07/07/2023

Edna Raquel Hogemann[2] – https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3276-4526

Abstract

This article undertakes a critical analysis of the pedagogical projects of the Law degree programs at two Brazilian higher education institutions in order to foster reflection on public policies concerning university extension, as established by Article 4 of Ministry of Education (MEC) Resolution No. 7/2018. By examining two pedagogical experiences characterized by distinct institutional approaches, the study highlights the different possibilities for the curricular integration of legal extension activities in Brazil. Drawing upon these experiences, it explores the potential of university extension as a tool for promoting citizenship and social engagement, ultimately demonstrating how extension-based educational practices can contribute to the fulfillment of the social mission of higher education and the strengthening of democratic values.

Keywords: Legal Education; University Extension; Citizenship; Public Policy; Curriculum Development.

Contents: 1. Introduction; 2. Integrating Teaching, Research, and University Extension; 3. The Public Policy of Curricular Integration of University Extension; 4. Final Considerations; 5. References.

1 INTRODUCTION

The Pedagogical Project of the Law Degree Program is designed to articulate the set of learning experiences and knowledge necessary for the development of professional competencies, encompassing knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values identified from the graduate profile envisaged by the institution, in accordance with the curricular guidelines and pedagogical strategies that guide the educational practices of the program.

This document consolidates the pedagogical principles that underpin the teaching-learning process within the Law Program. In alignment with the institution’s academic policies and the principles established in its Institutional Pedagogical Project (PPI), it is structured to provide a comprehensive description of the program’s organization, reflecting both the institution’s mission and the National Curricular Guidelines currently governing legal education in Brazil.

The present study examined the pedagogical projects of two Law programs: the School of Legal Sciences of the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (ECJ-UNIRIO) and the Law Program of Faculdade UNYLEYA, designed for distance education (EaD) and already approved by the Ministry of Education, although still awaiting the formal administrative ordinance required for its implementation. These pedagogical projects seek to address a range of issues, particularly those concerning the institutions’ commitments to society and the promotion of citizenship. They are also oriented toward preparing graduates for the labor market while defining the professional profile expected of future lawyers, as well as the competencies and skills required for the exercise of their professional responsibilities.

Professional education committed to excellence and the full exercise of citizenship requires Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to develop educational processes that project a professional profile oriented not only toward present demands but also toward future social transformations. This entails a pedagogical framework grounded in cultural diversity, pluralism, tolerance, inclusion, and multiculturalism. At the same time, it seeks to cultivate professionals capable of engaging creatively with broader social issues and of maintaining an interdisciplinary dialogue with other fields of knowledge. Such training must also foster sensitivity to the pressing political, social, and economic challenges of contemporary society, while promoting ethical responsibility both in civic life and professional practice. Consequently, legal education must instill in students a commitment to lifelong learning and the continuous pursuit of personal, academic, and professional development.

In this context, the integration of teaching, research, and university extension assumes particular importance, as these dimensions contribute to the holistic education of future legal professionals. Such an educational model is guided by principles informed by the overarching value of human dignity and is oriented toward the promotion of democratic citizenship, which remains essential for the development of a more just, inclusive, and participatory society.

2  Integrating Teaching, Research, and University Extension

Segue a tradução em inglês acadêmico-jurídico, adaptada ao estilo de artigos internacionais sobre Educação Jurídica, Ensino Superior e Políticas Públicas:

The integration of teaching, undergraduate research, and university extension is intended to promote the comprehensive education of students as future legal professionals, under the guidance of the core principles that inform the educational mission of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Mindful of the need to combine theoretical and practical training in legal education, the School of Legal Sciences of the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (ECJ-UNIRIO) structures its Law Program around three fundamental axes—general education, legal-technical education, and professional-practical training—through the transversal incorporation of the following dimensions:

(a) Problem-solving orientation: the adoption of methodological strategies that actively engage students in the construction of knowledge and incorporate elements of legal praxis, thereby enabling meaningful contact with professional experiences and the realities of legal practice;

(b) Emerging and transdisciplinary issues: recognition of the importance of continuously updating and enhancing students’ knowledge regarding contemporary challenges, approached not as compartmentalized subjects but through an understanding of the complementarity among different fields of knowledge and branches of law within higher education;

(c) Knowledge of regional, national, and international relevance: adaptation of traditional legal content to issues involving the international community, matters of significance within the Brazilian legal system, and themes reflecting the specific social, political, and legal realities of the State and City of Rio de Janeiro.

All educational practices must be grounded in ethical principles capable of fostering the dissemination of scientific knowledge and cultural development while encouraging social, political, and economic transformation. The objective is to provide a pluralistic education encompassing cultural, political, social, and economic dimensions, thereby promoting complex thinking and critical engagement within the academic community. Particular emphasis is placed on ethical values and on contributing to the development of a culture of peace.

For this reason, it is essential to establish a close articulation among teaching, research, and university extension, guided by the principle of curricular flexibility. Such an approach seeks to enhance students’ autonomy in shaping their academic trajectories while encouraging the technical, scientific, and pedagogical production of faculty members. Equally important is the promotion of continuous faculty development, with particular emphasis on competencies required for educational practices responsive to a social reality marked by structural inequalities and persistent demands for social justice.

At ECJ-UNIRIO, these objectives are implemented through a flexible curriculum composed of general education components, as well as legal-technical and professional-practical training modules. Although these curricular dimensions are not the specific focus of the present study, which concentrates on the curricular integration of university extension, it is important to emphasize the program’s commitment to competency-based education. This educational model is interdisciplinary in nature, enriched by cross-cutting themes and by the articulation between theory and practice through active learning methodologies and practical training opportunities.

Research activities are integrated into the teaching process both through course-based initiatives—such as literature reviews, experimentation with research methods, case studies, and observational practices—and through Undergraduate Research Programs coordinated by the Office of Extension and Culture (PROExC), which support scholarship students and encourage scientific production. These initiatives aim to promote publications by students and faculty members in academic journals, including the Journal of Law and Public Policy and the Law and Public Policy Review (CDPP), both affiliated with the Graduate Program in Law.

Furthermore, undergraduate research is closely linked to university extension through projects developed around nationally relevant themes aligned with the principles of sustainability, citizenship, and innovation. These initiatives seek to address global, regional, and local challenges while generating practical solutions applicable to diverse communities. Through this approach, the ECJ-UNIRIO Pedagogical Project presents a curricular structure and methodological framework designed to ensure the holistic and integrated education of students. Its pedagogical actions encompass all stages of knowledge construction, from students’ entry into higher education through their insertion into the labor market.

In this regard, the contribution of Perrenoud (2000, p. 15) is particularly relevant. According to the author, competence may be understood as the “ability to mobilize various cognitive resources to deal with a particular type of situation.” Competencies therefore extend beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge, concepts, and attitudes, encompassing the dynamic use of these resources according to the specific characteristics of each situation encountered.

Accordingly, the Law Program at ECJ-UNIRIO is fundamentally committed to developing professional competencies grounded in the essential relationship between theory and practice, between knowing and knowing how to act. Competency-based education thus constitutes a core institutional orientation, aimed at ensuring the effective integration of theoretical knowledge and professional practice. Within the educational process, priority is given to dynamic teaching methods and dialogical learning activities, fostering critical reflection, autonomy, and professional responsibility among future legal practitioners.

2.1 Research Lines of The School of Legal Sciences (ECJ-UNIRIO)

In addressing the challenge of promoting disciplinary activities through an interdisciplinary and reflective perspective, the School of Legal Sciences of the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (ECJ-UNIRIO) must also fulfill one of its core institutional functions: research. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) therefore bear the responsibility of fostering research initiatives aimed, among other objectives, at understanding the multiple impacts arising from pedagogical autonomy in Brazil. Such a commitment is particularly relevant given the recognized social prestige of universities, a prestige earned through the rigor of their scholarly investigation and extension activities.

Considering the thematic axes that guide the Law Program at ECJ-UNIRIO - namely: (a) the education of professionals for public administration and legal careers; (b) issues related to sustainable urban development; (3) economic relations and regional integration; and (d) human rights and citizenship—the following research lines have been established:

a) Economic Relations and Regional Integration

This research line focuses on the investigation of legal instruments capable of enhancing Brazil’s—and particularly the State of Rio de Janeiro’s—integration into regional and international economic contexts. Special emphasis is placed on the development potential of strategic service sectors, including information technology, oil and gas, port and maritime industries, as well as sustainable tourism, as mechanisms for attracting investment and promoting regional economic development.

b) Urban Policies and Sustainability

This line is dedicated to the legal analysis of public policies aimed at fostering more democratic, participatory, and sustainable urban development within the City of Rio de Janeiro. It examines the intersection between the political and legal dimensions of state action, emphasizing the influence of extra-legal factors on the configuration of Public Law and public policy. Particular attention is given to processes of territorial integration involving the City of Rio de Janeiro and the Baixada Fluminense region, especially regarding quality of life, environmental sustainability, and the role of the urban environment in supporting tourism-related activities.

c) Law and Public Administration

This research area examines the implications of managerial approaches to the State and Public Administration, as well as the relationships among governmental agencies, public servants, and society. Particular attention is devoted to regulatory agencies and to the development of innovative alternatives for public governance and administrative management. Research projects within this line may be conducted in collaboration with other academic programs, particularly those in Public Administration and Political Science within the Center for Legal and Political Sciences (CCJP).

d) Human Rights, Citizenship, and Social Transformation

This research line seeks to promote and stimulate new dialogues grounded in interculturality, emerging forms of interpersonal relationships based on solidarity and care, and renewed perspectives on vulnerability. Such an approach encourages innovative theoretical contributions and critical reflections concerning the broad range of fundamental rights enshrined in the Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988.

Within this framework, the interpretation of law and social phenomena emerges as a fundamental task for contemporary legal scholarship. New contributions from philosophy, ethics, and the social sciences provide analytical categories that can no longer be ignored in contemporary research. Beyond these broader theoretical concerns, this research line also addresses pressing issues related to structural and often invisible forms of discrimination affecting women and ethnic, racial, and sexual minorities. It further examines violations of the rights of vulnerable groups—including children, adolescents, older people, and persons with disabilities—who are frequently subjected to subtle forms of social coercion and exclusion that undermine their autonomy and restrict the effective enjoyment of their rights.

Accordingly, this line of research is committed to investigating the challenges surrounding the implementation and effectiveness of fundamental rights, particularly where state action remains insufficient to guarantee substantive equality and social justice. It emphasizes the role of public policies as instruments for promoting the public interest and ensuring the realization of citizenship rights, whether universally or with specific attention to particular social, cultural, ethnic, or economic groups. Through this perspective, the research line contributes to the development of legal and institutional frameworks capable of fostering social inclusion, democratic participation, and transformative approaches to human rights protection.

2.2 Undergraduate Research at Faculdade UNYLEYA

Undergraduate research is integrated into the teaching process at Faculdade UNYLEYA through the incorporation of research-oriented activities into the daily routine of its academic programs. These activities include literature reviews, the application and experimentation of research methodologies, the development of case studies, and observational practices associated with specific curricular components. Research training is further encouraged through institutional initiatives aimed at fostering scientific production and promoting the publication of scholarly work by both students and faculty members in the institutional journal Educação Sem Distância.

Moreover, undergraduate research is closely connected to university extension through the development of projects based on nationally relevant themes that are aligned with the institution’s core principles of sustainability, citizenship, innovation, and digital connectivity. These initiatives seek to bridge global and local perspectives, generating practical and socially relevant solutions capable of addressing the needs of diverse communities.

In this regard, research and extension activities are conceived as complementary dimensions of the educational process, contributing to the production and dissemination of knowledge while strengthening the social role of higher education. Through its network of learning centers distributed across different municipalities, Faculdade UNYLEYA seeks to promote community engagement and social impact by encouraging projects that respond to local demands while remaining connected to broader national and global challenges. Such an approach reinforces the institution’s commitment to socially responsible education and to the development of professionals capable of critically engaging with contemporary social realities.

3  THE PUBLIC POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR THE CURRICULAR INTEGRATION OF UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

The 1988 Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil establishes, in Article 207, the principle of the inseparability of teaching, research, and extension as a fundamental pillar of higher education. This constitutional provision reflects a conception of academic quality that encourages and fosters a necessary rapprochement between universities and society, aligning scholarly reflection with the theoretical and practical emancipation of students while emphasizing the social relevance of academic work:

"Article 207. Universities shall enjoy didactic-scientific, administrative, and financial autonomy, and shall observe the principle of the inseparability of teaching, research, and extension."

Within this constitutional framework, university extension emerges as one of the foundational pillars of higher education institutions, whether public or private. It represents the process through which knowledge generated through teaching and research is returned to society, thereby strengthening the relationship between universities and the communities they serve. Consequently, the curricular integration of extension activities assumes particular importance, as it promotes a continuous exchange of knowledge between the classroom and society across a wide range of academic disciplines.

In Brazil, the curricular integration of extension activities in higher education programs is expressly provided for by Article 6, Section III, of Resolution No. 7 of December 18, 2018, issued by the National Education Council (CNE). This Resolution establishes the National Guidelines for University Extension in Brazilian Higher Education and regulates Goal 12.7 of Law No. 13,005/2014, which approved the National Education Plan (PNE) 2014–2024.

It is important to note that Goal 12.7 of the National Education Plan provides a positive framework for all those who advocate a conception of higher education that extends beyond mere professional training. In this regard, the understanding of university extension adopted by the Forum of Pro-Rectors for Extension of Brazilian Public Higher Education Institutions (FORPROEX) remains particularly relevant. According to FORPROEX (2012), extension should be understood as an academic process “defined and implemented in response to the social, political, economic, and cultural demands of society and the pedagogical projects of academic programs, consistent with public policies and indispensable to citizenship education” (UNIRIO, 2021).

It is therefore unsurprising that, as early as the beginning of the twenty-first century, the Portuguese sociologist and legal scholar Boaventura de Sousa Santos emphasized the strategic importance of university extension:

“The field of extension activities will acquire a particularly significant role in the near future. At a time when global capitalism seeks to instrumentalize the university and effectively transform it into a vast extension agency serving its interests, university reform must assign renewed centrality to extension activities (with implications for curricula and academic careers) and conceive them as an alternative to global capitalism, granting universities an active role in the construction of social cohesion, the deepening of democracy, the struggle against social exclusion and environmental degradation, and the defense of cultural diversity.” (Santos, 2004, pp. 53–54)

The need to comply with Strategy 12.7 of Goal 12 of the National Education Plan (2014–2024), which requires undergraduate programs to allocate at least ten percent of their total curricular workload to extension activities, prompted the higher education institutions examined in this study—Faculdade UNYLEYA and ECJ-UNIRIO—to carefully consider both the opportunities and challenges associated with this policy. As a result, each institution developed distinct implementation strategies designed to accommodate the diversity and specific characteristics of their respective undergraduate programs.

In the specific case of UNIRIO, the establishment of a dedicated Working Group to study and propose alternatives for the implementation of extension curricularization resulted in the publication of the Guide for the Curricular Integration of Extension Activities in Undergraduate Programs at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). This document was the outcome of an extensive collective and interdisciplinary effort undertaken throughout 2021, involving broad consultation and dialogue with the university community. The initiative was coordinated by the University Rector’s Office in partnership with the Office of Extension and Culture (PROExC) and the Office of Undergraduate Studies (PROGRAD).

The resulting framework illustrates how the curricular integration of extension activities has become not merely a regulatory requirement, but also a strategic instrument for strengthening the social mission of higher education, fostering democratic citizenship, and promoting meaningful engagement between universities and society.

3.1 University Extension Curricularization in the Pedagogical Project of the ECJ-UNIRIO Law Degree Program

The Law Program of the School of Legal Sciences (ECJ-UNIRIO), in compliance with Resolution CNE/CES No. 7 of December 18, 2018, which established the National Guidelines for University Extension in Brazilian Higher Education, and in accordance with the proposals developed by the Working Group on the Curricular Integration of Extension Activities at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), as well as by the Program’s Structuring Teaching Committee (Núcleo Docente Estruturante – NDE), has adopted a curricular extension framework through the following measures:

(a) A minimum of 450 hours and a maximum of 560 hours of the Law Program curriculum are allocated to activities carried out directly in collaboration with local communities. These hours are distributed among credits associated with fifteen compulsory courses and eleven elective courses, all of which are already part of the existing curriculum. Belonging to the program’s theoretical and professional training components, these courses allocate either all or part of their workload to the theoretical design, planning, organization, implementation, and evaluation of extension activities.

Through this structure, extension activities become an integral component of the teaching-learning process, ensuring that students engage directly with social realities and community demands while developing the knowledge, skills, and professional competencies required for legal practice. This model reinforces the constitutional principle of the inseparability of teaching, research, and extension, while fostering the social responsibility of legal education and strengthening the relationship between the university and society.

The courses involved in this curricular extension framework are presented in the table below.

Table – Courses with Curricular Extension Workload in the ECJ-UNIRIO Law Program

Source: Adapted from the Pedagogical Project of the School of Legal Sciences (ECJ-UNIRIO), 2022.

By way of illustration, the authors present the syllabus of the History of Law course, an already established component of the curriculum that was transformed into an extension-based course, with extension activities integrated throughout its entire workload. This approach exemplifies the transversal nature of the curricular extension strategy adopted by the program. The course is linked to the extension project developed by one of the authors, who serves both as the course instructor and as the project coordinator:

Source: Adapted from the Pedagogical Project of the School of Legal Sciences (ECJ-UNIRIO), 2022.

Source: Adapted from the Pedagogical Project of the School of Legal Sciences (ECJ-UNIRIO), 2022.

3.2  The Proposed Curricular Integration of University Extension In The Pedagogical Project Of The Law Program At Faculdade Unyleya

Source: Adapted from the Pedagogical Project of the Law Program (PPC), Faculdade UNYLEYA, 2021.

4  FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

This essay has sought to promote a critical reflection on the importance of the curricular integration of university extension, particularly in light of Article 4 of Ministry of Education Resolution No. 7 of 2018, which establishes that “extension activities shall constitute at least ten percent (10%) of the total curricular workload of undergraduate programs and shall be incorporated into the curriculum of such programs.” To illustrate the practical implementation of this regulatory framework, the study examined the experiences of two higher education institutions with distinct educational models: the School of Legal Sciences (ECJ) of the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), a public institution offering a traditional face-to-face Law program, and Faculdade UNYLEYA, a private institution whose educational mission is primarily oriented toward distance learning.

Both institutions undertook the necessary revisions of their pedagogical projects to comply with the legal requirements established by the Resolution. In doing so, however, each institution adopted a distinct strategy. At UNIRIO, the curricularization process was implemented through the incorporation of extension activities into already existing courses, thereby transforming traditional curricular components into extension-based learning experiences. At Faculdade UNYLEYA, by contrast, the institutional solution involved the creation of a set of courses specifically designed to fulfill extension objectives, namely the Professional Environment Engagement Courses (AAPEX).

Whereas the School of Legal Sciences integrated extension activities into existing courses in sufficient numbers to satisfy the minimum extension workload required by the regulation—linking these activities to specific extension projects associated with each course, as exemplified by the History of Law course—Faculdade UNYLEYA adopted a different approach by creating extension-oriented curricular components expressly conceived for that purpose. Through the AAPEX courses, the institution established a pedagogical structure capable of satisfying the workload requirements established by the Ministry of Education while simultaneously promoting professional engagement and community outreach.

Although the strategies adopted by the two institutions differ in form and implementation, their underlying purpose remains the same. Both models seek to provide students with meaningful opportunities to engage with their future professional environments through projects and activities designed to address concrete social needs. In this sense, extension activities serve as an important mechanism for connecting academic learning with practical experience and social responsibility, while also contributing to improvements in community well-being.

Accordingly, the experiences analyzed clearly demonstrate a shared commitment to recognizing university extension as a fundamental academic activity. Despite their institutional and methodological differences, both models contribute to reducing the distance between higher education institutions and the communities they serve by fostering the exchange of knowledge and encouraging socially engaged learning. Moreover, they enhance the professional training of students by enabling them to develop practical competencies while cultivating a stronger sense of citizenship and public responsibility.

Ultimately, the curricular integration of extension activities emerges not merely as a regulatory requirement but as an important instrument for strengthening the social mission of higher education, promoting democratic citizenship, and contributing to the production of knowledge that is responsive to societal needs. In this regard, both experiences underscore the transformative potential of university extension as a means of enriching legal education and improving the quality of civic life.

5  REFERENCES

BRAZIL. Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil of 1988. Available at: http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/Constituicao/Constituicao.htm. Accessed: 15 February 2023.

BRAZIL. Law No. 9,394 of December 20, 1996 (Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education). Available at: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l9394.htm. Accessed: 23 February 2023.

BRAZIL. Law No. 10,172 of January 9, 2001 (National Education Plan). Available at: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/leis_2001/l10172.htm. Accessed: 15 January 2023.

BRAZIL. Law No. 13,005 of June 25, 2014 (National Education Plan 2014–2024). Available at: http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011-2014/2014/lei/l13005.htm. Accessed: 15 January 2023.

FACULDADE UNYLEYA. Pedagogical Project of the Law Program. Rio de Janeiro: Faculdade UNYLEYA, 2021.

PERRENOUD, Philippe. Ten New Competencies for Teaching. Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas Sul, 2000.

SANTOS, Boaventura de Sousa. The University in the Twenty-First Century: Toward a New University. São Paulo: Cortez, 2004.

FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO (UNIRIO). Pedagogical Project of the School of Legal Sciences. Rio de Janeiro: UNIRIO, 2022.